Crossing the Matapedia Valley, one reaches the Restigouche River, into which the Matapedia flows. The Restigouche empties into the Chaleur Bay in the heart of the Appalachians. It is a river globally renowned as a salmon river and part of Canadian heritage. The name Restigouche comes from the Anglicization of Listuguj, the name of the Mi'gmaq community that camped along its banks hundreds of years before the arrival of the first French colonizers. Even today, the community of Listuguj, one of the most significant Mi'gmaq communities in the Maritimes, stands on the Quebec side opposite the town of Campbellton in New Brunswick.
On the right bank of the Restigouche, the newly merged town of Campbellton forms, along with the communities of Listuguj and Pointe-à-la-Croix connected by the interprovincial bridge, the most significant conurbation in the Chaleur Bay with its some 15,000 inhabitants.
The Mi'kmaq called the site Wisiamkik, meaning muddy place, referring to the sediments in the narrows of the Restigouche. The site was named Pointe-des-Sauvages around 1700 during the French colonial era, and a small village was founded there by deported Acadians in 1755, while more than 1,000 deportees settled across in Petite-Rochelle. This significant village only had a brief existence as it was razed under the orders of James Wolfe after the fall of New France in 1760. The site became a mere trading post for decades as the Acadians dispersed and founded various villages around Chaleur Bay. The town truly emerged with Scottish immigration to the region in the early 19th century. The town originally bore various names. The current name was given in 1833 in honor of Sir Archibald Campbell, Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick from 1831 to 1837.
When you reach the end of the road leading to the tip of the peninsula and spot the vast seaside estate featuring a 24-room hotel including an aesthetic care center (spa), a convention center, and 33 chalets available for rent scattered about, one realizes the scale of the welcoming place.
The site impresses with its magnitude, its streets marked like those in a village, its tranquility, and the sense of well-being it exudes, thanks to a uniquely designed layout. A stay will convince even the hardest to please. The hotel offers all the amenities one might expect from such a location. Breakfast is included and served in a room with a full sea view, but no other meals are provided during the day. Several dining options are available a short distance away in the town of Tracadie.
Villégiature Deux Rivières truly provides hotel service worthy of major hotel chains, but without the associated constraints. Martin Albert, a native son with an MBA in Business Administration from the Université de Moncton, has been the general manager since 2013. Albert was previously the general manager of the municipality of Paquetteville.
“What sets Villégiature Deux Rivières apart from chain hotels is that everything is decided and managed locally,” explains its general manager.
Martin Albert is proud to have been part of this wonderful adventure for nearly 10 years. For him, the mission and vision of Villégiature Deux Rivières are part of his everyday life. Although the place has already become a staple for quality accommodation and stays in recent years, he aims to make it “the preferred destination in Atlantic Canada, where guests can capture unforgettable Acadian-flavored memories.”
The introduction of a bike path in the area has attracted a new clientele for whom the environmental tranquility of the place, with the omnipresence of the sea and breathtaking sunrises, are key attractions. In winter, the snowmobile trails also bring many visitors.
A story that began almost 25 years ago.
It was in 1999 that the adventure of the Deux Rivières Resort Center began in Tracadie-Sheila. The municipality had entrusted the Two Rivers of Tracadie Development Corporation (CDDRT) with developing this exceptional site.
From then on, thanks to a public-private partnership agreement between a group of local investors and the CDDRT, construction of 33 chalets began. The following year, the convention center was built. In 2001, 17 new chalets were added. Then in 2009, a 20-room hotel was built. Just in time for the World Acadian Congress.
In 2012, the company underwent a name change to become Villégiature Deux Rivières, better reflecting the services offered by the business. In 2013, the Two Rivers Development Corporation of the municipality withdrew from the resort center, which is now fully managed by this corporation of owner investors.
The company wanted to grow and have enough accommodations to host medium-sized conventions on the site. The chalet investors then became shareholders of the hotel with the registration of a Deux Rivières Hotel corporation to oversee its management.
Villégiature Deux Rivières
www.deuxrivieres.ca
100, rue Deux Rivières
Tracadie-Sheila, N.B.
506.394.4050
Located in downtown Moncton, the Aberdeen Cultural Centre is a historic building that houses several cultural organizations and artists' studios, serving as an important gathering place for the artistic community in southeastern New Brunswick.
