One of many charming small towns nestled in the picturesque Charlevoix region of Québec, Baie-Saint-Paul is undoubtedly the most charming of them all. Located just an hour north of Québec City, this quaint town of 7,000 inhabitants is more than worthy of a stop, if not a stay, during your time in Charlevoix. Although Baie St-Paul offers its unique charm year-round as an artists’ town with a rich cultural scene, we find that it becomes particularly wonderful and appealing in winter, caught in between the frozen coastal landscape of the St Lawrence River and the snow-covered landscapes of the nearby mountains. There’s so much to do here during this time of year, that it will be impossible to get bored. From skiing to snowshoeing, to snowmobiling to dog sledding, to visiting one of several art galleries and craft shops to discovering the trendy food scene, there’s definitely something to do for everyone. If you plan on visiting during summer or fall, worry not, as several of the activities that we will cover will also be possible outside of winter. Below we present our guide to the Top Things to See and Do in Baie-Saint-Paul to help get the most out of your time when visiting Charlevoix.
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Baie-Saint-Paul was established as a village in 1678 as part of New France. Its geographic location rendered it quite isolated from the rest of the province and made nearly it inaccessible (other than by boat) for almost 150 years until a road was built in 1812 connecting it to Québec City. Today, Baie-Saint-Paul is a small, quaint and picturesque town in the beautiful Charlevoix region of Québec. The town has a small population of 7,000 and is located 94 km from Québec City (roughly a 1h10 minute drive).
Although you can explore most of the town on foot (the historical center can easily be covered in a few hours), you will need a vehicle to enjoy most of the winter activities you can do around town.
Without further ado, here is our list (in no particular order) of the top things to see and do in Baie-Saint-Paul.
Stroll Along the Charming Rue Saint-Jean-Baptiste
Although not a particularly long street, Saint-Jean-Baptiste Street is the historical center of Baie-Saint-Paul where you’ll find tons of restaurants, craft and gourmet shops, as well as art galleries (you’ll also find several other galleries and museums along Route 362, just off of Saint-Jean-Baptiste). The most famous of the art galleries is probably the Iris Art Gallery, which offers a wide variety of artworks contemporary to abstract and features the work both of local and non-local artists.
If you are looking for a great place to have dinner, we can highly recommend both la Buvette Gentille (tapas-style restaurant where each plate can be paired with a specific wine) and le Bistro des Artistes where you can enjoy great food in a quaint decor right in the center of town. For a more low-key and hearty meal, check out Joe Smoked Meat, known for its delicious, well you guessed it, smoked meat! For a great coffee and dessert place, look no further than Café Arômes et Saveurs.
Visit Some Furry Friends at Alpagas Charlevoix
Just a short 15-minute drive east of Baie-Saint-Paul is where you will find Alpagas Charlevoix, an Alpaca farm that offers paid self-guided tours of the animal enclosures and that also has a large boutique selling a variety of products made from Alpaca wool. They also offer trekking activities where you can be accompanied by Alpacas! You can visit the Alpacas year-round.
Go Hiking in the Parc National Des Grands-Jardins
This Québec National Park is one of our favourites in the province – a park known for its exceptional outdoor recreation opportunities and gorgeous landscapes. The park is home to a collection of mountains glacier-carved valley, the highest of which is Mont René-Richard (994 m/3,261 ft) and the most prominent of which is Mont du Lac des Cygnes (969 m/3,179 ft).
Our favorite hiking trail in the park is the Mont-du-Lac-des-Cygnes trail, which we describe in greater detail here. If you are interested in knowing about other hiking options in the area, be sure to check out our guide on the best hiking trails near Baie-Saint-Paul.
Take a Drive Along La Route des Montagnes
If you want to see some of the stunning scenery without having to climb a mountain, that can easily be achieved by driving La Route des Montagnes, which translates to “road of the mountains” and is the official nickname of the road that leads to the Parc National des Grands-Jardins. There are several viewpoints and parking lots where you can stop to admire the view for free. If you stop inside the National Park, you only need to pay access fees if you make use of the trails.
Go Alpine Skiing at Le Massif de Charlevoix
We are not avid alpine skiers, but if you are you will definitely want to check out Le Massif, which has stunning views of the St Lawrence River and the steepest vertical drop in Canada east of the Rockies (770 m (2,526 ft)). It’s also one of the few ski areas that is accessible from both the base and summit.
