town in Quebec, Canada
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Baie-Saint-Paul is the cultural, economic, and administrative centre of the Charlevoix region of Quebec. It is known for its art galleries, shops, restaurants, accommodation and its offer of recreational tourism activities.

Baie-Saint-Paul has a very attractive town centre along Rue Sainte Anne and Rue Saint Jean Baptiste. Joining at Place de l'Église, the town square where the town church stands, both streets form a narrow continuous main street lined with attractive small town buildings. The business district with art galleries and restaurants is along Rue Saint Jean Baptiste between Place de l'Église and Rue Forget/Rue Saint Pierre.

Baie-Saint-Paul is a gateway to the region's natural attractions (grandiose landscapes of valleys and mountains, its superb border of the river, its maritime space, its streams and bodies of water, its magnificent forests), its picturesque architecture, its regional history (in particular the astroblème of Charlevoix), its artistic and cultural life, as well as the products of the soil, the regional services and its artists and craftsmen.

Understand

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Baie St-Paul from the surrounding hills

Baie-Saint-Paul is a town of 7,400 people (2021). Baie-Saint-Paul was designated as one of the "Cultural Capitals of Canada" of 2007 by the Department of Canadian Heritage (along with five other communities), in the category of less than 50,000 inhabitants. In addition, the municipality of Baie-Saint-Paul is a member of the Federation of Villages-Relais du Québec.

  • 1 Bureau d'Information Touristique de Charlevoix (Tourist Information Office of Charlevoix), 444 Boulevard Mgr de Laval, toll-free: +1-800-667-2276. Daily 09:00-16:00. The office is near the hamlet of Dufour, on Route 138, on the heights before descending (coming from Quebec City) towards the valley where the village is. It is a roadside rest area combined with a belvedere overlooking Baie-Saint-Paul. This panoramic site allows travellers to admire the city, Saint-Paul Bay and the Saint-Laurent River.

History

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Almost 400 million years ago, the fall of a meteorite significantly modified the relief of Charlevoix, creating a crater 54 km in diameter; it is the eleventh largest impact site identified on earth. The impact zone was along the St. Lawrence River; 60% of the astroblème covers the north shore of the river and 40% is located under the river's water. The astrobleme begins on the southwest side a few kilometres west of Baie-Saint-Paul, up to Cap-à-l'Aigle, on the east bank of the Malbaie River, in La Malbaie. The centre of the astrobleme was Mont des Éboulements (summit at 768 m), formed by the effect of the raising of the crater bottom following the impact. Since this impact, the crater has undergone significant metamorphosis under the effect of various erosion agents, making it more difficult to recognize its outline, particularly the part submerged in the St. Lawrence River. Consequently, experts define this ancient impact structure as the astrobleme. Inaugurated in 2014, an interpretation centre dedicated to the Charlevoix astrobleme is open to the public; this interpretation centre is housed in the former Club House of the Manoir Richelieu in La Malbaie.

The place gained some prominence in the 1770s when Doctor Philippe-Louis-François Badelard named a disease he was researching the "Baie-Saint-Paul maladie". This illness was the subject of one of the first medical publications done in Lower Canada.

It is also where Cirque du Soleil began in 1982 under the name "Club des Talons Hauts" (High Heels Club), and the location of the first show using the name Cirque du Soleil during "La Fete Foraine de Baie-Saint-Paul" in 1984.

Geography

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The mountain at Amédée, and Cap-aux-Corbeaux overlook on the east side the lower valley of the Gouffre river; while the "montagne des Florent" (400 m), Les Tourelles and La Pointue overlook the west side. In the western part of the territory which stretches as far as Savane Lake, the main summit is the Montagne du Lac à l'Ange (1071 m) and the Montagne à Roch (513 m).

The main hamlets of Baie-Saint-Paul are:

  • west side of the Gouffre river: Saint-Placide-Nord, La Mare, Saint-Placide-de-Charlevoix, Dufour and Bas-de-la-Baie;
  • east side of the Gouffre river: Cap-aux-Corbeaux.

