By: Belt Drive Betty
I am working on organizing a ride across Canada to celebrate my upcoming 60th birthday in June of 2020. Part of my research has involved looking at old articles I have written about Canadian locations I have already traveled to. I came across some of my articles on my various times in the Charlevoix region of Quebec with Moto Foodie Ken Aiken and then tourism director Francois Gariepy.
What a view!
Designated a World UNESCO site in 1989, Charlevoix has become home to some of the world’s most accomplished Red Seal Chefs. Why? Approximately 350 million years ago, a meteorite impacted the area creating the Charlevoix Crater. That crater, along with the subsequent glaciation that took place, left the soil so fertile that cheeses made from the cream of goats and cows from this region are richer and creamier than normal.
The agricultural industry is so strong here and produces such amazing raw products that chefs from around the world have come to this region for a summer to cook as apprentices, and many have loved cooking with these raw products so much that they now run and or own many of the area’s bed & breakfasts, boutique hotels, restaurants and pubs all throughout the region. The raw products that go into creating your dinner will be identified by the Certified from Charlevoix Seal!
Charlevoix Stamp
The food is decadent, succulent, and aromatic. Just writing about it, I can picture and smell the fresh crepes with real maple syrup served up at Auberge des Falaises Restaurant and the amazing Angus tenderloin at Le Charlevoix Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu. Eating in La Belle Province is an absolute pleasure, a joy that every human being should experience at least once. The entire province seems to be blessed with gifted cooks and chefs.
The very first trip I went on in that region was in an area known as the Flavour Trail.
The Flavour Trail is located in the Charlevoix Tourism Region of Quebec, about 80 kilometers east of Quebec City, and it is home to an Agro Tour like no other! Even today, some 6 years after this trip happened, well, just thinking of my time there makes my mouth water.
But eating in Charlevoix along the Flavour Trail, that is an experience not enough people know about. This region makes food an absolutely exquisite, spiritual experience.
L’Orange Bistro in Baie-St-Paul is a delightful place to have lunch and watch all the motorcycles go by! Charlevoix is the region that all Quebecois riders go to for their Sunday afternoon rides or their weekend getaways!
L’Orange is the best place to sit and watch the comings and goings on Baie-St-Paul!
The food offered here is pub food, but very well done. There is but one challenge, their menu is in French, and while many French speaking Quebecois speak English, they are very embarrassed that they don’t speak it very well. DO NOT let that intimidate you! Most of the words on a menu these days can be translated using Google on your phone. Use Google Translate until you find something you’d like, then show them your phone!
To find out more about the Flavour Trail and Charlevoix visit: https://www.tourisme- charlevoix.com/en/
Until next time, ride like everyone around you is blind and cannot see you.
