Hotel and logging

As you turn onto the steep road at the top of the hill and descend toward a row of white forms set along the shore a few kilometres east of Sainte-Anne-des-Monts in Haute-Gaspésie, the almost magical landscape is striking.

One founder acquired the land more than 15 years ago. In 2022, the first seven factory-built units, made in Lévis, were transported to the property for installation, interior fitting and finishing. Three more followed in 2024, completing a year-round group of lodges beside the Saint-Laurent estuary.
 

Panora – Loges fluviales grew from the vision of entrepreneur Ghislain Rousseau; his son, Marc-André; his nephew, Cédric Andrews; and marketing director and co-founder Hubert Parent. The four founders chose the location in part for its natural beauty and share the values at Panora’s core: comfort, innovation, quality and simplicity.

Behind the project is Biome Canada, a Lévis company with more than 15 years’ experience manufacturing and selling yurts and ready-to-camp accommodation, which decided to create a lodging destination of its own. With the land already secured, the team designed a chalet model aligned with those values. The result, it must be said, is most astonishing.

Why call the units ‘loges’? ‘The word refers to an opera or theatre box, where we have a view of the stage, in this case the Saint-Laurent estuary,’ explains Hubert Parent. ‘The panorama is what guests mention again and again. A photograph cannot convey the feeling: the calm and the privacy. “Loge” was simply more appropriate than cabin or chalet,’ he adds.

  

Panora – Loges fluviales therefore offers discreet, minimalist accommodation ideally placed for immersion in nature and easy access to an array of activities offering sensory experiences in abundance. The 10 units, seven with two bedrooms, are fully equipped with everything needed for a stay. Guests can feel comfortable, removed from everyday bustle and immersed in the natural setting. Although the lodges stand just beside the main road, they remain out of sight until visitors take the steep access road down the cliff. ‘You cannot see them from the road, and most of the time you hear waves, seabirds and wind rather than traffic,’ says Parent.

The first striking feature on site is the white vinyl membrane, an unusual cladding for this kind of building. More commonly used on urban ‘white roofs,’ including heat-island mitigation projects, it gives the rounded structures a unique, slightly futuristic character.

 

The material’s manufacturer was somewhat sceptical at first but was satisfied with the result after visiting the site. In addition to its appearance, the membrane reflects sunlight and contributes to the building’s insulation. The vinyl-fabric shell is durable, requires no maintenance even in a saltwater environment and can be replaced easily, ensuring durability and efficiency.

 

From an Adirondack chair on the long balcony, with a hot tub at one end, guests look out over a multitude of wild grasses, seaweed, large rocks and tide pools. Herons and other waterbirds are frequent visitors, as are the fascinating seals basking on rocks offshore. The shoreline can be walked for roughly 800 metres in either direction. Each lodge has a fire pit and two metal benches that can be converted into a table. Then there are the celebrated sunsets over the water.

 

The fragile ecosystem surrounding the site must be protected. The layout was designed to prevent erosion between the lodges and the shoreline, and the highly responsible construction incorporates certain recycled materials. Because the structure uses no conventional boards or framing members, its walls, floors and ceilings contain no thermal bridges and reduce annual operating costs for heating, cleaning and cooling by 40–60% compared with traditional prefabricated buildings. There are also no foundations to disrupt the soil. Beside the majestic waterway, where a breeze always blows, floor-to-ceiling windows and sliding doors create natural cross-ventilation in every room, eliminating the need for mechanical air conditioning.

To round off the many features that set the loges fluviales apart, two electric-vehicle charging stations are already available, with two more planned for 2025.

Does Panora plan further development here or elsewhere? Hubert Parent mentions the possibility of adding a few more units on a second tier. A new waterfront site somewhere between Lévis and Sainte-Anne-des-Monts is also possible if a suitable location and affordable land can be found.

