Chaudière-Appalaches

Tucked into the peaceful municipality of Saint-Agapit, less than 20 minutes from the Quebec City bridges, the Domaine de l'Oie Toquée embodies country living at its best. Since 2003, chef-owner Gaston Couillard has welcomed visitors to his property and cooked up delicious dishes built from the products of his farm. A former co-owner of the well-known restaurant Le Galopin and former head chef at Château Bonne Entente, chef Couillard traded urban bustle for a life closer to the land, without losing any of his culinary refinement.

What truly sets the place apart is its farm-to-table philosophy taken to its peak. The Domaine is at once a country restaurant, a private chef service, a consulting chef and a caterer, where the meals are made from his own livestock and his kitchen garden in season. 

The experience unfolds in a warm, intimate atmosphere on Fridays and Saturdays, by reservation only. A charming detail: it's a bring-your-own-wine, so don't forget to slip your favourite bottle into the basket before you leave.

Located in Saint-Apollinaire, only 30 minutes from Quebec City, Camping Domaine de la Chute is one of the largest campgrounds in the Chaudière-Appalaches region. Known for its lakes and waterways, the campground guarantees its campers a busy summer, with more than 1,000 spacious sites including full-service seasonal and overnight spots, as well as RVs, chalets and cabins for rent. Run by the large company Parkbridge, it is a resort-style campground that will please some… and rather less so others. On services and activities, you could not ask for more: a developed beach and lake, a pool, a family activity program, mini-putt, food service, and even disco nights for the young ones. With sites for RVs of every kind (motorhomes, trailers) and 30 to 50 amp hookups, it is the dream spot for anyone who likes the atmosphere of a big, lively, well-equipped campground. 

Our reservation: let us be honest, the experience was not entirely to our taste. It is a very large, very commercial campground, and outright packed in high season. As one online review summed it up well: "We were not impressed by this immense site where the trailers are stacked one on top of the other." Most of the sites are taken by seasonal campers, which sometimes creates the impression of moving through a small permanent village rather than an outdoor campground. For lovers of quiet, nature and privacy, it is probably not the best address. That said, this style does not appeal only to unhappy customers, far from it! Plenty of families are looking for exactly this kind of atmosphere: lots of young people, lots of company, a full activity schedule, modern facilities and a sense of a little summer community. If that is your kind of holiday, the Domaine de la Chute ticks just about every box. 

Located in Notre-Dame-des-Pins, in the middle of the Beauce, only 3 kilometres from Saint-Georges, Camping Domaine de la Rivière is a genuine little summer paradise for families and outdoor lovers. For more than 35 years, the campground has offered one of the finest sites in the Beauce, near the Chaudière River. About an hour south of Quebec City, it's the ideal place for a nature getaway without having to go too far. With its 126 very pleasant sites and its affordable rates, everything is set up to receive you comfortably. Half the sites are shaded — perfect for hot summer days. For those without equipment, you can rent fully equipped four-season cabins on site, mobile homes with pool access and all services, or even an Indigenous-style tipi — a wonderfully original option for a night unlike any other! On the services side, it's complete: a heated in-ground pool, an outdoor spa, a snack bar, Wi-Fi, pets welcome, a children's playground, not to mention washer/dryer, propane, ice and a community hall. The snack bar is, in fact, reputed to serve the best homemade fries in the world — at least, that's what they say around here! As for activities, you're spoiled for choice! Fishing, canoeing, hiking, and a bike path only 1 km from the campground, running alongside the Chaudière River. Nearby, you can also visit the Vieux Pont Couvert (2.2 km away), the Centre de ski Saint-Georges (4.3 km) and the Parc des Sept-Chutes (5.2 km). The site also offers access to the Beauce gold discovery museum — a nod to the fascinating history of a region once marked by the gold rush! A perfect stop for discovering the Beauce, enjoying the Chaudière River and spending fine family days in a warm, distinctly beauceronne atmosphere.

