Ange and her family have a picnic in Saint-Vallier with the geese.

One of our family traditions to brighten up November is to spend an afternoon on the flats watching the snow geese before their long journey south!

We chose a nice day, not too cold, and brought a picnic to share on the beach. The riverbank is always (and in any season) our favorite playground! The children build huts, pick up a few treasures here and there, we wander around, let ourselves be rocked by the sea breeze, enjoy nature and slow down.

Our favorite goose-watching spot is the Domaine Pointe-de-Saint-Vallier. The magnificent three-hundred-year-old manor house that welcomes us, a former holiday resort for the bourgeoisie, is worth the diversions alone, with its sublime, unspoilt natural surroundings! A short path leads us through woodland to the beach and the point overlooking the river. The view from above is breathtaking, with a dozen islands on the horizon. It’s a short hike that’s accessible to all, and it feels like a pleasant dip in the forest!

We then chose to drop off on the beach, where the geese were in full force! It’s breathtaking to see hundreds of them moving across the blue sky like so many brilliant snowflakes twirling in the wind.

For our picnic, we had stocked up just before arriving at the estate, at the Fromagerie du Terroir de Bellechasse. It’s one of the best places to get your hands on good local produce in the area.

Of course, you have to try their cheeses: the must-try cheese curds (the kids love the BBQ ones), aged and smoked cheddars, grilled cheeses (including one with garlic flower!), feta, braided salted cheese, ready-to-cook fondue, and so on. They also stock excellent products from other cheese dairies in the region, charcuterie from small local producers, jams, marinades, bread, ready-made meals, home-made pastries and desserts – in short, everything you need to treat yourself while encouraging a local food chain.

They also have a great selection of beverages, beers, ciders and wines from Chaudière-Appalaches businesses. Our choice was Le temps des lilas from Domaine Arvi, a light, natural white wine that goes great with geese, haha!