2023-12-24 16:00:00
Beyond the scenery we fly past, it is often the shared moments that make a destination carve out a place in our hearts.
Charlevoix… by helicopter
It was a first for me: I had taken a plane several times, but never a helicopter. I admit that I was a little nervous at the idea of climbing into the Héli-Charlevoix helicopter. When the pilot greeted us kindly and told us that he had been working for the company for a few weeks (or was it a few days?), my smile froze, I think. He was joking… and he got me.
Charlevoix prides itself on being a land attraction… and it is just as spectacular from the air. There, Isle-aux-Coudres looms before us; here once more, a moose seems to be resting under a tree. Between the river and the mountains of the hinterland that stretch before us, I don’t have enough eyes to see everything.
Morocco, between mountains and deserts
Morocco was not planned for 2023… until the opportunity to go there emerged. Abroad, it was definitely my favorite of the year. I came back imbued with its multiple contrasts, between the silence of the desert and the snow-capped mountains, but also from the meeting with its inhabitants and the change of scenery it gave me. That’s without counting the travel anecdotes that still make me smile.
My heart broke in two last September, during the 6.8 magnitude earthquake in the Moroccan High Atlas, which reportedly left nearly 3,000 dead and around 6,000 injured. On this subject, a report from La Presse + recently reported that mountain residents now fear winter.
Despite this tragedy, we are likely to hear more and more regarding this destination. Air Transat announced an annual connection to Marrakech this fall, and Lonely Planet made Morocco one of the best places to visit in 2024. In Quebec, the Karavaniers agency has been organizing treks in this country for several years.
Observe seals in the Magdalen Islands
It’s difficult to ignore my stay in the Îles-de-la-Madeleine, even if the two weeks spent there were for work. However, I took advantage of every free moment. Ten years following a first visit, I rediscovered Sandy Hook beach in the early evening, once the tourists (almost all) had left. It led to some perfect little moments, like this encounter with seals. They seemed to be watching us a few meters from the shore.
For me, the Islands are also a string of gourmet stops. I think I might have only eaten products from the Fumoir d’antan. If you’re planning a stop in the archipelago, try their smoked scallops, it’s simply divine.
I came back from there wanting to go back. Again.
The Caps trail, Côte-de-Beaupré sector
This was undoubtedly one of my favorite hikes: the Sentier des Caps de Charlevoix, this time in the Côte-de-Beaupré sector. With my friends, we traveled some 11 km of the Lakes trail.
Was it the magnificent views from one of the lookouts? The blue sky on an all-white backdrop, with the river in the background? Or the simple presence of my friends that I don’t see often enough? No doubt a mix of all that, but this day ranks high in my memories of the year.
The Côte-de-Beaupré, for me, is also the perfect route for gourmet stopovers, for the cassoulet of Québec-Oies, the victuals of Bonyeuses (which can also be found in Baie-Saint-Paul) or even the pie with Praline chocolate and chocolate.
If you don’t know Bio Ferme des Caps, in Saint-Tite-des Caps, this is another good reason to stop there, since the brand is preparing to become a Kombucha economuseum. When I visited last winter, the founder Dominique Bouchard made me taste some of her great wines, at the same time opening up to me a world that I didn’t know at all.
Gaspésie
For me, the Chic-Chocs mountains are like entering a world apart. And imagine when the summits are all covered in snow… It was these abrupt summits that struck me when I entered the Matane wildlife reserve, on the edge of the Chic-Chocs mountains, at the beginning of the year, during a stay in the Chic-Chocs mountain lodge. If, like me, you are not a fan of all-inclusives, the stay might nevertheless reconcile you with this formula.
Devil’s Mountain Regional Park
I admit it, I know little regarding the Laurentians, even less regarding the Hautes-Laurentides. However, they have strong arguments to attract outdoor enthusiasts. One of them: the Montagne du Diable regional park, where the cross-country skiing conditions were simply brilliant. As a family, it can be great to stay in one of the chalets located right at the entrance to the cross-country ski trails. There is also a whole range of offers, from hiking to Nordic skiing. I promised myself I would go back there… in winter or summer.
Local nature… at home in Estrie
No need to go far to enjoy the benefits of nature. Over the last few months, I have discovered places in my region where it is good to stop, alone, as a couple or as a family: the Parc des Deux-Rivières in East Angus, the Parc du Belvédère in Lingwick or even the of the Cookshire-Eaton Dam, in the Sawyerville sector, are some examples. Perfect stops for a breath of fresh air… and a roadtrip.
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I wish you happy holidays, dear readers. After the very last paper edition of December 30, it will still be possible to follow me directly from the source, in our digital edition, on the website latribune.ca (Living section).
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