After a few days in Quebec city, we drove up to Charlevoix with another couple who had heard about the region, it’s beauty and its reputation for fine dining and lodging. We had no itinerary. Like explorers, we wanted to discover the area before settling down. We were looking for something special, out of the beaten path. When we arrived in Pointe-au-Pic, we took a drive on “Chemin des Falaises”, the historic part of town where the old summer mansions built by wealthy Americans in the past century are to be found. Along the way, our attention was caught by a sign at the bottom of a very steep driveway “Auberge de Falaises”.
A hotel? Here?
“falaises means cliff”, said my friend looking through her dictionary.
“And what does lost translate to?” said her husband. I must admit, this auberge was more “off the beaten path” than we expected.
Our curiosity led us to drive up the steep hill to check out the “falaises”. I’d rather do it in the summer than in the winter. When we arrived up the hill, we stepped out of the car and were drawn to a magnificent stone terrace in front of the main building. A few steps later, all four of us stood there in silence, stunned and amazed. This was one of the most spectacular panorama we’d seen on this trip. All we could see was this amazing body of water which is the St-Lawrence seaway, a series of mountains that seemed to have grown out of it, and a narrow horizon line indicating land at a distance. All we could hear was the wind blowing through a forest of cedars below us, and the beating of our hearts that confirmed without a doubt that we had found the place we were looking for.
One of us had to break the silence.
“Wow! This is how Christophe Columbus must have felt like when he discovered the new world”
After inquiring about availability, the young lady at the front desk informed us that only one room was available at this time due to a cancellation. The problem was, we needed two rooms. She invited us to sit on the patio and offered us coffee. “Let me see what I can do”, she said. We walked around the old mansion, discovering its charms, its authenticity, screening the dinner menu, and enjoying the peace that surrounded us. Our desire to stay there was growing by the minute.
A few minutes later, the young lady came back to inform us that she could accommodate us with two rooms but only for one night. “Unfortunately, the rooms are not next to each other” she said.
Could this be the only catch? Located in another building next to the mansion, both rooms were junior suites with a living room area, fireplace, a large balcony with that same spectacular view that hit us in the first place. No cars at sight, no traffic noise… Only mountains and sea! So peaceful!
That night, we enjoyed the most amazing dinner. The menu combined local products, international flavors, and the personal artistic flair of the chef. This wasn’t a meal, this was an experience which surpassed all our expectations. We sat there for hours enjoying the food, the wine, the view, the service and the friendliness. No fuss here, just authenticity!
We didn’t conquered the place, it conquered us! Our stay at Auberge des Falaises was too short, but regardless, it was the highlight of our trip. We now know where to find our own piece of paradise in Charlevoix.
