harvest of the countryside with the markets of
the cities. The trails are known for artisanal
cheese producers, small production vintners,
local growers and specialty producers.
Exploring the trails is a way to meet the people
who create the province's signature products,
from foie gras to springtime maple syrup.
The Farmlands Route (Chemin du
Terroir) loops through the Laurentians
countryside, with stops at producers of
wines and ciders, maple goods, fresh-picked
apples and Québec's famous fromageries.
Charlevoix's Flavour Trail (La Route des
Saveurs) links dozens of local growers,
producers and restaurateurs who create and
serve regional products such as ciders,
artisanal beers, pâtés, cheeses, spices and fine
chocolates (www.tourisme-charlevoix.com/
en/what-to-do/routes-and-circuits/
flavour-trail/).
Grape growers and vintners, and many
bistros and restaurants, are a part of
Québec's Wine Route—La Route des vins
(www.vinsduquebec.com/trouver-un-
vignoble).
At the peninsula jutting into the Gulf of St.
Lawrence, Gaspésie Gourmande brings
together around 150 businesses who create or
process products harvested from the land, sea
and forest, as well as the shops, restaurants,
chefs and B&B establishments that sell or
serve their wares (gaspesiegourmande.com).
WHAT'S NEW?
After a major renovation, the Insectarium
reopened its doors this year. The immersive,
educational museum tests the senses with
underground galleries that help visitors to see
the world as if they were insects. There's also a
large glass vivarium where guests can observe
insects, including free-flying butterflies
(www.espacepourlavie.ca/en/insectarium).
New this summer, Onhwa' Lumina is an
enchanted night walk in Wendake. At nightfall,
along a 1.2-km trail, visitors are swept up in the
magic of light, sound, and video projections in
this immersive multimedia experience
steeped in emotion, bridging the founding
myth and a promising and unifying future
(www.onhwalumina.com).
The world premiere of the new OASIS immer-
sion exhibition, VAN GOGH-Distorsion, at the
Palais des congrès de Montréal creates 360°
projections on the walls and floors of three
galleries using surround-sound speakers
and laser projectors. The techno-art creates a
colourful journey through several hundred
drawings and sketches by the iconic Dutch-
born painter (www.mtl.org/
en/experience/oasis-immersion).
Québec City's Grand Marché is the city's
newest gourmet food destination, giving
shoppers a unique opportunity to interact
directly with more than a hundred
producers and artisans from the region
(www.legrandmarchedequebec.com).
At Mont-Tremblant, Studio Créatif has
expanded to offer outdoor seating and
workspace. The inspiring space gives artists
and amateurs the opportunity to paint
beautiful ceramic souvenirs, kitchenware
and keepsakes in the studio or borrow "take-
out kits" (www.tremblant.ca/things-to-
do/activities/studio-creatif ).
Club Med's first North American Mountain
Resort opened in Québec's Charlevoix region
late last year. The stunning all-inclusive
resort boasts breathtaking views of the St.
Lawrence River and an array of wellness
activities at the open-air Nordic Spa. New this
year is Terroir & Co., the resort's family-style
restaurant where adults and children can
prepare and share a meal together, enjoying
fondues or raclettes served with local cheeses
and charcuteries (www.clubmed.ca/r/
quebec-charlevoix/w).
Visit the new Sagamité Restaurant and Hôtels
located in downtown Québec City, steps from
the Château Frontenac, as well as the newly
renovated restaurant in Wendake. Discover the
traditions, culture and gastronomy of the
Huron-Wendat culture, through this immersive
culinary experience (www.sagamite.com/en).
CITY LIGHTS
The province's unique European sensibility
flavours the intersection of art, culture and
history. This is a big part of the city centres—
Montréal and Québec City—with their wealth
of museums, galleries and special exhibits.
In Québec City, small music clubs, funky
bars, boîtes à chansons (intimate venues for
the province's singer/songwriters) and
music festivals like the Québec City Summer
Festival (Festival d'été de Québec), one of
Canada's biggest music festivals, contribute
to a vibrant arts scene (www.feq.ca/en).
Cosmopolitan Montréal sits at a cultural
crossroads, rooted in both Anglo and franco-
phone heritage. The city has put together
itineraries to inspire visitors, from nightlife to
shopping to annual festivals (www.mtl.org/en).
Montréal abounds with theatre and
dance, music and circus arts, and museums
and art galleries showcasing everything
from cutting-edge works to timeless
classics. An underground system of
pedestrian passageways, RÉSO, connects
Métro stations and corridors filled with
boutiques and small shops.
Montréal is renowned for its lively summer
gatherings—from jamming sessions to dance
fests. In cool contrast, take in a concert at Old
Montréal's Notre-Dame Basilica, a neo-Gothic
masterpiece with marvellous acoustics
(www.basiliquenotredame.ca/en). Or visit
the quays of the Old Port on foot, by Segway
or hoverboard, where performances range
from reggae to harbour symphonies created
with ships' horns.
Year-round, chic prevails in Old Montréal's
clubs, trendy bistros and the free-spirited
Latin Quarter's cocktail bars. The city teems
with bars, discos, microbreweries, cigar
lounges, cafés and outdoor terraces.
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MINGAN ARCHIPELAGO NATIONAL PARK RESERVE • LE QUÉBEC MARITIME/ÉRIC MARCHAND