Panora · Loges fluviales
panoraloges.ca
610, boul. Sainte-Anne Est
Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, QC, G4V 1P2
418-907-9153

Over the last twenty years, Saint-Roch has earned the nickname “Nouvo Saint-Roch.” Right in its center, the Hôtel Royal William, now owned by Sept-Îles entrepreneur, hotelier, and developer Simon Dubé, has been reborn since 2018. Today, it brings a fresh dose of charm to Québec’s lower town, blending elegance, history, and great food.

Dubé’s journey wasn’t easy. Soon after buying the hotel, he faced a pandemic and a restaurant fire. A $6 million renovation followed, updating the 47 rooms and studios, refreshing the lobby, and giving the ground-floor restaurant a new Italian identity as Mila. Work has also been underway since 2026 to redesign the building’s façade on boulevard Charest.

  

The hotel has long been a favorite among Québec and Montréal’s artists and public figures. Its location is hard to beat, just steps from Saint-Roch’s cultural spots, restaurants, and the historic upper town. Parking is available nearby, under the Bibliothèque Gabrielle-Roy. The meeting rooms work for corporate events, training sessions, cocktails, birthdays, or product launches. Many rooms and suites even have kitchenettes, so guests can cook a meal or grab a quick bite without leaving. 

 

MILA Ristorante, the hotel’s completely reimagined restaurant, serves up refined Italian cuisine with carefully chosen ingredients. Co-owner Tchad Khalil, a passionate Italian food lover, brings years of restaurant experience to the table. He found a like-minded partner in Simon Dubé. “We wanted to create a place where every meal feels like a journey, something that comforts and inspires,” Khalil says. Mila also serves breakfast, with a hearty buffet open to hotel guests and anyone else craving a flavorful start to the day.

Saint-Roch wasn’t always this lively. Once a working-class neighborhood, it’s now a prime example of urban renewal in Québec. Development projects, creative businesses like video game studios and tech labs, a thriving arts scene, university outposts, and major organizations have all helped transform the area. The old energy is back, but with a modern twist, making Saint-Roch one of the city’s most dynamic districts.

The revitalization of Saint-Roch is part of a larger effort to expand public spaces, support local businesses, and preserve the area’s heritage. The building that’s housed the Royal William for over 25 years is one of those gems, its façade reminiscent of the long, retro-style hotels of 1920s Manhattan. “I wanted a boutique hotel that felt different from Québec’s bigger chains, a place without pretension, where you feel at home, with good service at fair prices,” says Simon Dubé.

  

For history lovers, the shift from sail to steam in the 19th century changed global trade forever. The first transatlantic crossing by a steamship was a major achievement. While other countries have claimed the honor, Canada holds it. The Royal William, a paddle steamer built at Québec’s Campbell and Black shipyard, made the journey from Pictou, Nova Scotia, to Portsmouth, England, in 1833, proving it was the first.

 The Royal William, built in Québec in the early 1830s.

Québec recently announced a 2026–2029 plan to invest $80 million in Saint-Roch, with big ambitions for the district over the next 15 years.

Hôtel Royal William royalwilliam.com
360 boulevard Charest Est Québec, QC G1K 3H4
(418) 521-4488

The flagship of the Riôtel Hospitalité group in Gaspésie, Riôtel-Matane was also the first property to bear the name, replacing the former Hôtel des Gouverneurs after Groupe Rioux acquired it in 1984. In addition to an original accommodation experience, distinctive comfort, modern amenities and breathtaking views, the property is also well known for CARGO, its restaurant, bar and lounge. Popular with locals and travellers alike, CARGO offers urban bistro cuisine inspired by Gaspésie flavours, a seaside terrace and spectacular sunsets.



In the years after the acquisition, the hotel was renovated and a convention centre added. Then, in 1995, growing demand for accommodation led to the construction of a new building next to the hotel in Matane, now known as Pavillon sur Mer. Major renovations and expansion of Riôtel-Matane’s main building in 2014 and 2015, including an indoor pool, gym, sauna and the CARGO restaurant, completed an $8 million investment plan that gave Matane an international-calibre hotel.
  