It is also the location of the restaurant Les Brumes du Coude, which opened in 2014 with chef Michel Savoie at the helm. The bistro quickly made its mark among the top 100 restaurants in Canada. It offers simple and tasty cuisine—a true French bistro cuisine, a result of his seven years of cooking in France.
The restaurant is housed in a former classroom of the Aberdeen School, which became the Aberdeen Cultural Centre in 1986. In 2017, the centre added a 50-seat cultural terrace, managed by Les Brumes du Coude during the summer season.
So, where does the name of his restaurant come from? The city of Moncton is known for its Petitcodiac River, whose name means "which bends like a bow" in Mi'kmaq. The Acadians who settled there in 1733 called this place Le Coude because of the bend in this powerful brown river, where the mists from the marshes hide. To this day, Moncton is still nicknamed Le Coude.
However, the name Les Brumes du Coude has a very different meaning for the owner-chef Michel Savoie. He explains this term as being a description of what inspires him in cooking: the misty smells of simmered dishes, the vapors that are the result of physical effort, or elbow grease.
His cuisine is generous, fair, and on point, in the spirit of a French bistro. Inspired by seasonal local and sea products, it features a blend of French, Acadian, and other culinary traditions. "There is always something new to discover at Les Brumes du Coude because, just like the menu, the wine and cocktail list is constantly evolving. The team at Les Brumes du Coude will be pleased to welcome you to this lively, warm, and friendly space," he explains.
Originally from Tabusintac, a small village north of Néguac, Michel Savoie was not destined for the restaurant business. Before the end of his high school studies, he had not really shown an interest in cooking. Financial reasons did not allow him to attend university. At 18, with no particular qualifications, he found himself working in a kitchen, starting as a dishwasher. Gradually, he discovered a certain talent in the pots and pans.
He has been in the restaurant industry for about twenty years, mainly in Montreal and Tours, France, often holding positions at the lower end of the hierarchy. His move to France was because he followed his then-wife, who was French. Did he receive formal culinary training? He spent a few months at the ITHQ in his early twenties but was unable to complete the training due to financial constraints.
His desire to combat pervasive junk food, even in Moncton, motivated him to move forward with opening his own restaurant.
Could he be contributing to the reinvention of Acadian cuisine with his attempts to revalue local products? He would rather cook as much as possible with local and sea products from here. One might call it Acadian cuisine if the terroir in question corresponded to an Acadian territory. However, he prefers not to get involved in the thorny debate over the borders of Acadia.
In the meantime, we have the leisure and privilege of enjoying the place, its charming decor, its enticing menu, and the beautiful culinary discoveries that Michel Savoie shares with his clientele. And if you are a fan of mussels, know that the best of the kind have been savored here, in proportions to satisfy the greatest appetites.
Les Brumes du Coude
lesbrumesducoude.com
140 Botsford Street
Moncton, NB E1C 4X5
506 858-0777
Both a capital as well as a sought-after tourist destination, Québec is a city offering a wide variety of fine dining establishments. Among the dozens of restaurants in the very popular Old Québec neighborhood, one can find the finest tables and most prestigious chefs in the city. Much importance is given to local produce and the menus are widely inspired by French cuisine. This great culinary tradition is largely the result of the efforts of the late Serge Bruyère, who was a precursor of new cuisine in Québec, updating French traditions as early as the 1970s.
From fast-food to haute cuisine, there are upwards of 2500 restaurants in the greater Québec city area, representing a ratio of 350 restaurants for every inhabitant, which is 3 times more than in New York! There are endless choices for every visitor. Beyond the Old Québec neighborhood, other areas such as Grande Allée, Cartier and René-Lévesque Streets near the National Assembly are positively crawling with great restaurants, many of which offer lively terraces in the summertime.
Many gay-friendly cafés and bistros can be discovered (or rediscovered) on Saint-Jean Street in the heart of the Faubourg Saint-Jean-Baptiste. The Nouvo Saint-Roch has also more recently emerged as a sought-after destination. The Saint-Roch and Saint-Sauveur neighborhoods offer many restaurants featuring a diverse selection of food from around the world. The more affluent Sillery neighborhood also offers excellent restaurants, among them those housed by Université Laval as well as many hotels and shopping malls along Laurier Boulevard.