Most of the municipal territory is zoned agricultural, except the urban area in the southern part. Hors de la vallée de la rivière du Gouffre, le territoire municipal est surtout forestier et montagneux.

Climate

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Baie-Saint-Paul has a humid continental climate with vast seasonal differences. Summers are mild and moderated by its proximity to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. In winter, interior Canada influences the climate with frequent cold waves.

Get in

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Map
Map of Baie-Saint-Paul

By car

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  • From Tadoussac (122 km, time: 1 hr 56 min), take the Tadoussac-Baie Sainte-Catherine ferry; take route 138 (westbound) to the village of Baie-Saint-Paul.
  • From Quebec (93 km, time: 1 hr 7 min), take route 138 eastbound, to the village of Baie-Saint-Paul.

By bus

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Get around

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Electric charging stations

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Taxis

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  • 2 Taxi 5000, 1042, boulevard Mgr de Laval, +1 418-435-5000. Taxi service
  • 3 Fortin Real, 22, chemin du golf, +1 418-435-3860. Taxi service

By bikes

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  • Charlevoix Éco-mobilité (bus), 50, rue de la Ferme, +1 418-633-2712. Seasonal services. Bicycle rental service with electric assistance (VAE) to discover Baie-Saint-Paul in a different way.

Museums and patrimonial buildings

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  • 1 Église de Baie-Saint-Paul (Église de Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul), 1 Place de l'Église, +1 418-435-2118. The town's church dominates the central town square.
  • 2 Espace Muséal et patrimonial des Petites Franciscaines de Marie (Museum and heritage area of the Little Franciscans of Mary), 61 rue Ambroise-Fafard. mid-June - early Sep: 11:00-17:00; early Sep - mid-Oct: 13:00-16:30. A museum about a religious order is housed in a large attractive institutional building.
  • 3 Le presbytère de Baie-Saint-Paul (The Baie-Saint-Paul presbytery), 1 Place de l'Église (behind the church). The central portion of the church presbytery was built in 1859, and the wings were built in about 1890.
  • 4 Moulin de la Rémy (Remy mill), 235, terrasse la Rémi (close to the route 138), +1 418-760-8665. Flour producer since 1825. Historic site administered by the Héritage Charlevoix organization.
  • 5 Musée d'art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul (Contemporary art museum of Baie-Saint-Paul), 23 Rue Ambroise Fafard (across the street from the town church), +1 418-435-3681. 10:00-17:00. Contemporary art museum.

Viewpoints

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East side of rivière du Gouffre
  • 6 Belvédère Baie-Saint-Paul, 177, route 362. Point of view allowing to have a magnificent panorama of the Saint-Laurent river and Saint-Paul bay.
  • 7 Le Vieux Quai, chemin du Vieux Quai. Viewpoint Magnificent panorama of the Saint-Laurent river and Saint-Paul bay.
  • 8 Phare du Cap-aux-Corbeaux (Lighthouse of Cap-aux-Corbeaux), chemin du Cap-aux-Corbeaux-sud (5 km east of Baie-Saint-Paul). 9-m-tall tower (30 ft) with an attached dwelling. This lighthouse was established on October 29, 1876 on a new pier, built in the centre of the bay, in front of Pointe de la Prairies. Magnificent panorama of the Saint-Laurent river and Saint-Paul bay.
West side of rivière du Gouffre
  • 9 Belvédère du Bureau d'information touristique (Belvedere of Tourist Information Bureau), 444 Boulevard Mgr de Laval. This belvedere located at an altitude of 335 m offers a magnificent view of Saint-Paul bay, the Gouffre river, the Laurentians, Île aux Coudres and the Saint-Laurent river. This zone corresponds more or less to the western edge of the gigantic crater of the Charlevoix astrobleme.
  • 10 Canyon Tala, 92, chemin de la Pointe. Practice climbing in the canyon on rivière du Moulin.
  • 11 Cran de Lamant, 137-265, chemin de la Pointe. Close view of Saint-Paul bay where the sandstone can stretch up to 1.7 km at low tide from the municipal beach.

