A place of feeling, in all 4 seasons
7 municipalities;
7 strong, striking feelings for anyone
who sets foot in the Charlevoix-Est region
Charlevoix-Est RCM
A place of feeling,
in all 4 seasons
From entrepreneurial success stories to the small pleasures of everyday life, the Charlevoix-Est RCM [Regional County Municipality], comprised of 7 regional municipalities, has the ability to make us feel big, beautiful, strong feelings. In this place, pushing your limits means trying new experiences. In this place, both nature and community are ready to welcome you, in all 4 seasons. Let the Charlevoix-Est RCM, this place of feeling, blow your mind with its peaks, its whales, its regional flavours, its local shops, its winter sports, its beaches, and especially, the quality of life that makes you feel like you want to plant yourself here, and stay for good!
Baie-Sainte-Catherine,
a place to be marvelled at,
in all 4 seasons
The easternmost point in Charlevoix, adjacent to the North Shore, this village stands between the St. Lawrence River and the Saguenay Fjord. This area is known for being a major nursery ground for beluga whales, and the feeding ground for the largest species of cetacean in the world. The impressive shows put on by the whales occur daily, so much so that an entire industry of boat tours sprang up, offering adventure via large vessel, zodiac, and even kayak. Baie-Sainte-Catherine is also a place full of history given that, in 1603, the traité de la Grande Alliance treaty was signed here. Today, new tourism companies are growing here, and many outfitters, already very active in forested areas dotted with fish-filled lakes, take part in expanding the appeal of the community. The village here is peaceful, a dream to visit and to rediscover, and its long ribbon of unspoiled beach is truly amazing!
Saint-Siméon,
a place to discover,
in all 4 seasons
Located at the crossroads (of Route 170 towards Saguenay and Route 138 towards the North Shore) Saint-Siméon is also known for the ferry that connects it with the Bas-Saint-Laurent [Lower St. Lawrence] region. But, more than just a way station between destinations, it’s a real playground to be discovered! Dogsledding, sea-kayaking, via ferrata at the Palissades mountain adventure park, access to the Orignac trail, backcountry skiing, and swimming in the Rivière Noire (or in the St. Lawrence, for those brave enough): this municipality gets you moving! If, in the heart of the municipality you find the core of the community, you absolutely have to venture into the surrounding area to discover the magnificent Port-au-Persil landscape, with its old pier, its heritage homes, its famous chapel, its waterfalls, its picnic (and possible beluga sighting) opportunities in one direction… And in the other, Baie-des-Rochers with its free-to-hike mountainside trail that overlooks the emerald bay, and leads to a pristine beach, inaccessible by any other means.
La Malbaie,
a place for excitement,
in all 4 seasons
La Malbaie stands apart for its size and for the wealth of services and entertainment it offers. The Charlevoix-Est RCM’s central city, it provides the community with essential services and offers a dynamic quality of life. Want restaurants? They’re varied and plentiful. Sports facilities? Obviously! A sports complex and a semi-Olympic pool. Want entertainment? There are free outdoor performances programmed all summer long at the parc du Havre harbour park and cultural programming at the library. Love the outdoors? Downhill ski runs, a vast network of cross-country ski trails, spacious parks, and a river walk, to say nothing of forest hiking trails. In addition, a museum, a modern library, a brand-new elementary school, as well as several residential areas that bear witness to the area’s vitality. La Malbaie is booming, friendly, and welcoming of cultural diversity. Thanks to planning focussed on sustainable development and on quality of life, it has positioned itself as a good place in which to live, to settle down, and to invest.
Saint-Irénée,
a place of inspiration,
in all 4 seasons
Along the route du Fleuve [river road] (Route 362), Saint-Irénée is more or less Charlevoix-Est’s seaside town, with a beach where tourists and locals, young and old alike, converge on a sunny day with an ice cream or a good lunch! With its sandy coast, its wooden boardwalk and a pier that extends a long way into the water, Saint-Irénée is quickly being accepted as one of “the most beautiful bays in the world!” Something deservedly said about its landscapes, but which could also be said about other things, including culture. That’s an easily checked box, for this village that is home to one of Charlevoix’s great cultural institutions: Le domaine Forget de Charlevoix facility, with its acoustically exceptional concert hall, an international festival that attracts the biggest names in classical music, an academy that trains the next generation of musicians and dancers, and its garden of monumental sculptures that overlooks the bay. From the colourful village perched on high, to evening yoga courses by the light of the full moon, through to arts and crafts and dishes showcasing regional food, to say nothing of its cookie maker’s economuseum: Saint-Irénée is an inspiring and inspired place!
Clermont,
a place for ambition,
in all 4 seasons
A city bordering the Malbaie River, Clermont’s history goes back to the days of log-driving and is influenced by the presence of the forestry and paper industries, which fostered the need for growth, creativity and the incubation of ideas… Since that time, bold industries and companies have flourished here in fields as varied as composite materials, cultivation of saffron in northern climates, engineering and construction, even the distillation of spirits! Big ambition has to be combined with a comfortable way of life; in Clermont, you can find bike paths between urban areas, meanders of the river, lakes and wildlife, a modern arena, a curling club that hosts significant competitions, and all the shops and services needed for everyday life. Still driven by the momentum of development, Clermont attracts families with its hillside residential neighbourhood, its lively park, and accessible sports fields. For a bike ride, a microbrewery beer on a patio, a new business, or living life: Clermont is an ideal place to carry out your plans!
Saint-aimé-des-lacs,
a place for recreation,
in all 4 seasons
Saint-Aimé-des-lacs, as the hamlet’s name suggests, counts seven lakes, and extends to the border of Lac Sainte-Marie and Lac Brûlé, by way of the immense Lac Nairne. A haven of nautical fun, vacationers criss-cross these lakes on gorgeous days aboard their watercraft, which include kayaks, paddle boards, pedal boats one can rent at the Base de plein-air [outdoor recreational centre] (camping and beach) frequented by locals and visitors alike. Continuing to the northwest and its unique mountain abutment, the road leads to the iconic parc national des Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie provincial park that offers a breathtaking experience, specifically, the legendary sentier de l’Acropole-des-Draveurs trail. Every year the Triathlon and Rodéo de Charlevoix festival make the region, also inhabited by organic farmers, outfitters, fast food and the musée de la Drave [log-driving] museum, come alive… To say nothing of the changing mountain, forest, and coastal scenery, in summer and winter alike!
Notre-Dame-des-monts,
an uplifting place,
in all 4 seasons
From the mythical Route 138, you veer from mountains to the Charlevoix backcountry, the spirit of which is perfectly embodied by Notre-Dame-des-Monts, with its beautiful barns, vestiges of a time when we lived entirely off the land, cleared by hand. Roads radiate from the white steeple in a star-shaped pattern, criss-crossing the area by way of country lanes… Here and there, glimpses can be caught of what, locally, is known as la noyée [the drowned woman]: a mountain range that resembles the silhouette of a reclining pregnant woman. It’s behind those peaks, several of which are climbable, that the sunset, throwing its warm colours on the village, its snowmobiler’s refuge restaurant and bar, its food co-op, its park and the fields of the new flower farm that has been established there… From Notre-Dame-des-Monts, you can access the trailhead for the sentier du mont des Morios mountain trail, the bare summit of which is covered in alpine vegetation and offers a clear 360-degree view of the surroundings.