The complex alone creates a maritime atmosphere from the moment visitors leave Route 132–avenue du Phare, just beyond the bridge over the rivière Matane, and approach the striking modern main building. The marina at the river mouth, where it meets the Saint-Laurent, forms a unique backdrop for Pavillon-sur-Mer above it and for nearby Riôtel-Matane, which stands almost directly on the beach.



Needless to say, in summer, when vacationers fill the area, the atmosphere is at its liveliest. The heated outdoor pool beside the sea lets guests of both properties enjoy the day, until the sun drops into the distance and disappears below the water, an endlessly compelling spectacle. Guests also receive complimentary electric-vehicle charging.

Riôtel-Matane offers several categories of rooms year-round, including superior rooms in the stepped section at one end of the building, with either sea or city views. Pavillon-sur-Mer, with its unobstructed outlook, offers 24 simpler, comfortable rooms at a lower price and strikes the right balance between service and budget. Preferential rates are also available for stays of seven days or more.

Riôtel-Matane’s rooms include everything needed for optimal comfort: comfortable beds; convenient, well-organized workspaces; multi-socket outlets for electronic devices; high-speed internet; air conditioning; a mini-fridge, microwave and coffee maker; a smart television; private balconies in many rooms; and numerous other amenities that make the stay thoroughly pleasant.



In all, the hotel has 68 rooms facing either the Saint-Laurent or the city, all accessible by elevator. Options include Comfort rooms with river-view balconies, family rooms sleeping up to six, rooms with foldaway beds and rooms with direct access to the parking lot.

Finally, another important asset for business travellers and event and party organizers is Riôtel-Matane’s spacious, modern convention centre. Its fully equipped, multipurpose rooms, several overlooking the sea, can accommodate 10 to 450 people in various configurations. Conventions, business meetings, weddings, press conferences, training sessions, workshops, cocktail receptions, 5 à 7 gatherings, holiday celebrations and office parties can all be accommodated.
Riôtel-Carleton has another major year-round convention centre, while Riôtel-Percé and Riôtel-Bonaventure can host smaller events in a meeting room or restaurant during their summer operating season.

With four properties in Gaspésie, the Riôtel chain plays a major role in business and leisure accommodation, higher-end dining and event hosting through its two convention centres. Groupe Riôtel Hospitalité was created in 1997 and is chaired by François Rioux, the founder’s son, who has led the business since 1990. Since then, the Gaspésie hotel group has grown remarkably and developed a concept and service signature that make Riôtel-Matane a model of its kind for accommodation and hotel services in Gaspésie.

riotel.com/fr/hotels/matane
1 888 427 7374
250, avenue du Phare Est Matane (Québec) G4W 3N4

Promotional material and the description on the Riôtel group’s website may prepare visitors for what awaits, but the view revealed on entering the dining room of the Paqbo restaurant at RIÔTEL-PERCÉ is still utterly spectacular. The fascination Rocher Percé exerts on everyone, even after several visits, is undeniable.

Set just below Côte Surprise on Route 132, a few steps from the beach and commanding a majestic view of the area’s great landmark, Rocher Percé, the hotel formerly known as Bonaventure sur Mer became the group’s third acquisition in 2003 and has operated as Riôtel-Percé ever since.

In addition to the main building, which houses reception and the Paqbo restaurant, the hotel complex has two accommodation pavilions: Île Bonaventure and Rocher Percé. Many rooms naturally look directly onto these two defining features of the local landscape, while several balconies and a large outdoor terrace allow guests to enjoy the panorama at any time.

Locals know that daylight contributes greatly to the atmosphere. From sunrise directly behind the rock to the moment it disappears behind the mountains to the west, bathing the landscape in golden light, every moment of the day is unforgettable. As a seasonal hotel, Riôtel-Percé is open from late spring to mid-autumn, the best time to enjoy all it has to offer.