Main parks

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  • 12 Réserve naturelle du Boisé-de-l'Équerre (Boisé-de-l'Équerre nature reserve), 161, Sentier de l'Équerre. Park administered by the Quebec ministry of the environment.
  • 13 Parc du Gouffre (Gouffre Park), rue St-Édouard, Baie-Saint-Paul (on the north side of the town of Baie-Saint-Paul). Municipal park located in a loop of the Gouffre river.
  • 14 Le Jardin de Saint-François, rue de la Ferme (in front of Hôtel & Spa Le Germain Charlevoix).

Events

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  • 15 Marché de Noël Baie-Saint-Paul (Baie-Saint-Paul Christmas Market). Annually, during the last weekend of November and the first of December. About 40 exhibitors. Offer of arts and crafts, local foods and more.

Tourist routes

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  • La route des saveurs (The route of flavors). Thanks to the presentation on the Tourisme-Charlevoix website, epicureans can treat themselves to a gastronomic adventure on the Route des Saveurs, from Petite-Rivière-Saint-François to La Malbaie via the backcountry. This tour of flavors among producers generates a diversity of taste experiences of local products: ciders, craft beers, cheeses and fine chocolates, organic meats, ducks and market garden products. This agritourism among producers allows you to taste, taste or dine.
  • Circuit agroartistique PAYS'ART 2021 (Circuit agroartistique PAYS'ART 2021), +1 418-435-2639 ext 6013, . Pays’Art is an agro-artistic circuit throughout Charlevoix aimed at discovering the region's agricultural landscapes and the businesses that maintain them. Each site visited includes ephemeral and distinctive art installations. The 10 agro-artistic works produced in 2021 are:Ferme la Côte des Bouleaux (15, rue Principale, Saint-Irénée),Pêcheries Charlevoix/Charlevoix fisheries (10, rue du Moulin, Saint-Irénée),Porcherie Roger Gauthier (660, rang Saint-Pierre, Saint-Irénée),Jardins Écho-Logiques/Echo-Logic Gardens (291, rue Principale, Sainte-Aimé-des-Lacs),Safran Nordique (35, rue Larouche, Clermont), Ferme Basque de Charlevoix (813, rue St-Édouard, Saint-Urbain),Le Véritable agneau de Charlevoix/The Genuine Charlevoix lamb (30, rang Sainte-Croix, Saint-Urbain),Ferme Nor-Dik/Nor-Dik Farm (66, rang Sainte-Marie, Les Éboulements),Azulée (54, chemin de la Pointe, Baie-Saint-Paul),Explora-Fruits (222, rang Saint-Antoine Nord, Baie-Saint-Paul). This agro-arts program is scheduled to continue in 2022.
  • Circuit des sept lieux (Seven places circuit). Seven exceptional cultural sites in Charlevoix have been selected to bring the Regional Culture Experience to life: Espace muséal des Petites Franciscaines de Marie, Musée d'art contemporain de Baie-Saint-Paul, Les Moulins de l'Isle-aux-Coudres, Musée maritime de Charlevoix, Papeterie Saint-Gilles, Musée de Charlevoix, Forge-menuiserie Cauchon. These museums, economuseums and interpretation sites are seen as ingenious, lively, fun and fabulous. In this cultural circuit, visitors will be able to see artisans at work, admire artistic works in various forms. Thus, this circuit allows you to discover the history and traditions of the region, in particular the Charlevoix Museum and the Cauchon Forge-Menuiserie in La Malbaie. Just connect to: @ circuit7lieux.
  • La route des métiers d'art (The arts and crafts route). Thanks to the BaladoDécouverte application, this road circuit between Baie-Saint-Paul and La Malbaie, shows the creations and know-how of artists and artisans of the Charlevoix region. Beginning in Baie-Saint-Paul, this circuit passes through La Malbaie, and goes to Port-au-Persil. This podcast guides visitors through the shops and places of creation of the members of the Corporation des Métiers d'Art en Charlevoix.
  • Circuit du patrimoine religieux (Religious heritage circuit). The Christianity movement until the second half of the 20th century left an indelible religious heritage of inestimable value in Charlevoix. This circuit takes visitors to tour seven religious buildings: the Chapel of Grand-Fonds, the Church of Pointe-au-Pic, the Church of Sainte-Agnès, the Church of Saint-Étienne de La Malbaie, the Monastery of the Glorious Cross, Murray Bay Protestant Church, St-Peter-on-the-Rock and the Site of the Cross cemetery.
  • La route du fleuve (The river route). The Route du Fleuve (route 362) is a panoramic circuit over 58 kilometers from Baie-Saint-Paul to La Malbaie, passing through the picturesque towns of Les Éboulements and Saint-Irénée, along overhanging the northern coast. The bucolic views over the river show the maritime animation (passage of a boat, fog, cloud, storm, play of the sun) and panoramas that can change from hour to hour. The points of interest on this tour reflect the great history of this region where forestry, recreational tourism, marine activity and the mountains have shaped the way of life. This intoxicating panoramic circuit is one of the most picturesque in Quebec.

