The Invigorating St. Lawrence

The Pavillon du Saint-Laurent: Gateway to the tidelands.

This, here, is the crossroads between ecosystems: the marine ecosystem and the forest ecosystem, covered in dry, reddened pine needles. Alongside these ecosystems is the marshland ecosystem formed by the bay's flood plain, saturated by the river water and hereby made fertile, in which salt-tinged hay grows, to be eaten by sheep. Because, yes, the land here is also farmland and agricultural. This is a special circumstance, in which these very separate worlds all come together, adding their own special features to the fauna and the flora… The kind of biodiversity that we can learn about behind  wooden walls designed by Atelier Pierre Thibeault, in the Pavillon du Saint-Laurent. While the "middle estuary," the section of river that runs beside Charlevoix, is revealed through an indoor exhibit, the natural surroundings are also revealed outside of those walls, by interpretive activities on-site, led by GUÊPE [united group of nature educators and professionals in environmental sciences]. 

One could get the feeling this place is out of this world, providing an opportunity to pause and connect to nature, while still only being a stone's throw away from Baie-Saint-Paul's active and beating heart, even accessible on foot by way of the rue Sainte-Anne or through the Allée des soeurs… More than just a building, the Pavillon du Saint-Laurent opens its doors, inviting people to learn about the river and its surroundings. Not second in any way to Cape Cod or Martha’s Vineyard, just a few steps away from the beach with its white picket fences, its dunes, and its lighthouse visible in the far distance out near the Isle-aux-Coudres, the area, embracing its potential as a source of rejuvenation, has so much to offer: fatbike rentals, for exploring the woods, sporting equipment (soccer, Spikeball, Frisbee) rentals for fun the sand or on the pavilion's grass fields, and observation binoculars to help you enjoy the landscape to its fullest, or the variety of coastal birds that spend time and nest in this area. 

If the architecture is of a sober elegance that incorporates itself well into the landscape, if the offerings put in place in the area by the city of Baie-Saint-Paul, organizations (GUÊPE), and businesses (Katabatik Aventure) are genuine value-adds to being able to enjoy the area, the biggest star is the river, without a doubt. Come to the water's edge and dive in to find balance and wellbeing. Wade in, wash away everything that weighs you down. Experience the seasons, the climate, and the vicissitudes of the weather, in the outdoors. Breathe the salt air into your lungs. Climb the bank, stretch your muscles. Let the wind coming from offshore sweep away your cares, create new space in your mind that you can then fill with zen, with beauty. Because, exposed to the elements, it's time to rediscover and remember who you are, at your core: a part of the ecosystem, a living being capable of wonder. Reconnect with that part of yourself, the part that calls out to nature, and come back to basics, come back to the river. 

The River: an entity that is as much a part of us, as we are a part of it.

For an immersive experience of the river, and of the tideland zone of the bay in Baie-Saint-Paul, the Pavillon du Saint-Laurent has offered a soundscape exhibit created by Paysages studios, since last August. This soundscape is an immersion into the sounds of everything that lives and changes in the St. Lawrence, creating a feeling of intimacy with these waters, a genuine presence that we, those of us who reside on the Charlevoix coast, live alongside every day, taking advantage of its invigorating virtues, for both body and soul.