The hotel offers several room categories, from Classic and Superior rooms to suites, rooms with kitchenettes and family accommodation. Most look directly over baie de Percé. Renovations carried out in several parts of the hotel between 2013 and 2019 moved the property upmarket and ensure an optimal quality of stay.

Direct beach access makes it easy to take long walks to nearby shops, cafés, art galleries, bars and restaurants while enjoying a panorama that never grows old. Cruises to Rocher Percé and Île Bonaventure, both essential experiences, also depart conveniently close to the hotel.

 
Gourmets and food lovers will be glad to sit down at the Paqbo restaurant for a Riôtel-style breakfast or return at the end of the day for dinner in the dining room or on the outdoor terrace. The restaurant is also a place for an aperitif or simply a cocktail with friends or family. Paqbo’s menu follows the broad approach used at the group’s other Gaspésie hotels, with variations that showcase local specialities. From starter to dessert, the culinary experience is remarkable: contemporary, sea-inspired and approachable food. Treat yourself to the seafood coquille, maple-glazed ribs and lime tart, among others.

 

In the evening, guests can enjoy the day’s final light or the beauty of a star-filled sky, the salt air and the sound of the waves around a campfire near the beach, either alone or with other visitors.

Riôtel-Percé
riotel.com/fr/hotels/perce
261 QC-132 W
Percé, QC G0C 2L0
1 800-463-4212

The newest member of the RIÔTEL family is by no means the least. In 2024, Hostellerie Baie-Bleue in Carleton-sur-Mer, which had operated under that name for about 30 years, was rebranded as Riôtel-Carleton. The hotel complex spans several buildings and includes not only accommodation but also a very popular restaurant and a convention centre serving the entire region.


Proudly facing the sea on Baie des Chaleurs, Riôtel-Carleton offers 105 rooms and suites in several categories across roughly five pavilions, as well as four lofts and one fully equipped chalet sleeping 16. A heated outdoor pool a few dozen metres from the beach welcomes guests every day in season when weather permits. The tastefully decorated rooms often have private balconies and include all the amenities needed for a pleasant stay.



 

The main pavilion houses reception and, on the second floor, Resto-pub Saint-Joseph, a lively, popular year-round venue seating as many as 250 people, in addition to a covered outdoor terrace. For many years, its family-style menu and relaxed sports-bar atmosphere have brought generations together. On July 8, the restaurant introduced the Riôtel menu already offered at the group’s three other Gaspésie hotels. As at those properties, local culinary specialities have been added to the regular breakfast and dinner selections. Takeout is also available. The new menu, described as contemporary, maritime and approachable, will certainly bring fresh energy to Pub Saint-Joseph.

 
 

On the ground floor of the same pavilion, Churros & Crème Glacée offers handmade churros and a surprising selection of frozen treats from Thursday to Sunday during the season.

Riôtel-Carleton also houses the Centre des congrès de la Gaspésie, which has welcomed events and meetings year-round since 2009. Organizations have access to multipurpose rooms, state-of-the-art equipment and qualified staff who support event promoters and organizers. Riôtel-Carleton’s accommodation and food services are a major asset for the convention centre.


Direct beach access and the many nearby water activities provide further reasons to stay at the property.

Riôtel-Carleton
riotel.com/fr/hotels/carleton
482, Bd Perron
Carleton-sur-Mer, QC G0C 1J0
418.364.3355

The two hotels are not among the most striking from the outside, as they sit slightly removed from the area’s commercial and tourist activity at the entrance to the Village. Their distinctive qualities become apparent only after guests step through the doors and experience the rooms, suites and amenities.

The “rebirth” of these two establishments is thanks to the Charron family, entrepreneurs and investors in Montréal real estate for more than 40 years. The founder’s children now run them.
The hotels’ greatest strength is their location: just steps from the Quartier Latin and Vieux-Montréal, at the entrance to the Village and its restaurants and bars, and a few hundred metres from Berri-UQAM station, served by three metro lines. They are also beside the UQÀM campus and the CHUM hospital complex and research centre. The wonderful Quartier des spectacles is less than a 10-minute walk away.