Go Snowshoeing or Cross-country skiing
For those of you who prefer flatter surfaces for your winter activities, look no further than the beautiful Centre de Plein Air Les Sources Joyeuses, an outdoor recreation area with over 20km of cross-country ski trails, over 15km of snow-shoe trails, and 5km of walking trails. The visitor center is located a 35-minute drive east of Baie-Saint-Paul, and you can also rent any equipment you might need there.
Visit Sainte-Irénée Beach
A popular beach in the summer, it turns into a serene and peaceful coastal setting in winter. The small village of Sainte-Irénée and its church are quite picturesque as well. Located just a 25-minute drive from Baie-Saint-Paul, it’s a great way to spend an hour strolling along the shores of the St. Lawrence River.
Go Dog Sledding
This is such a fun winter activity and we highly recommend trying it at least once if you haven’t. The dogs are so fun and so friendly. The best place to enjoy this activity near Baie-Saint-Paul is with La Reine et le Millionaire, located just 10 minutes outside of the town.
Depending on your level of dog sledding experience, you can either choose to be guided by a musher (a sled driver pulled by a team of dogs) or take control of the hitch yourself. If you would just prefer to visit the dogs without going on a sledding adventure, that’s an option too! They also have a cabin on their property that can accommodate up to five people.
Other attractions
If you would like to experience a spa day while in the region, look no further than the Hotel & Spa Le Germain Charlevoix, located just outside the historic center of Baie-Saint-Paul (within walking distance It’s also the largest hotel in town and is great acclamation option if you enjoy the amenities offered by larger hotel chains. There’s also a farm at the back of the hotel where you can often find highland cattle and other animals!
If you are interested in bringing back some delicious food from the Charlevoix region, you might want to check out Charcuterie Charlevoisienne (local butcher shop) and Laiterie Charlevoix (lots of local dairy and a huge selection of cheese products), both are found up the 381 road close to Saint-Urbain, the next village north of Baie-Saint-Paul (you would pass them on your way to the Parc National des Grands Jardins on la Route des Montagnes.
Finally, with a dedication to sweets of all sorts, La Chocolaterie du Village located in the center of town, serves a large selection of Belgian chocolate treats.
Where to Stay in Baie-Saint-Paul?
If you would like to spend a night (or more) in the area, there are a few great accommodation options in and around the town. We particularly enjoyed our stay in the Deluxe Queen Suite at the Gîte TerreCiel, situated in the heart of the old village, close to many restaurants and a short drive away from many of the other activities listed above.
Photography Gear
If you like our photography, you might be interested in some of the gear we use to shoot our travel and hiking destinations.
Camera Body – Nikon Z 6ii Fx-series Mirrorless Body
Main Lens – NIKON 24-120mm F/4G ED VR AF-S
Zoom Lens – Sigma 745-306 150-600mm f/5-6.3
Polarizing filters – Urth Circular Polarizing (CPL)
Camera Tripod – K&F Concept 64-inch Camera Tripod
Mini-tripod – Lammcou Flexible Camera Tripod
Camera/hiking backpack – Vanguard Alta Rise 48 Backpack
Universal Travel Adapter – VYLEE Universal International Power Travel Plug
Other Travel Essentials
Travel Insurance
SafetyWing is a travel insurance company that offers comprehensive coverage for travellers. Includes Medical Insurance and Travel Insurance. Primarily geared towards long-term travellers, digital nomads, and expats.
e-Sim cards
Airalo is the world’s first and largest eSIM store with eSIM plans for 200+ countries and regions worldwide. With Airalo eSIMs, travellers can get connected the moment they land at their destination and avoid nasty data roaming charges
eSIMS are a sustainable alternative to single-use SIM cards – they are 100% digital, require less energy to produce and be re-used rather than disposed of.
Car Rentals
Discover Cars is our go-to website for car rentals. We almost always find our preferred rate there.
Transfer from Airport
Welcome Pickups is our favourite private transfer service, which you can pre-book at a fixed price. Currently available in 220 cities all over the world (mostly in Europe, but with several major cities in Asia, the Middle East and the US).
Kiwitaxi is another private transfer service – we haven’t tried it yet, but it’s currently available in a few more countries (102 as of 2024).
Hotels and Accommodations (coming soon)
Photography Prints
If you found this blog useful, you can help support our blog by purchasing low-cost digital prints. Printed physical prints are also available for purchase.
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Well, that wraps it up! We hope you enjoyed our Guide on the Top Things to See and Do in Baie-Saint-Paul (Charlevoix) and that it will prove useful for planning your trip to the beautiful Charlevoix region of Québec.
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