City: La Malbaie
Top Things to do in La Malbaie
Top 10 Things to do in La Malbaie, Canada
La Malbaie is a municipality in the Charlevoix-Est Regional County Municipality in the province of Quebec, Canada, situated on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River, at the mouth of the Malbaie River. It was formerly known as Murray Bay.
Restaurants in La Malbaie
1. Galerie d'art Au P'tit Bonheur
Overall Ratings
5 based on 127 reviews
A unique gallery, an enchanting destination, not to be missed by art lovers... In the heart of Charlevoix for three decades now, Le P'tit Bonheur is committed to offering visitors a varied selection of high-quality figurative works in a welcoming setting. The gallery proudly exhibits the work of some thirty artists, painters and sculptors, among the most renowned in Quebec and Canada.
Reviewed By Pichtoune_71 - New Liskeard, Canada
Au p'tit bonheur! is a most lovely gallery. We were greeted by knowledgeable and friendly staff who responded to our interest and made our visit enjoyable and memorable. Although a number of staff participated in our viewing experience, ultimately it was Mr. Jacques Tremblay who...MoreYour comment definitely made our day! Thank you for taking the time to provide us with your detailed and much appreciated feedback. We sincerely hope we will have the pleasure to welcome you again at Au P'tit Bonheur.
2. La Maison du Bootlegger
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 111 reviews
Reviewed By rejoy - Edmundston, Canada
Excellent table with a very good service personel are friendly, aund you are there for fun dance and more.
3. Casino de Charlevoix
Overall Ratings
4 based on 388 reviews
One of Quebec's premier Casinos offers risk-takers a variety of games, from poker and craps to roulette and baccarat.
Reviewed By MontrealMan49 - Montreal, Canada
I was staying at Fairmont Le Manoir And even with $10 of free starter chips I could not bring myself to gamble. The clientele looked like older retired people or others believing they can "beat the math" where the house locks in profits with algorithms. I feel that the location of the casino cheapens the Le Manoir hotel experience.. clogs the parking areas and drives smokers outdoors to puff away their anxieties... The sad looks on the faces of the older folks on the one-armed bandits was confirmation to me that many were robotically addicted to gambling when they could have been at home with their children or grandchildren or taking a walk on the river versus being penned in a dark building while their saving swindled away...
4. Domaine Forget
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 68 reviews
Reviewed By Gugeux - New York City, New York
We enjoyed attending a concert and exploring the park. The combination of the music and the site was special and so enjoyable and inspiring.
5. Mont Grand-Fonds
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 64 reviews
6. Les Jardins de Quatre-Vents
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 61 reviews
Reviewed By MarkinMontreal - Montreal
Quatre Vents, is really one of the top Gardens in Canada, if not North America. The thought and care in creating the garden is incredible. The garden is orientated on North South, East West lines. There are long sight lines along these axis that give long views, fun for cameras.
It is open to the public 4 Saturdays a year.
7. Domaine Pic Bois
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 25 reviews
8. Les Sources Joyeuses
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 23 reviews
Reviewed By SHamel67 - Quebec City, Canada
Nous étions surpris que ce soit déjà fermé depuis le 20 mars alors que les conditions de neiges étaient parfaites (week-end de Pâques). Malgré tout, nous avons fait comme de nombreuses autres personnes (aussi surprises) et avons emprunté le sentier de raquettes jusqu'au mirador. Très beaux sentiers, air pur, paysage unique sur les montagnes et le fleuve.
9. Musee de Charlevoix
Overall Ratings
4 based on 34 reviews
Reviewed By Joyce A - Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
The Charlevoix region is a must for nature lovers. It includes the regional municipalities of La Malbaie (home of the Charlevoix Museum), Isle-aux-Coudres and Baie St. Paul. If you are visiting the region after labour day weekend, it is difficult to find a restaurant that serves lunch. When travelling in the area during that time, it is best to bring a small picnic basket.
Grocery stores are not in abundance either. We arrived in La Malbaie, QC, and secured a beautiful room at the “Hotel Au Petit Berger”, a very clean, and friendly hotel that serves a great breakfast with plenty of choices. It is also within walking distance to the magnificent 4-star luxury Fairmont le Manoir Richelieu Hotel and Casino de Charlevoix. We noted also that many of the museums are on winter hours so do check that out beforehand. The hotels that have restaurants are only open for dinner from about 5:00 pm.
Don't miss the Charlevoix museum! There is an entire exhibition dedicated to Gabrielle Roy, likely the most influential French-Canadian writer of our time.
If you follow route 162, take the ferry boat across to Isle-aux-Coudres and be sure to visit the old mill located in the soutwestern part of the island to see the watermill and the windmill established in the 1830s. Watch as the miller shares valuable knowledge and demonstrates the art of grinding grain on millstones in order to produce flour which can be bought on site in their boutique. Another noteworthy stop is at the acclaimed apple orchard Cidrerie et Vergers Pedneault and don't leave without buying apples, jellies and jams, and/or sparkling apple juices and ciders. They have a huge selection! We over-nighted at a quaint hotel on Isle-aux-Coudres called “Hotel Cap aux Pierres” with a magnificent view of the St-Laurent River. We met a wonderful couple from New Jersey and enjoyed a relaxing evening by the lobby fireplace. Service in the dining room is superb.