Le Roberval, at the corner of René-Lévesque and Berri, comprises two connected buildings dating from the 1920s. The family acquired it in the late 1990s. Les Suites Labelle, on the short street of the same name, is a more recent building and has belonged to the Charron family since the early 2000s, explains sales and marketing director Charlene Richard.
Each hotel has distinctive features designed to appeal to different guests. Le Roberval underwent major renovations in 2019: floors were redone, bedding replaced, and kitchen counters and bathrooms renovated. It has 75 rooms and suites: 26 studios with one queen-size bed, 11 studios with two queen-size beds, 15 one-bedroom suites with a sofa bed, 17 one-bedroom suites with a wall bed and six two-bedroom suites, including two in the basement. It offers exceptional comfort and a family atmosphere, whatever the length of stay. Workers, students and researchers visiting Montréal for short or extended periods find it a highly appreciated temporary home.

The neighbouring Hôtel Labelle has also undergone major renovations. Its flooring, bedding and curtains were replaced, and new mattresses were installed in rooms on four of its eight floors in 2022 and 2023. Work on the rest of the building will continue over the coming months. The hotel has 97 rooms: 84 standard studios with one or two queen-size beds, 10 superior studios with one or two queen-size beds, two junior suites and one executive suite. It regularly accommodates guests travelling with tour operators.

At both establishments, rooms and suites include a kitchenette, refrigerator, microwave, air conditioning, free Wi-Fi and many other amenities. Both hotels have spacious, welcoming breakfast rooms, and breakfast is included in the stay. Guests also have access to indoor parking.
The attentive staff are trained to uphold the principles of inclusion and diversity for all guests. LGBTQ guests can therefore count on respect and safety.
The Charron family, conscious of the importance of community involvement, has also welcomed immigrant workers from Ukraine for several years. Around 40 legally admitted Ukrainian newcomers currently work at the hotels, and management is proud of its contribution to their integration.

Hôtel et Suites Labelle
hotellabelle.com
120, rue Labelle
Montréal, QC H2L 4C1
514 840-1151

Hôtel Le Roberval
leroberval.com
505, Bd. René-Lévesque Est
Montréal, QC H2L 5B6
514 286 2992

Good ideas often take time to come to fruition, because visionaries want to give their projects every possible chance of success. Steve Horman, his partner Véronique Piché and their associate Mathieu Fleurent, a building contractor, understood this well: they spent more than 15 years imagining their ready-to-camp retreats in Les Éboulements, Charlevoix.

In 2020, in the middle of the global pandemic, they decided to make their dream a reality. Originally from the Laurentides, they settled on the Charlevoix region: the river, the mountains and vast open spaces stretching as far as the eye can see. In the village of Les Éboulements, they found “a place that reflects who we are, a welcoming village with a tight-knit community. It was love at first sight,” explains Steve Horman, who has lived there for two years with his partner and their three children.
Hauts Refuges is intended as a gathering place where people can live in the moment, have fun and reconnect with nature. Construction of the first three retreats began in spring 2022. Made entirely of cedar inside and out, they were acquired from Cédréco in the neighbouring municipality of Saint-Aimé-des-Lacs. Within a few months, La Luciole, La Forestine and La Canopée rose in the middle of the forest. The retreats were designed to be practical, comfortable and welcoming for families who want to travel without too much hassle.

The partners received funding through Tourisme Québec’s EPRTNT programme to implement the project. The programme aims to renew and enhance regional tourism by developing attractive, distinctive offerings, showcasing innovation and opening new niches for tourism businesses. They also received support from the Fonds d’aide au tourisme of Développement économique du Canada (DEC) pour le Québec. This made it possible to complete the fourth retreat, La Chouette, in recent months.