Outdoor activities

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View in 2014 of Saint-Paul Bay (La Malbaie, QC), the beach and the jetty jutting out into the St. Lawrence River from East belvedere.
  • 1 Parc Boisé du Quai (Quai Wooded Park), 212, rue Sainte-Anne, +1 418-435-5514. Access to the Baie-Saint-Paul wharf and related park to the municipal beach of Baie Saint-Paul.
  • 2 Plage Baie-Saint-Paul (Baie-Saint-Paul Beach), 210, rue Sainte-Anne. Magnificent sandy beach on the west side of Baie Saint-Paul, at the mouth of the Rivière du Gouffre. The beach is bordered to the northeast by the pier at the Baie-Saint-Paul wharf. At low tide, facing the beach, the sandstone can stretch for up to 1.7 km.
  • 3 Katabatik - Aventure dans Charlevoix (Katabatik - Adventure in Charlevoix), 210, rue Sainte-Anne (near the municipal beach), +1 418-435-2066, . Outdoor and adventure activities: river kayaking (ex .: descent of the Gouffre river and recreational kayaking with the family), sea kayaking, SUP rental, bike rental, canyoning in the Charlevoix waterfalls (such as Rivière du Moulin), Tandem paraglider with experienced pilot. Specialist in winter kayaking in Quebec.
  • 4 Marina de Baie-Saint-Paul (Club nautique Charlevoix inc) (Baie-Saint-Paul Marina), 205, rue Sainte-Anne (near the municipal beach, the municipal quay and at the mouth of "rivière du Gouffre"), +1 418-435-5597. Marina accessible from the crumbling-rising tide to the crumbling-falling tide. Pleasure craft on standby can anchor near the shore at a designated location. Over the past 30 years, the marina basin has gradually silted up.
  • 5 Le Loup Golf Baie St-Paul, 40, chemin de l'Équerre, +1 418-435-2117. Complete golf shop. Golf lessons, private or in groups. Exercise green. Rental of equipment and carts. Chalet with restaurant, bar and snack bar. Corporate and family tournaments. Rental of rooms for private events.
  • 6 Spa Nordique Le Germain, 50, rue de la Ferme, +1 418-240-4700. Services: massage therapy.
  • 7 Spa of Auberge La Grande Maison, 160, rue Saint-Jean Baptiste (in the heart of the village of Baie-Saint-Paul), toll-free: +1-800-361-5575. Wi-fi. Large Victorian house with 24 air-conditioned bedrooms. Indoor SPA and health center on site. Electrical terminal.
  • 8 Skatepark, 170, rang St-Jérôme, toll-free: +1-800-361-5575.
  • Dog sled rides. Some outfitters in the region offer dog sledding, often through accommodation packages. The main providers are: Mont Grand-Fond, as well as La Reine et le Millionnaire.
  • 9 Helicopter tour with Héli-Charlevoix, 735, boulevard Mgr de Laval, +1 418-435-4071. Various helicopter tour packages are available: Saguenay Fjord, St. Lawrence River, Isle-aux-Coudres, the mouth of the Malbaie River, Richelieu Manor, Mont des Morios, Hautes-Gorges Park, Grands- National Park Gardens, Cap-de-la-Tête-de-Chien lighthouse, Gouffre river, St-Irénée, village of Tadoussac, town of Baie-Saint-Paul... as well as tailor-made flights.