After leaving the island we stopped in Baie St. Paul, a town with 350 years of history! There are a host of quaint little boutiques, outdoor restaurants and art galleries. We visited the Iris Gallery and saw the works of noted French Canadian artist Norman Hudon, a renowned caricaturist, journalist and painter from Montreal. Upon leaving Baie St. Paul, we headed back to Ontario and decided to stay overnight in Drummondville, QC at the newly renovated hotel called the “Hotel & Suites le Dauphin” on St-Joseph Boulevard. I give their restaurant “The Globe Trotter” a thumbs up! Their rooms are very appealing with their new “zen” look!
10. Route des Montagnes
Overall Ratings
5 based on 15 reviews
Reviewed By GlobetrotterSH - Canada
The Mountain Drive, better known as "La Route des Montagnes", winds its way through some of the most beautiful countryside in the province. It owes its unique character to a meteorite impact some 350 million years ago that dramatically altered the topography, creating a forty-mile-wide crater that is the heart of Quebec's Charlevoix region. It is one of Quebec's most innovative region for agro-tourism. Fall is a good time to visit, when a literal explosion of colors changes the landscapes into a seemingly endless woven carpet of yellow, gold and orange, a metamorphosis that is awe-inspiring.
If you come in from Quebec City on Rte 138, it is worth stopping at the Tourist Information Centre a couple of miles before the town of Baie-Saint-Paul, to pick up the magazine "La Route des Saveurs" - The Flavor Trail. It is an interesting and informative guide that helps you discover Charlevoix's gourmet delights; growers, producers and restaurants. The region has developed a reputation for its exceptionally tender and flavorful lamb which became the first food product in North America to be legally protected based on its region of origin (AOC). Veal, game birds and rabbit are also found on the best menus, as well as regional cheeses and duck foie gras from neighboring Saint-Urbain. Just keep an eye out for "Certifié Terroir Charlevoix" labels. By the way, Baie-Saint-Paul, an important arts centre, is worth an extended pause or an overnight stay, just to soak up some of that friendly atmosphere, to visit its many art galleries and to taste some of those regional delicacies. It is the birth place of the celebrated Cirque du Soleil.
Basically, the Mountain Drive connects the two National Parks; Grands-Jardins and Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie. But we decided to continue north beyond Grands-Jardins on Rte 381, all the way up to the town of La Baie and the Saguenay River, because the foliage is particularly spectacular up there. If you hit the season at its peak, the colors will be stunning. Needless to say this changes from year to year, but generally, we found that the first week in October rarely disappoints.
As you approach Petit Lac Ha! Ha! about 50 miles north of Baie-Saint-Paul, you will find a fabulous lookout over the neighboring Saguenay region, about half-way down the slope to the lake. To say the view is splendid is almost an understatement. Do try not to miss it. The vibrant yellow of the large aspen population up there reminded us of the imposing and resplendent scenery in Western Colorado.
The town of La Baie is a good place to stay overnight, if only to allow more time to visit the Saguenay Fjord National Park - God's country as far as I am concerned. Also, if you are lucky, you will be able to observe thousands of snow geese in the area, often so many that you get the impression that the southern shore of the Bay is covered in snow. Yearlong efforts to attract major cruise lines have paid off for the small community, and in autumn, you will be able to watch the big ships sail into the Bay and tie up for the day at the modest, new cruise terminal. This year, Queen Mary 2 will dock here for the first time on October 6. That will be an impressive sight and a great photo-op. By the way, if you are looking for a modest but excellent country inn, sitting on a cliff overlooking the Fjord, you may want to stay at l'Auberge de la Rivière Saguenay. The owner, an accomplished hostess, will pamper you and serve you a delicious breakfast that will make your day.
Running more or less parallel with the Saguenay River, the 100-mile drive on Rte 170, from La Baie to La Malbaie and back to the Mountain Drive, is a real treat. It is at its Sunday best in Fall. At every few turns, the unfolding Panorama changes from hills and cliffs to an expansive valley dotted with a few quaint villages, from where you have access to the river, allowing you take in the grandeur of the Fjord. When traveling during the summer season, we like to take a break at Anse de Sainte-Étienne, a few miles from the town of Petit-Saguenay, where you can enjoy the vast delta of sandy Beaches during low tide.
The town of La Malbaie sits just about in the heart of Charlevoix, making it an excellent base from which to roam throughout the region that is blessed with a great choice of interesting destinations and things to do. Among the many good hotels and country inns, the Auberge Bistro Chez Truchon is one that we tend to gravitate to. It is a charming, century-old former summer residence, where past and present live in perfect harmony and where talented Charlevoix chef Truchon knows how to tickle your taste buds with local specialties.
If you brought your golf clubs along, the Fairmont Le Richelieu golf course is something you wouldn't want to miss. It is without equal in the province. The three 9-hole courses overlooking the mighty St. Lawrence River are simply spectacular. The scenery and the view alone will sweep you off your feet.
Rte 138 will take you back to the Mountain Drive, via Clermont and Saint-Aimé-des-Lacs, all the way up to Le Parc National des Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-de-Malbaie, a hinterland jewel best described as one-of-a-kind. As you drive up the valley, the sweeping views will be a feast on your eyes, especially in Fall, and you get a better appreciation of the effect the meteor impact had on the topography of the region. Activities include hiking, canoeing, kayaking, fishing, biking, climbing and camping, but cars are not allow in the park. Riverboat cruises accompanied by a park ranger are available during the summer season, but it is a good idea to make advance Reservations.
The drive back to Baie-Saint-Paul, the point of departure, takes you through the relatively smooth and flat center of the crater, via Notre-Dame-des-Monts, and a country road known as Rang de Saint-Jean-Baptiste.
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