What, exactly, is Hauts Refuges? It is a four-season ecotourism property with several retreats perched among the treetops and accessible only by walking trails. These ready-to-camp units can accommodate one to six people and are designed for families. Guests can light the wood stove, read by the fire, play cards or cook with friends, an inspiring prospect. Every unit has several comfortable beds and everything needed to prepare meals.
Some even have an outdoor slide running from the balcony, enough to fascinate children and even their parents. Steve Horman explains that the slides came from former indoor play areas at McDonald’s restaurants, recognizable by their bright colours.

For now, the retreats stand at different heights above the ground and each has its own features. They have electricity and a refrigerator, but no indoor toilet or running water; a comfortable chemical toilet is located at the foot of each unit. In future phases, the owners hope to add a shared gathering area, a large communal kitchen, a park, a campfire space, a garden, washroom facilities and more.

Hauts Refuges – Prêt-à-camper
hautsrefuges.com
760, rang Sainte-Catherine
Les Éboulements (Qc) G0A 2M0
(418) 635-2329

By Pierre Perreault

Built in Québec in 1963 by a construction contractor, Motel L’Aristocrate is now a family institution operated by the Nadeau family. Originally designed for a client who later withdrew, the property remained with the family and, a few years ago, evolved into the prestigious Hôtel Aristocrate under the Best Western Premier banner.

 Motel L’Aristocrate in 1963

The hotel was founded by Georges Nadeau, grandfather of the family’s current generation, after the client for whom it was originally built withdrew from the project. The Nadeau family then took over operations, and members of the next generation, including the current leaders’ father and his brothers, joined the business over the years. Long the family’s only hotel, the property became the flagship of Nadeau Groupe Hôtelier, which later acquired other hotels in the same Tête des ponts district, including Hôtel Sépia and Holiday Inn Express Québec.

Best Western Premier Hôtel Aristocrate received Best Western’s prestigious M.K. Guertin Award in 2025. Named for Best Western’s founder, the award honours hotels demonstrating exceptional service, quality, value and commitment to the brand.

   

At the western gateway to the city, the hotel is known for its high-end service and La Fenouillière, its four-diamond restaurant, recognized as one of the region’s finest tables for 40 years. The restaurant offers local cuisine showcasing Québec terroir flavours.

The hotel, which has undergone several major renovations in recent years, offers visitors, while upholding its commitments to quality and sustainability, 100 comfortable rooms across various categories, including a Grand Signature Suite, three meeting rooms, a gym, and a seasonal outdoor pool with terrace. EV charging stations are available. Guests can also make use of a self-service laundry service, and pets are welcome for a fee, subject to certain conditions.

  

For cravings at any time of day or night, Au Petit Magasin, open around the clock near reception, offers a full selection of snacks (chips, chocolate, biscuits, soups and drinks, frozen foods, etc.). A microwave is on hand, and the hotel also serves fresh coffee around the clock.

L’Aristocrate makes an ideal base for sports groups visiting the region for tournaments or competitions. Buses can park easily on site. Those coming to Québec for medical appointments also receive a personalized welcome. Free services include parking, high-speed Wi-Fi, business centre access, coffee and tea, and more.

 

Cyclists receive the welcome they deserve. The hotel provides secure bicycle storage at no charge, and the nearby Corridor du Littoral and Parcours des Anses cycling routes are easily accessible.

Hôtel Aristocrate is an enduring example of successful family-owned hospitality in Québec. Current president Daniel Nadeau and his daughter, Chantal, lead the hotel group, which was formally incorporated as Nadeau Groupe Hôtelier in 2021. It now comprises three hotels, 287 rooms and approximately 100 employees.

Hôtel Aristocrate
Best Western Premier
hotelaristocrate.com
3100, Chemin Saint-Louis
Québec (Qc) G1W 1R8
418 653-2841

By Pierre Perreault

On entering the building for the first time, visitors are surprised to find no conventional reception desk. A large illuminated frame bearing Hôtel Chicoutimi’s emblematic Hyvi logo draws the eye and signals that something different is about to unfold. That is an understatement.

