Crepes, flowers, and contemporary art in Lotbinière for Ange and her sweetheart

It’s August, the heart of summer! In the fields, it’s the beginning of abundance! The weather is still warm, although some of the cooler mornings make you long for autumn. To make the most of a dazzling day, we thought a combination of pancakes + flowers + contemporary art would be excellent, so that’s what we did!

In the cosy village of Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly, our first stop was the terrace of Chez Swann (link in french) for brunch. This authentic Breton crêperie has everything to please the palate! The fine organic buckwheat pancakes are crisp to perfection, and the décor is an invitation to go on holiday. Lattés by hand, we chose to share a savoury crêpe with smoked salmon and gouda from a local cheese dairy, followed by a dessert crêpe with maple sugar from a local farm and lemon. We really appreciate this commitment to working with local producers. It was the perfect start to our day!

Just a short walk from the crêperie, the Fleuraissance (link in french) farm offers seasonal flowers either ready-to-go in the self-service fridge or pick-your-own as soon as the fields are sufficiently supplied (around mid-August to the end of September, depending on availability). We opted for pick-your-own, a soothing and creative activity that allows you to bring home a generous bouquet of these beauties.

Between the dahlias, scabiosas, statice, zinnias, cosmos and many other varieties, our eyes didn’t know where to look!

On this enchanting site overlooking the river, behind the old manoir de Tilly, the flowers are grown without pesticides. Elie, the owner, has the wind in her sails and sporadically offers floral workshops, as well as subscriptions for enthusiasts and a range of event services.

Our little escapade ended in the neighbouring village, at the Espace culturel du Quartier Saint-Nicolas, where Alexandra Collin’s exhibition Aménité is on show until 7 September. While we’re on the subject, the artist is interested in the farming practised by women in the Chaudière-Appalaches region – of which the Fleuraissance farm is a part. Through textile works, photographs, a video and a number of installations, we explore the world of agriculture from an ecological and feminist perspective, where the culture of care takes precedence over that of performance.