Although Québec proudly displays its French character and traditions, and probably as a result of having always been a capital focused on tourism for over a century, no regional specialties are really associated with the city. That being said, Québec’s gastronomic trademark is associated with the best that French cuisine can offer and local produce of exceptional culinary quality.
Glenn Crawford was the instigator of the Build Our Bank and LGBT Village initiatives in the famously reserved capital since starting the volunteer-run project in 2007. While he has recently stepped down as president of The Village, making room for new ideas from successor Ian Capstick, Crawford has left an indelible mark on a town where there wasn’t a lot of consensus about creating a gay village.
Born out of town hall meetings about the reconstruction of Bank Street, the idea of designating the stretch between Wellington and Gladstone as The Village was about “trying to get a sense of belonging and place, where people feel they can be themselves, have access to services, fool around and shop,” Crawford says. “Gradually a lot of LGBTQ organizations have coalesced into this area… Forming The Village was a natural progression.” When he started fundraising and participating in public advisory committees five years ago, Crawford came up against both the veiled homophobia of a local business improvement association, as well as criticism from the LGBT community that the project was coming 10-20 years too late.
“People were asking Why do we want to create a ghetto? A lot of that criticism comes from people who are out [of the closet],” Glenn says with his typical incisiveness, “from people who have the relationship, two dogs and friend circle. I don’t need a Village either! It’s for people who are struggling in suburban or rural areas; it can be for everyone.” And as a child of the sleepy, inaccessible suburb of Kanata – “not an easy place to grow up gay” – Crawford speaks from experience. Like most LGBT people in any Village in any major city anywhere, the urban geographic bubble exists as much for townies as it does for people who have moved there to escape the stifling places they come from.
And lest you think that Crawford’s project was for commercial reasons alone, it may seem counterintuitive that he’s not a shop-keeper himself, but rather a website and graphic designer who lives just off Bank and works part time in a local gallery. “There’s a social aspect to it. Taking pride in who you are and finding a sense of value in there being a community,” which for him includes keeping the subsidized housing in the area, and watching out for condo development that could “force out the funkier elements.”
“It’s [about] putting roots down; people say it’s 20 years too late, but for me it’s just in time,” Glenn concludes. Echoing a theme that has emerged in everything from architecture to sociology, he adds that “The online world is not the same as having a real community. I worry about that, about younger generations, they’re not valuing the sense of community.”
So maybe when you walk by the “We Demand” mural that The Village commissioned on Gladstone and Bank Streets, you might get a sense of what that community looks like and is for, and clap your fairy hands for Glenn Crawford.
Photo by Noreen Fagan
Aficionados are well-aware that Cantharellus cibarius, known in French as girolle or Chanterelle commune, is a species of basidiomycete fungi belonging to the Cantharellaceae family. This mushroom, widespread across the Northern Hemisphere, is esteemed for its culinary excellence, ranking among the most renowned and sought-after in its category.
By analogy, the same can be said for the French "bring your own wine" restaurant La Girolle, nestled in Quebec's Saint-Sacrement neighborhood, which has been a well-known and sought-after destination for 23 years. Owned by Chef David Grenier (photo) since 2018, the establishment has preserved the spirit and values of its founders while naturally evolving its menu over the years and seasons.
Let's highlight some of the famous dishes available. Starters include: Deluxe Charcuterie Plate, Escargot Pastry in Cheese Sauce, Flavors of L'ile d'Orléans, Bison Carpaccio with Truffle Emulsion. Main courses particularly appreciated are: Scallop and Shrimp Risotto, Grilled Lamb Loin with Spanish Sauce, Duck Breast with Port and Serviceberry, Braised Sweetbreads à la Forestière, Land and Sea / Black Pudding with Spices, Deer in Mushroom Crust with Périgord Sauce, Salmon Pavé with Mango Salsa, Chef's Style Beef Fillet Mignon, Pork Tenderloin with Cheddar Fondue and Balsamic.
Grenier, before acquiring the restaurant, had been actively involved in various kitchen roles, from dishwasher to cook, starting at the age of 18. Despite not attending prestigious culinary schools or holding renowned degrees in hospitality, his merit includes stints at famed establishments during travels in Australia and around the world, where he honed and developed his culinary skills.