Ideally located in downtown Saguenay, Hôtel Chicoutimi has formed part of the Chicoutimi landscape since 1899 and stands out for a modern, evolving atmosphere in which every detail is designed to enrich the guest experience. The present building, erected after the serious downtown fire of 1912, has undergone various transformations over the years.

   Charles Dionne

The COVID-19 pandemic and the revolution in working patterns that followed inspired Éric Larouche, owner of Groupe Hôtel Chicoutimi for 30 years, to rethink how the property could meet the emerging needs of workers and businesses, including demand for flexible space and ‘workations,’ explains deputy director Charles Dionne.

The Hyvi concept was created in 2023, its name formed from the French words hybride and vie. The result is a hospitality service for tourists and business travellers, but also for guests wishing to make full use of the possibilities offered by remote work. ‘With Hyvi, we help our guests work effectively in an ergonomic environment while giving them the freedom to enjoy the many facilities and activities devoted to well-being.’ All of this is in the heart of Saguenay’s business district and active urban life.

   

Hôtel Chicoutimi has chosen to deconstruct business hospitality around an original guest experience in which every detail enriches the stay. The difference is apparent from the main lobby: instead of a fixed reception desk, tablet-equipped agents can manage every aspect of a stay or visit. The roughly 30 staff members do not have individual offices; work takes place in public areas or meeting rooms. Small workstations in the lobby also allow reservations and related arrangements to be planned and organized.

The hotel notably uses its own fully automated reservation system, designed specifically for the property and accessible to every agent on duty.

All rooms are modular and adapted to the modern traveller, with areas suited to both relaxation and work and the convenience of a compact integrated kitchen. Combining appearance and function, the spaces are intended to inspire at every moment. Managers say this attentive service makes Hôtel Chicoutimi far more than a destination: it represents a new era of living.

  

The hotel also has meeting and reception space for as many as 350 people, along with purpose-built coworking areas. Guests can eat throughout the day and evening at three venues. L’INTER is an invitation to culinary discovery, with every dish telling a story. At Rouge Burger Bar, a passion for burgers creates an original dining experience. La Galerie, finally, serves creative, nourishing and sometimes hearty breakfasts.

  

As a corporate citizen, Hôtel Chicoutimi follows a model of development that must not come at the expense of its surroundings or future generations. Its operations are therefore grounded in sustainable and environmentally responsible practices. For the past decade, the hotel has distinguished itself through sustained efforts to promote regional talent and reduce its environmental impact. Its green fitness room, for example, uses treadmills that generate power for various devices. Electric-vehicle charging stations are also available through RL Énergie, a company owned by Éric Larouche.

‘The company’s vision includes the environmental, social, economic, cultural, ethical and territorial dimensions of sustainable development,’ Charles Dionne says. The hotel’s mission is clear: to provide flexible surroundings and services that allow guests to live their daily lives fully and to ‘perform, thrive and pause.’

As an aside, Saguenay’s LGBT+ community has held activities at Hôtel Chicoutimi for many years. The nearby rue Racine area is known as welcoming to the LGBT+ community, with several gay-friendly establishments, suggesting that the neighbourhood has long served as a meeting place.

 

The Hyvi concept has now expanded to two other establishments in the region, with a third to follow soon. Auberge des Îles in Saint-Gédéon, Lac Saint-Jean, and Maison du Vébron in L’Anse-Saint-Jean, Saguenay, have already adapted all their spaces and services to the concept. Construction of a modern new property near the Dolbeau-Mistassini marina in Lac Saint-Jean is expected to be announced in 2026.

Hôtel Chicoutimi is a member of Québec’s first hotel cooperative, Ôrigine artisans hôteliers, which brings together more than 40 carefully selected independent inns and hotels across 15 Québec tourism regions. Members offer a broad range of wellness, culinary, romantic, urban, resort and outdoor experiences.