Food and alcohol

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Art galleries

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Art galleries are a specialty of this small town.

Others

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Since March 2020, in the context of health measures resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, several restaurants or dining rooms in Charlevoix have transformed the mode of meals at the tables into take-out or by delivery service. In general, restaurateurs have shown great resilience by updating their website, integrating interactive and automated applications for remote orders, as well as displaying the menu, opening hours, their mode of operation (e.g., by reservation, car service), health measures required (e.g., vaccination record, mask, distancing), other services (e.g., caterer, shops, accommodation, access for the disabled, wi-fi, take-out, delivery), contact details and often the history of the restaurant or site. Considering the evolving context of the pandemic and government measures, it is recommended that customers obtain information from each establishment by consulting their respective website.

Drink

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Sleep

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Hotels

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Motels

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  • 4 Motel Aux portes du Soleil, 29 rue de la Lumière (in the heart of the village of Baie-Saint-Paul), +1 418-435-3540, . Motel with 16 rooms with private bathroom.
  • 5 Motel des Cascades, 907 Boulevard Monseigneur de Laval, Route 138, +1 418-435-6603, toll-free: +1-866-435-6603. Air-conditioned rooms equipped with microwave, fridge, coffee maker and free Wi-Fi serviceccess to a BBQ, swings, picnic tables, and a fireplace (seasonal only). Utensils, crockery and toasters are available free of charge at the reception. Balcony with chairs. From $79.

Chalets, inns

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  • 6 Auberge Ancrage, 29, rue Sainte-Anne (on the road leading to the quay, on the edge of the Gouffre river), +1 418-240-3264, . Historic building from the 1920s, completely renovated and air-conditioned.
  • 7 Auberge Cap-aux-Corbeaux, 62, rue du Nordet, +1 418-435-5676. Nestled on the top of the cape overlooking the river.
  • 8 Auberge des Balcons (auberge de jeunesse) (Balcony hostel (youth hostel)), 63 Rue Ambroise Fafard (downtown), +1 877-487-1925, . Various types of rooms: single, for two, four and even family (double bed at the base on top of a single bed). Shared services: kitchenette, toilets and common areas.
  • 9 Auberge La Grande Maison et spa, 160, rue Saint-Jean Baptiste (in the heart of the village of Baie-Saint-Paul), +1 800-361-5575. Wi-fi. Large Victorian house with 24 air-conditioned bedrooms. Indoor SPA and health centre on site. Electrical terminal.
  • 10 Domaine Belle-Plage, 192, rue Sainte-Anne (facing the beach and the river at the Gouffre), toll-free: +1-888-463-6030, . Inn and restaurant. Main services (on site or nearby): outdoor swimming pool, gym at the Cormoran pavilion, dining room at the Bistro de l'Estran, Accalmie pavilion, footbridge leading to the beach, "chemin des soeurs" path (accessible to from the Estate), marina (opposite the Estate), spa with a view of the river.

Gîtes

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Campings

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  • 20 Camping Le Genevrier, 1175, boulevard Mgr de Laval (on the west side of the Gouffre river), +1 418-435-6520. Check-in: 15:00, check-out: 11:00. Accommodation in chalets (classic or Scandinavian) or on camping pitches. The campsite offers 400 fully equipped camping pitches. Swimming in the lake under the supervision of a qualified lifeguard. A multifunctional reception building. Mountain biking trails, becoming snowshoe trails in winter. Ice rinks.
  • 21 Camping du Gouffre, 439, chemin St-Laurent (on the east side of the Gouffre river), +1 418-435-2143. Le Gouffre campsite offers 90 campsites for rental, grouped into islets in 3 sectors. Various levels of service at each site. The campsite also offers ready-to-camp tents in the heart of nature and six cabins to accommodate families.

