Gastronomic Inns of the Laurentians
By Margaret Swaine
I called my husband the first night in Quebec’s Laurentians to tell him about the bucolic place I had discovered. My bed and breakfast or “gîte” in French was in a land dotted with apple orchards, vineyards and ancient farmhouses of stone and sloping tin roofs. It was in St-Joseph-du-Lac a mere half hour north west of downtown Montreal, yet I felt like I was stepping back into early Quebec history.
“I thought the Laurentians were ski hills, Mont Tremblant and other snowy slopes,” said my husband. Neither a skier nor fond of winter, he’d declined to join me on my expedition to discover the gastronomy of the area. “Well yes they are partly that,” I’d replied, ” but take a look at a map. The area is huge and diverse.” As it happened I’d chosen to begin my journey in apple, maple syrup and vineyard country.
La Roche des Brises where I stayed is a hive of activity year round. In spring the maple sap runs and sugar shacks open their doors to the public. People flock to them to watch sap turn into maple syrup and enjoy a meal of scrambled eggs, hot dogs, beans and more all drenched in it. In fall it’s apple and grape harvest, the leaves turn brilliant colours and people come to pick their own apples, picnic and sample apple cider and wine. Year round food lovers come for fine regional dining. The 125-seat restaurant at Brises des Bois is beside their wine tasting room with a view of the rolling farmland hills. Owners Gina Pratt and husband Jean-Pierre Bélisle have hired well. Chef André Martin and sommelier/maitre d’ Ivan Blanchette create a truly gourmet dining experience. Accommodations are in a house across the street, really more a small inn or Auberge, with seven large quite luxurious rooms. One of a few five star gîtes in the province, it’s a country gem that needs to be booked ahead. Ditto for the restaurant – Québécois love their fine food.
The next day I stopped at Ciderie Lafrance to sample a range of their strong (alcoholic) ciders, from sparkling, to still and dry, to sweet apple cider ice wine and a port style one aged in wood. All delicious, I buy a champagne method one and some artisanal cider vinegar to take home. In the fall this place attracts 2,000 visitors on a weekend with its café, live folk music and picnic areas.
My next stop is the nearby Intermiel Family Farm of 2000 beehives and every possible honey product imaginable including eight different honey wines and cosmetics made from royal jelly. A guided tour here takes two hours with a 20-minute film and tasting as just a part. Equipped to handle groups of kids, it has a learning centre, animal filled barn and puppet shows for them.
After a leisurely drive through backcountry roads, I end my day at Le Clos Joli in Morin-Heights. This family owned Auberge and restaurant is just five minutes from the ski hills and shops of Saint-Sauveur-des-Monts. Mother Francine Roux greets me while daughter Claudine, sommelier and dining room server, prepares us cocktails. In the kitchen is daughter Marie-José Roux, recently awarded chef of the year for the Laurentians. Mom points out she also won the top provincial award for kitchen cleanliness. The place was once a farmhouse and the nine bedrooms have basics such as in-suite bathrooms and a cupboard for cloths but not much else. It’s the dining and the package deal of room, four-course meal and full breakfast at $160 for two that draws. The table d’hôte without accommodation is $25. My forty-eight dollar dégustation menu features venison terrine, seabass on fennel, wild mushrooms flambéed with cognac, local veal with herbes salées, Quebec cheeses and a strawberry and cream dessert with almond butterscotch crisps. I’m glad I can just roll into bed.
Next morning on Mme Roux’s recommendation I head for the nearby Ofuro Spa to rejuvenate. Built into the woods where two streams meet, with natural waterfalls and bathing pools, it’s an oasis of peace. It draws inspiration from Asia and Scandinavia with ice cold natural streams to dip into, Zen energy saunas with windows to the outdoors, cedar stoves, a cave built to resemble the inside of a human thorax and an outdoor hot tub heated by a wood fire. A day pass gets me access to all this and more as I do the hot and cold number of sauna to cold stream, steam room to outdoors, hot tub to relaxation room.
My destination in Val David is Edelweiss, a charming auberge with large rooms, most with fireplaces, balconies and double person therapeutic multi-jet tubs. The award winning dining room on the second floor is presided over by owners Nathalie at front of house and her Belgian husband Olivier, the chef. The meal is another extravaganza perfectly matched with a selection of wines by the glass from their comprehensive wine list. I decide not to call my husband to tell him about the warm Quebec foie-gras, young deboned Belchasse squab, terrine of three Quebec cheeses and Belgian chocolate mousse. I feel he’ll be too envious. Instead I fill my spa tub and let its 16 jets simultaneously caress every strategic point in my body. I don’t miss my man one bit this night.
Day four I pay a visit to Gérald Le Gal, owner of the Gourmet Sauvage, a ten year old company that harvests wild edibles from Canadian forests. His products such as cattail hearts, milkweed pod ketchup and cedar jelly can be found in stores throughout the Laurentians. In the future he hopes to build his own store along with a country-style restaurant to be called of course, Gourmet Sauvage.