Hôtel Chicoutimi Hyvi
hotelchicoutimi.qc.ca
460, Rue Racine Est
Chicoutimi (Québec) G7H 1T7
(418) 549-7111

On a first visit, nothing prepares you for the spectacle ahead as you leave Route 138 between Godbout and Baie-Trinité and follow the dozen or so kilometres of narrow, winding Chemin de la Pointe-des-Monts to the site, finally reaching the Saint-Laurent shoreline on Chemin du Vieux Phare.

Pointe-des-Monts, now uninhabited, was once a settlement in the municipality of Baie-Trinité, 10 kilometres from the village in the Manicouagan area of the Côte-Nord. The site is home to a lighthouse designated as a historic monument. For mariners, it also marks the beginning of the golfe du Saint-Laurent to the east and the end of the Saint-Laurent estuary, which begins at the tip of île d’Orléans.

The lodging and camping business grew out of passion, love at first sight and a touch of madness. The story began with Jean-Louis Frenette. A 1965 graduate in history and biogeography, he taught for many years in the TACH programme (Game and Fisheries Management Techniques), which he helped establish in 1972 and which was offered exclusively at Cégep de Baie-Comeau.

From his first visit to Pointe-des-Monts in 1969, he fell completely in love with the site and thereafter spent every long summer holiday there. After acquiring a large former colonization lot, he patiently developed his small tourism business, constructing or purchasing its buildings one by one until it grew into the 24-building, 500-hectare property it is today.

Jean-Louis Frenette, founder. (Photo: Radio-Canada)
Jean-Louis Frenette held the concession for the Pointe-des-Monts lighthouse keeper’s house for 17 years. In 2004, he secured the right to retain the business name “Le Gîte du Phare de Pointe-des-Monts.” Under that name, he operated, for a time, a restaurant (Le Gîte de la Chapelle), accommodation (Le Gîte du Phare de Pointe-des-Monts), an Indigenous heritage site (Le sentier de Charlotte et le Campement Ashini) and 17 holiday cottages scattered along 1.5 kilometres of private shoreline.

 
These rental cottages are available in various configurations for two to six people. Each has a small, simple, rustic interior with a double bed, table and chairs, running water (non-potable), electricity, and a toilet and shower. The kitchenette includes a mini-fridge, two electric burners, dishes, utensils, pots, a toaster, a dish towel, a sponge, dish soap and toilet paper. All have a balcony with a view and access to the river in a peaceful, wild setting.

Please note that visitors must bring their own bedding (sheets, pillows, blankets, towels), drinking water and food. There is no meal service, no Wi-Fi, and phone coverage varies depending on location and service provider.

 
For wild camping enthusiasts, several unserviced sites are available for pitching a tent or parking an RV or trailer.

The crowning glory of the site comes entirely free of charge: in fine weather, nightfall brings a canopy of stars stretching in every direction. People from large cities generally cannot enjoy such a spectacle. Awe is guaranteed, and beneath a moonless sky it is even more extraordinary. Then there are the whales, which can regularly be seen by day through much of the summer and even into autumn, playing and feeding directly in front of the cottages.

The business has since shortened its name to “Le Gîte de Pointe-des-Monts,” and Jean-Louis Frenette now shares its management with his family to ensure that the dream he created endures. His grandson, Raphaël Laberge, and his team handle guest reception and day-to-day maintenance. The reception pavilion, beside the old Indigenous chapel, also serves as an art centre and gift shop offering authentic works to visitors.

And do not miss the lighthouse and its museum a little farther along the same road. Built in 1830 and designated a historic monument since 1965, the lighthouse is a true testament to a cultural landscape in harmony with nature. The exceptional site features a multimedia exhibition on its history, the daily lives of lighthouse keepers, shipwrecks and life around Pointe-des-Monts.

Gîte de Pointe-des-Monts
pointe-des-monts.ca
1937, Chemin du Vieux Phare
Baie-Trinité, QC G0H1A0
866-369-4083