Baie-Saint-Paul

The Basics

Baie-Saint-Paul is perhaps most famous for being the home base of the Group of Seven artists, landscape painters active in the 1920s and ‘30s who constituted the first major Canadian art movement. Today, the Baie-Saint-Paul Museum of Contemporary Art and the many galleries showcasing local artists are major draws for art lovers. Also popular are the town’s many gourmet food producers, from microbreweries to small-scale cheese producers and excellent restaurants. Outdoor lovers can enjoy hiking, kayaking, and whale watching.

Things to Know Before You Go

• Saint-Jean-Baptiste Street hosts most of the restaurants and breweries.

• Baie-Saint-Paul is the gateway to the Charlevoix region’s Flavour Trail, a driving route that includes many different local producers.

• The best whale-watching months are from August to October.

How to Get There

Baie-Saint-Paul is located in the Charlevoix region, 59 miles (95 kilometers) from Quebec City and 217 miles (350 kilometers) from Montreal and accessible by car or coach. From June to October, the scenic Train de Charlevoix travels from Quebec City up the coast of the St. Lawrence River, stopping at Baie-Saint-Paul.

When to Get There

Baie-Saint-Paul is a popular summer destination, with festivals and cultural events bringing the town to life. Summer and fall are the best seasons for foodies, when the local produce comes into its own. Northern Quebec has very cold and snowy winters, and there’s plenty here for winter sports enthusiasts, from ski hills to skating rinks.

Ski the Massif de Charlevoix

Skiing or snowboarding at the Massif de Charlevoix is a unique experience: It’s one of the few ski areas in the world whose slopes are accessible from both the base and the summit. At 2,526 feet (770 meters), its vertical drop is the highest anywhere east of the Rocky Mountains. Visitors can also try dogsledding, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing in the area.