I’ve always wanted to eat at La Sapinière ever since as a kid I spent winters with my family at a ski chalet in nearby Val-Morin. I’d cross country ski to the place and peer through the windows, longing to join the diners. Even then I knew its reputation for gourmet food. Founded in 1936, it’s the granddad of Laurentian resorts, today with most of its 70 rooms recently renovated. Chef Daniel St-Pierre, a much awarded chef who worked at L’Eau à la Bouche and other renown establishments is heading the kitchen now. The place is so well loved that almost half their customers are repeats, some reserving for the next year before they depart. The menu changes daily so no fear of boredom. Chef St-Pierre is working with others in the area on a gastronomic route for the Laurentians that will link fine restaurants that use regional products in at least 75 per cent of their menu. After an impressive meal, maitre d’ Gilles Godbout takes me on a tour of the equally inspiring 10,000 bottle wine cellar. Alas the Pétrus is gone however – Godbout tells me an American cleaned them out of it, spending twenty-five thousand on wine in two days.
My final night I spend at Auberge Le Clos Rolland, a three story Victorian home in the village of Mont Rolland that once belonged to a lumber baron. Sylvie Garcia fresh from the Montreal hotel business is now the gracious host and owner. From the nine bedrooms, most with en-suite bathrooms, I choose La Grande Dame with its old fashioned claw-footed tub. Garcia employs a local caterer Bernard Minguy who owns a nearby retail food shop Chez Bernard for the gourmet meals she serves to groups. He’s very good indeed.
As I drive back home in the morning I remember the tip that Garcia and Minguy gave me about Le Bec Fin. I stop in at this gourmet outlet on route 158 between Saint Jerome and Lachute and load up on foie gras, tourtière, fresh and smoked duck breast, duck confit, pintade terrine and rabbit in mustard sauce. It’s a peace offering to my husband that I know will thrill his taste buds.
Laurentians – Contacts
Accommodations – all listings/general information: www.Laurentides.com
La Roche des Brises
Contact : Gina Pratt (owner)
2007 rue Principale
St-Joseph-du-Lac, Que J0N 1M0
Tel : (450) 472-2722
www.rochedesbrises.com
Le Clos Joli
Contact: The Roux family (owners)
19, Chemin Clos Joli
Morin-Heights, Que J0R 1H0
Tel: (450) 226-5401
www.aubergeclosjoli.com
Edelweiss Auberge & Restaurant
Contact: Nathalie Chenier & Olivier Sadones (chef/owner)
3050 Chemin Doncaster
Val David, Que J0T 2N0
Tel : (819) 322-7800
Toll free: 1-866-355-7800
www.ar-edelweiss.com
La Sapinière
Contact: Marie Paule Richard (General Manager)
1244 chemin de la Sapinière
Val David, Que J0T 2N0
Tel : (819) 322-2020
Toll free: 1-800-567-6635
www.sapiniere.com
Part of an excellent network of independent resorts and inns called Hôtellerie Champêtre. For a guide to the packages offered call 1-800-714-1214 or visit www.hotelleriechampetre.com
Auberge Le Clos Rolland
Contact : Sylvie Garcia (owner)
1200, rue Saint Jean
Ste-Adèle, Que J8B 1E6
Tel: (450) 229-2797
Toll free: 1-888-409-2797
http://www.auclosrolland.com
Right on near a linear park known as “Le P’tit Train du Nord”, a former train route that’s now a 200 km long pathway, which stretches from Saint-Jérôme to Mont-Laurier. The park’s open to cyclists, cross country skiers, snowmobilers and hikers. Le Clos Rolland offers meal and accommodation packages with two other B & B’s for people who want to do the route and have their luggage transported to the next stop. Information and registration at 1-877-688-6422.
Gourmet Food Outlets
Intermiel (Honey Farm)
10291 La Fresnière, St-Benoit
Mirabel J0N 1K0
Tel: 450-258-2713
Toll Free: 1-800-265miel
Boutique des Becs Fins (meats, game birds, prepared foods)
9045, Sir-Wilfrid-Laurier
Mirabel, J7N 1L6
Tel: 450-258-2882
www.becs-fins.com
Chez Bernard (Quebec cheeses, terrines, prepared foods, take-out meals etc.)
411, Principale
Saint-Sauveur-des-Monts
Tel: 450-240-0000
info@chezbernard.com
Fromagerie du Marché (large selection of Quebec Cheeses)
357 rue Parent, Centre-Ville
Saint-Jérôme, J7Z 2A1
Tel: 450-436-8469
fromagerie@marasuca.com
La Vagabonde Boulangerie bio (top baker in the Laurentians making organic breads)
1262, Chemin de la Rivière
Val David J0T 2N0
Tel: 819-322-3953
Gourmet Sauvage
Box 5098,
Ste-Adèle J8B 1A1
Tel: 450-229-3277
www.gourmetsauvage.ca
Les Vergers Lafrance (Cider, vinegars, apple wines)
1473 Chemin-Principal
Saint-Joseph-du-Lac L0N 1M0
Tel: 450-491-7859
Spas
Ofuro Spa
777, Chemin St-Adolphe
Morin-Heights J0R 1H0
Tel: 450-226-2442 (1-877-884-2442)
www.spaofuro.com