If you find yourself around Lévis and you have a soft spot for spirits with character, do yourself a favour: push open the door of the Distillerie des Appalaches, on rue des Riveurs. It's the kind of place you stumble onto and don't forget. What we liked right away is the philosophy of the house. Here, they take their time. They bet on Quebec's own ingredients, they try pairings you wouldn't see anywhere else, and they own a real creative streak — without slipping into gimmicks. Craft know-how, modern technique, quality ingredients: the recipe is nothing revolutionary on paper, but the result in the glass speaks for them. The flagship line is Kepler, a collection of gins that travels from the classic to the boreal, the fruity and even the maritime. Special mention to the Kepler Sous-Bois, dominated by balsam fir with a fine touch of grapefruit — a true cottage gin, perfect with tonic and a late afternoon that stretches out. Anyone who likes saltier notes will fall for the Bord de Mer, where strawberry, rhubarb and wakame seaweed meet in a blend that shouldn't work… but does. Beyond gin, the distillery also plays in spiced rum with Lilly Queen, and even in maple eau-de-vie with Moins 40. And for those easing off the alcohol, the Zéro line offers mocktails that stand on their own — not just coloured water. In short, the Distillerie des Appalaches is a fine address to put on the map. A team that enjoys what it does, and you can taste it.

In the heart of the Chaudière-Appalaches region, the MRC de la Beauce forms a lively whole where heritage, nature and entrepreneurial spirit meet. The region stands out for its varied landscapes — fertile farmland, wooded plateaus and summits — as well as for a rich and welcoming community life.

The Beauce is known for its agroforestry heritage, its well-preserved historic buildings and its cultural initiatives, which all contribute to the vitality of the area. Whether through its heritage attractions, its events or its natural surroundings, the MRC offers a warm and authentic place to live, true to the reputation of the Beaucerons. 

In the heart of the Chaudière-Appalaches region, the Beauce regional county forms a dynamic whole where heritage, nature and entrepreneurial spirit meet. The area stands out for its varied landscapes — fertile farmland, wooded plateaus and summits — as well as for a rich and welcoming community life.

The Beauce is known for its agro-forestry heritage, its well-preserved historic buildings and its cultural initiatives, which contribute to the vitality of the place. Whether it's the heritage attractions, the events or the natural setting, the regional county offers a warm, authentic quality of life, true to the reputation of the Beaucerons. 

Located 80 km southeast of Lévis, in the Chaudière-Appalaches administrative region, the MRC des Etchemins is made up of 13 municipalities and sits along the United States border. It is a territory nestled in the heart of the Appalachians, known for its farm and forest landscapes on a human scale, its breathtaking panoramas, and its rivers and lakes of remarkable water quality. Lac-Etchemin is its administrative heart. It is a quiet corner of the country where nature, local cooking and authenticity sit side by side — perfect for travellers looking to get off the beaten track.

The Lotbinière regional county spreads along the south shore of the St. Lawrence, between Quebec City and Trois-Rivières, in the Chaudière-Appalaches region. This largely agricultural territory is among the most fertile in Quebec, with vast stretches of farmland rolling gently toward the foothills of the Appalachians.The region takes its name from the seigneur René-Louis Chartier de Lotbinière, whose family left its mark on the history of New France. You'll find a remarkable built heritage here: ancestral mills, stone churches and century-old houses bear witness to a prosperous agricultural past. Between sugar shacks, artisanal cheese dairies and bucolic landscapes, Lotbinière embodies a certain Quebec sweetness of living, away from the urban bustle.

Set in the heart of the Chaudière-Appalaches region, the MRC of the Beauce forms a dynamic whole where heritage, nature and entrepreneurial spirit meet. The region stands out for its varied landscapes — fertile farmland, wooded plateaus and summits — as well as for a rich and welcoming community life.

The Beauce is known for its agroforestry heritage, its well-preserved historic buildings and its cultural initiatives, which all contribute to the vitality of the place. Whether it's the heritage attractions, the events or the natural setting, the MRC offers a warm and authentic way of life, true to the reputation of the Beaucerons. 

A charming Breton crêperie in the village of Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly, one of the Plus Beaux Villages du Québec, where authentic Breton crêpes are made in front of you as if you were in Brittany. The crêpes, wheat or organic buckwheat, come filled with local products: gouda, duck confit, vegetables, apples, berries, maple syrup and maple sugar. You can pair them with craft beers, wines or ciders, and enjoy a terrace overlooking the river in season. A country detour well worth the drive.