Alongside the previous owners of La Girolle, he has cultivated the art of dining based on dishes that continue to contribute to the place's fame and draw a loyal clientele, in addition to developing an entirely new menu. Since Grenier took over, there have been no major changes to the venue: the carpet was removed, and some minor renovations were made. His motivation lies in maintaining consistent quality in the cuisine, always in line with market availability and seasonally affordable products.
In addition to the regular menu displayed on large wheeled blackboards, which changes with the seasons, one can always order frozen dishes for takeout, offering meals distinct from the regular menu and complementing the dining room offerings. This product, even post the 2000-2001 pandemic, continues to enjoy success. They also offer various takeout and reheat dishes (soups, salads, charcuteries, sweetbreads, black pudding, pork tenderloin, for example).
Indeed, La Girolle remains one of the rare "bring your own wine" (or beer) restaurants in Quebec City, a concept David Grenier assures will not change. This format is highly appreciated six evenings and three afternoons each week, from August to June. Its location outside tourist districts allows a month-long July vacation for the team of approximately 25 employees.
La Girolle can accommodate up to 140 guests in the evening, from Tuesday to Sunday, with 106 seats spread across two distinct sections. Reservations are recommended, especially from Friday to Sunday. Workers and residents of the neighborhood frequent it for lunch from Wednesday to Friday.
For history enthusiasts, the establishment Les Prés had been located here since 1990. La Girolle has been operating at this address since 2000.
Restaurant La Girolle
lagirolle.ca
1384, Chemin Sainte-Foy
Québec, QC, G1S 2N6
(418) 527-4141
The Mile End neighbourhood’s name seems to have come from a 19th century racing track that roughly covered the zone delineated by St-Joseph Boulevard, Mentana Street, Mont-Royal Avenue and Berri Street. Indeed, a 1 mile distance separated the racing track from the former limits of Montréal. Thus, Mile End.
Although the neighbourhood is officially part of the Plateau Mont-Royal district, Montrealers differentiate the two, as Mile End is situated in one of the most bilingual and multiethnic sectors of the city, in the western extremity of the mainly French speaking Plateau. It had long been the heart of Montréal’s Jewish community and Hassidic Jews are still very much present, though many have migrated slightly to the west, spilling into Outremont. Both the Fairmount and St-Viateur bagel factories, true Montréal institutions that have popularized bagels in the city, are emblematic of the neighbourhood. The Greek community is also very much present, especially on Avenue du Parc.
Since the 1980s, Mile End is known as a neighbourhood of largely artistic inclinations, and many artists, musicians, writers and filmmakers have elected residence here. The streets are peppered with many art galleries, designer workshops, specialized boutiques and cafés. Mile End’s transformation was reinforced by the establishment of big-time multimedia enterprises in former factories. Take a stroll along St-Laurent Boulevard, Parc Avenue, Fairmount, St-Viateur and Bernard streets and discover the eclectic diversity of this neighbourhood.
The bohemian nature of the new Mile End opened a space where gays, lesbians and the queer folk could flourish. Today, Mile End is considered Montréal’s second most dynamic area for LGBT culture and the preferred neighbourhood of the queer community in particular. Mile End has also appealed to the lesbian community, a portion of which has migrated to the north out of Plateau Mont-Royal, where it had previously maintained a strong presence for decades.
In the last few years, Mile End has emerged as the centre of the Montréal independent music scene, with internationally renowned band Arcade Fire electing residence there, among others. Other celebrated Mile End dwellers, such as filmmaker Xavier Dolan and singer/songwriter Ariane Moffatt, can often be spotted here. In fact, it is the main filming location of Dolan’s film Les Amours Imaginaires (Heartbeats).
In the summertime, beach enthusiasts will not want to miss visiting the Baie de Beauport. It has been a popular cruising area for years, offering enchanting scenery on the Saint-Lawrence coastline. Every summer, visitors can practice volleyball, soccer, canoeing, kayaking and sailing, or just relax on the beach and have a swim. Baie de Beauport is located only five minutes away from downtown Québec.
