Art, culture and culinary delights on the Route des Navigateurs with Ange!

The Route des Navigateurs has no shortage of great things to do when it comes to the arts, culture, nature and good food. To get the summer season off to a flying start, we made three stops along the route: in Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, L’Islet and Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies.

Firstly, a break in the open air at the Domaine de Gaspé gave us a chance to stretch our legs whilst discovering ÉCHO (link in french), an artistic and community-led initiative offering visitors immersive co-created artworks set in spaces that are dear to the community.

Drawing inspiration from the local landscape, we discovered the work of artists Sandra Giasson-Cloutier and Charles Robichaud. In a corner of an overgrown forest, imposing wooden structures reminiscent of violin heads seem to rise from the ground, and as the seasons change, they blend into the surrounding natural landscape, prompting reflection on the passage of time and transformation.

We were struck by how well the installation blends into the landscape, and we will certainly be returning this summer or in the autumn to explore the other two artistic stops on the first phase of this creative project (in Tourville and Saint-Damasse).

Next, we headed to the Seigneurie des Aulnaies, partly to grab a bite to eat before continuing our little cultural outing. Very recently, a charming café and grocery shop has moved into the former Maison du Meunier, offering light meals that showcase the bakery’s produce as well as seasonal produce.

We treated ourselves to a brioche with sun-dried tomatoes, which vanished as quickly as it appeared, a tasty spelt salad with tofu and dill, as well as delicious grilled cheese sandwiches made with Isle-aux-Grues cheddar, topped with pan-fried nettles and garlic flowers.

We also took the opportunity to stock up on exceptional-quality organic wholemeal flour, milled on the premises.

Once we’d had our fill, we visited the mill accompanied by the miller (because, yes, the mill – which is almost two hundred years old – is still in working order) to learn about the history of this iconic site of the seigneurial system, built in 1842. Steve’s passion for his trade and his workplace was infectious.

We were impressed to see that the craftsmanship of that era is still very much alive today, and this led to a lovely discussion with the children about food and where it comes from. The highlight of the show: the start-up of the 24-foot bucket wheel, which has been driving the stone mills for centuries to produce a unique, artisanal flour.

As the rain started to fall, we cut short our stroll through the gardens near the manor house, with its remarkable architecture, but the whole site is magnificent. There’s also a shop offering a lovely selection of local crafts.

On the way back, we stopped at Roch le fermier’s (link in french) self-service kiosk to pick up some of their delicious homemade pasta, made with fresh eggs from their free-range hens and flour from La Seigneurie.

This was followed by an exquisite tasting dinner: pumpkin ravioli with a chanterelle sauce, followed by mozzarella and pea ravioli in a tarragon-infused butter. A real treat for the taste buds, as well as a way to support meaningful projects that celebrate our precious local produce.

Photos: Ange Hébert-Corriveau