Cope

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Municipal services

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  • 10 Aréna Luc et Marie-Claude, 11, rue Forget, +1 418-435-2529, . The indoor skating rink is accessible to the entire population and the region's hockey and skating organizations come to train and practice their sport on ice. Hockey tournaments take place there. This toponymic designation evokes Luc Bradet and Marie-Claude Savard-Gagnon, originally from Baie-Saint-Paul, who teamed up for fifteen years in figure skating. Both won several titles at the Canadian Championships in the late 1990s. They competed in the Nagano Olympics in Japan and were inducted into the Quebec Region Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2010.
  • 11 Piscine du Centre éducatif Saint-Aubin, 200-101 Rue Saint-Aubin, . The main pool activities are: free swims, aquatic programs offering swimming lessons for young people and adults, a series of pool activities (gymnastics and prenatal exercises, water polo), as well as a national lifesaving program. aquatic.
  • 12 Bibliothèque municipale René-Richard (René-Richard municipal library), 9, rue Forget, +1 418-435-5858. Free.
  • 13 Carrefour culturel Paul-Médéric, 4, rue Ambroise-Fafard, +1 418-435-2540 ext 6250 (accueil et secrétariat - Carrefour culturel). This cultural crossroads constitutes a place of encounter, promotion and influence of culture in all its forms. This multidisciplinary mission is reflected in particular by the organization of exhibitions under various themes in various fields: visual arts, animation, heritage and the performing arts. This Carrefour offers a range of services to organizations and artists in the region. On site, the public benefits from services (or activities) in terms of entertainment, workshops, conferences and training. This mission has been in operation since 1967 when the new Cultural Centre was erected in the city centre. This centre was designated in 2004, the Carrefour culturel Paul-Médéric.

Go next

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  • 1 Réserve faunique des Laurentides Wildlife reserve straddling the administrative regions of Quebec Region, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean and Mauricie.
  • 2 Grands-Jardins National Park This Charlevoix park is accessible by Saint-Urbain. It is one of the central areas of the Charlevoix Biosphere Reserve. Visitors can enjoy a number of activities here, both summer and winter: camping, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, fishing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
  • 3 Petite-Rivière-Saint-François Gateway to Charlevoix, Petite-Rivière-Saint-François is bordering on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River. This mountainous and forest locality is a holiday destination, in particular thanks to the ski centres "Le Massif de Charlevoix" and the "Sentier des Caps de Charlevoix", as well as the picturesque character of the villages: Grande-Pointe, Petite-Rivière and Maillard. These marine capes offer bucolic panoramas on the river.
  • 4 Saint-Tite-des-Caps This rural and forest environment presents majestic landscapes on the Laurentians and the St. Lawrence River. The famous Sentiers des Caps attract tens of thousands of visitors every year.
  • 5 Saint-Urbain A rural, forest and mountainous community for recreational tourism (vacation, snowmobiling, ATV, mountain biking, hunting, fishing, hiking trails, picking wild fruits, observation of panoramas, flora and fauna). Saint-Urbain is the gateway to the Grands-Jardins national park and the Charlevoix hinterland.
  • 6 Saint-Hilarion The village of Saint-Hilarion overlooks the surrounding valley. Locality offering many recreational and tourist activities: resort, bowling, skating rink, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sliding, mountain biking, and snowmobiling.
  • 7 Les Éboulements The village of Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive is legendary for its Grande-Côte, its marine character and the ferry leading to Île aux Coudres.
  • 8 L'Isle-aux-Coudres Visitors are particularly attracted by the mills (water and wind), bicycles, the Roche à Caya park, the water cars museum, camping, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.
Routes through Baie-Saint-Paul
Quebec City Petite-Rivière-Saint-François  W  E  Saint-Urbain Baie-Comeau
END  W  E  Les Éboulements La Malbaie
Saguenay Saint-Urbain  N  S  END


This city travel guide to Baie-Saint-Paul is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.