At the far edge of the old port and Nouvo Saint-Roch, Gare du Palais serves as Via Rail’s terminal and links Montréal to Québec City. Built in 1915 by the Canadian Pacific Railway, the two-story châteauesque station is similar in design to the Château Frontenac. This magnificent railway station has been designated as a heritage site.
18km from downtown Québec in the Ste-Foy-Sillery-Cap Rouge district, Jean-Lesage International Airport is the world’s gateway into the capital and the eastern and northern regions of the province. It is the second most important airport in the province after Pierre-Elliott Trudeau in Montréal. Close by, the Grand Time Hotel’s two charming establishments offer travellers some well-deserved rest.
A native of Lyon in France, Serge Bruyère fell in love with the city of Québec from his very first visit in 1976. He immigrated to its province during the Montréal Olympic Games, working at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel before moving to Québec city. Prior to leaving his native country, he had undergone his training in the kitchens of l’Auberge du Tunnel in Auvergne with Paul Bocuse and the Troisgros brothers. He first worked at the Hilton before becoming executive chef at the Éperlan restaurant. One year later, he founded the Marie-Clarisse restaurant near the Breakneck Stairs (l’Escalier Casse-cou) with another partner. In 1980, he undertook a new adventure at the Maison Livernois on Saint-Jean Street, this time on his own: Serge Bruyère’s restaurant À La Table was created. He was among the very first chefs to work closely with local craftsmen in order to obtain high quality products for his menu.
Serge Bruyère died prematurely in 1994 at the age of 33. His heritage is considered enormous: he introduced an updated version of haute cuisine, laying the foundations of a gastronomy concerned with great quality and based on a relationship of proximity with his suppliers. Throughout the 14 years of existence of À La Table, Bruyère devoted time and energy in training dozens of competent chefs like Daniel Vézina, Jean Soulard and Marie-Chantale Lepage, who to this day remain inspired by his culinary philosophy.
His passion for gastronomy as well as his devotion to the recognition of the trade were immense. He knew how to transmit his enthusiasm and the importance of working with precision, and also to respect clients and producers. Bruyère is one of only two Québec chefs to be included in the Larousse gastronomique lexicon, and was the first to introduce new cuisine to the city.
He was a humble, sympathetic and respected chef. His passion for quality produce and his unfailing technique and hard work, along with the sharing of his knowledge were of utmost importance to him. The Fondation Serge Bruyère, which is dedicated to the encouragement of Québec’s new culinary talent, serves to perpetuate his legacy.
the Lachine Canal, you can discover some of the oldest neighbourhoods of the city, the only ones outside the faubourgs east of Old Montréal (now the Village) that were massively built back when horses ruled the streets. As in the Village, there are still carriage gates that lead into stables. This was before the very British urban concept of alleys was introduced, in the second half of the 19th century.
The redevelopment of Griffintown profoundly transformed Notre-Dame St. which had been the area’s main commercial artery in the 19th century. This was preceded by the restructuring of Little-Burgundy, which had largely gentrified the neighbourhood. It’s where the black Anglophone community was concentrated in the early 20th century, and the birthplace of Montréal’s jazz scene. Also, the redevelopment of the outskirts of the canal south of Notre-Dame further transformed the artery where antique dealers elected residence. Cafés, restaurants and trendy bars began appearing, breathing new life into Notre-Dame St. This renewal stretches to the limits of the downtown area, Peel St. and down at Atwater market in Saint-Henri.
In Pointe-St-Charles, you should definitely visit the Saint-Gabriel house. It’s one of the rare 17th century buildings still standing on the island of Montréal, and the oldest farm house as well. Built by François Le Ber around 1660, this beautiful home hosted the King’s daughters until the year 1673. It was also used as a sewing room and small school. The house was largely destroyed by fire in 1693; only the creamery and the outhouse where untouched by the flames. In 1698, it was rebuilt on the foundations of the original buildings’. Today the house is a museum reminding us of Montréal’s lifestyle during the New France era.
Many people of the gay community have chosen to elect residence in Verdun, south of the canal. First in Ile-des-Soeurs, where many artists and creators moved into the new housing developments along the river. Then others moved to the very heart of Verdun, a former suburb now annexed to Montréal, attracted by the affordable prices. This has largely contributed to revitalizing of Wellington St., the main commercial artery of the neighbourhood.
