This European-style city is a good getaway, particularly for a long weekend. But outside the city and farther out in the province, one can experience a different type of Quebec life.
On a recent trip, after 2 1/2 days in the city, I wanted to see more of the countryside, so I headed east along the St. Lawrence River. My first stop was Isle d'Orleans, an island within sight of the city - a strategic location that the British appreciated when they used it as a staging area to launch attacks on the French-controlled city when they were attempting to seize control of the region in 1759.Despite its closeness to an urban center, it's still pastoral, and farming is the primary use of the land, although how much longer that's the case remains to be seen. Many new homes with small lots dot the landscape and, in the process, start eliminating one-time farmland. The island has only a few roads - drivers circle the island, about 60 miles, an easy loop.
The island is famous for strawberries - and rightfully so based on the ones I bought at Les Halles, the farmers' market on the waterfront in Quebec City. In season, you can also buy them on the island at farm stands. In fact, you can spend lots of time stopping at farm stands - just look for whatever is in season. The communities are small, but worth stops to explore old cemeteries or visit a church. I found several galleries specializing in crafts of the islands - folk art, functional items, some paintings. If you want to stay overnight, a few B&Bs and small inns are nestled in some of the communities.
The island is a popular destination, so you'll share the road and stops with tour buses. The main road sits high, as the land drops sharply to the water, but the views of the river to the west and south and the Laurentian Mountains to the north are what artists love to paint. From Isle d'Orleans, I drove to St.-Anne-de-Beaupre, the shrine of miracles that draws pilgrims from around the world. The dual-spire church is visible for miles. It's another tourist area - the shrine and the nearby ski area at Mont St.-Anne are why Route 138 is lined with motels, restaurants, and shops. The town even has an outlet mall, complete with a restaurant promoting California-style cuisine.
I stayed overnight in this area and got up early the next morning to drive into Charlevoix, the adjoining county known for its landscape of mountains, woods, farms, river, and villages. I was curious about this stretch of the river, what it was like as one leaves the more populated areas. It was easy to see why painters are drawn to dramatic scenery as rugged terrain meets rugged river. It's also an area known for its hiking, camping, and fishing sites.
One community, Baie Ste.-Paul, was my primary destination because it bills itself as "Art and Nature." It's an apt name for the community nestled in a curving, steep valley of the river, where art is second nature. I counted a dozen galleries in the town center, plus an Arts Center featuring regional artists. It's also the home of the late Rene Richards, considered one of Canada's premier painters. Family members have opened his small home and studio as a musuem.
After a quick lunch in town, I drove east along Route 138, admiring the views, before taking a turn to Ste.-Josephe-de-la-Rive, a village snug by the river, but you get to it only after driving down an unbelievably long and steep road, which makes a sharp turn to the right. I was convinced there was no turn ahead and that my brakes would fail and the car would plunge into the river.
A mile or so on as the road follows the curves of the river, you'll find the little village where the sites define this region: a museum on the maritime history of the river, a wood carvers' shop, and a handmade paper studio. All charming, all nestled in a flat stretch of land. Oh, yes, there's also a patisserie-boulangerie, an inn-cum-eatery, and a few houses. St.-Gilles is the handmade paper studio where you can watch the operation: the pulp making vats, the presses that squeeze out the water. A gallery showcases works on, or of, paper by artists; a gift shop sells products such as artists' books, writing paper, sheets made on the premises.
Across the street is the Maritime Museum and a shop called Stansons of Charlevoix, figurines of Stanson. The wooden figures are all made by one man who began by carving nativity scenes and now has a series of figures representing regional workers: farmer, fisherman, wood carver, baker, logger.
I then headed back toward Quebec City, bypassing it and driving south to Victoriasville, where I found a hotel. The next day I explored the area between Victoriasville and the Vermont border, which was about two hours away. The hotel had a booklet that listed about a half-dozen towns with maps and places of interest. I loved driving around, getting off the main highway as much as possible, admiring the mostly rural landscape. I did make a point of stopping at Fromagerie Tournevet, a goat cheese farm in Chesterville.
After that, I made my way south and to the States. It's amazing how quickly the scenery changes from open, rolling farmland into mountainous terrain. As I followed Route 100 south, heading toward Stowe, there were places where it seemed as if I could reach out and touch the mountains. I knew I was back in Vermont.