Discovering the Chaudière-Appalaches region with your dog

When it was suggested that I spend a romantic weekend exploring the Chaudière-Appalaches region with my dog Benji, I immediately said a big YES! Firstly, because it was my first romantic weekend away since we expanded our family with the arrival of our little boy in July 2021, but also because a bit of rest never hurts new parents. What’s more, our real first son, Benji, our energetic royal poodle, never says no to a weekend outdoors in the Chaudière-Appalaches region.

To please pitou too

Already fans of the Appalachian Park and its dog-friendly refuges, we were delighted to be able to complement our itinerary to this favorite spot with gourmet stops in the region.

So, after a long week’s work, we set off to discover the region’s hidden treasures. Since we were with our dog, it was essential to choose stops that would appeal to the whole family, including the pitou!

Lunch box to bring and a dog from O'Ravito Café de Lévis — ©Lunch box to bring from O'Ravito Café|Vicky Morency Lauzon

Tour of the Lévis area

Our first stop was Parc des Chutes-de-la-Chaudière. We had a chance to stretch our legs and paws and admire the magnificent falls via the footbridge, which also offers a breathtaking view of the Pierre-Laporte bridge. We then stocked up on provisions by stopping off at the O’Ravito café-relais to pick up boxed lunches and boxed breakfasts. A perfect solution to the headache of cooking during our romantic stay at our final destination: Esker Nature Chalets and Resort.

A nice stop in Buckland

Before heading back to our base camp for the weekend, we enjoyed a delicious meal at Pub de la Contrée and Microbrasserie de Bellechasse. The sharing boards were divine, and went perfectly with a cider or one of their beers. Benji was so jealous of our maple syrup cheese. We couldn’t resist sharing it with him!

After a full day of discovering the region, we rested at Esker Nature’s Chalet 4, making the most of the private spa and breathtaking view of Long Lake! It was time to recharge our batteries in preparation for the next day’s hike in the Parc des Appalaches.

Four-season cottages at Esker Nature chalets & villégiature in Saint-Paul-de-Montminy — ©Four-season cottages at Esker Nature chalets & villégiature|Vicky Morency Lauzon

Lake view at Esker Nature chalets & cottages in Saint-Paul-de-Montminy — ©Lake view at Esker Nature chalets & resorts|Vicky Morency Lauzon

Menu at Pub de la contrée and Bellechasse microbrewery in Notre-Dame-Auxiliatrice-de-Buckland — ©Menu at Pub de la contrée and Bellechasse microbrewery|Vicky Morency Lauzon

Lunch at the Pub de la contrée and microbrewery in Notre-Dame-Auxiliatrice-de-Buckland — ©Lunch at the Pub de la contrée and microbrewery|Vicky Morency Lauzon

Discover the Saint-Paul-de-Montminy area

After a restful night in the chalet’s cozy King bed, we set out to discover the Lac Talon sector of the Parc des Appalaches, easily accessible from the Saint-Fabien-de-Panet reception. With a poodle happy to smell the fir-tree odors accentuated by the recent rain, we hiked part of trail 8 (sentier Les Parois). The views are magnificent, and we were all alone in the world! Parc des Appalaches is a place where nature is well preserved by the absence of mass hikers.

We then returned to the chalet for a short canoe trip on Lac Long. We teased the trout and relaxed to the sound of the paddle lapping on the calm waters of this tranquil little lake.

View of Lac Talon from the lookout on trail #8 in the Lac-Talon sector of Parc des Appalaches in Saint-Fabien-de-Panet — ©View of Lac Talon from the lookout on trail #8 in the Lac-Talon sector of Parc des Appalaches|Vicky Morency Lauzon

Vicky from Les voyageuses du Québec with her dog in a canoe on Lac Long at Esker Nature chalets & resorts in St-Paul-de-Montminy — ©Vicky from Les voyageuses du Québec with her dog in a canoe on Long Lake at Esker Nature cottages & resorts |Vicky Morency Lauzon

A woman and her dog on trail #8 in the Lac-Talon sector of the Parc des Appalaches in Saint-Fabien-de-Panet. — ©A woman and her dog on trail #8 in the Lac-Talon sector of Parc des Appalaches|Vicky Morency Lauzon

Discover Daquaam outfitter

Then, with legs and arms a little softer than at the start, we went to discover the menu at Daaquam Outfitters. It promised to be a memorable dinner. The food was excellent, but what impressed us most was the idyllic setting surrounding the property and the owner’s warm welcome. We were able to sit comfortably in the restaurant with our dog to protect us from the voracious mosquitoes! Benji even got to meet some Highland cows. However, he hasn’t yet told me whether he enjoyed his encounter. I’m still puzzled by the photos of this encounter to this day!

Highlands beef from Chalets Villégiature and Daaquam Outfitters in Saint-Just-de-Bretenières — ©Highlands beef from Chalets Villégiature and Daaquam Outfitters|Vicky Morency Lauzon

Other agri-tourism discoveries in Chaudière-Appalaches

On our last day in the Chaudière-Appalaches region, we began by exploring the trails surrounding the Esker Nature site. Then we went to meet the goats and the Cassis et Mélisse farmhouse cheese dairy. We tasted these divine products in the company of our dog. The property offers magnificent picnic areas.

On the way back, we also stopped at Le Ricaneux vineyard to discover different berry wines. The products are unique and go perfectly with the goat’s cheese from the previous stop.

Vicky from Les voyageuses du Québec with her dog and goats at Fromagerie fermière Cassis et Mélisse in Saint-Damien-de-Buckland — ©Vicky from Les voyageuses du Québec with her dog and the goats at Fromagerie fermière Cassis et Mélisse|Vicky Morency Lauzon

Cheese tasting at Fromagerie fermière Cassis et Mélisse in Saint-Damien-de-Buckland — ©Cheese tasting at Fromagerie fermière Cassis et Mélisse|Vicky Morency Lauzon

Vicky from Les voyageuses du Québec with her dog at Cassis et Mélisse in Saint-Damien-de-Buckland — ©Vicky with her dog at Cassis et Mélisse|Vicky Morency Lauzon

Berry wine tasting at Le Ricaneux in Saint-Charles-de-Bellechasse — ©Tasting a berry wine at Le Ricaneux|Vicky Morency Lauzon

Berry wines at Le Ricaneux in Saint-Charles-de-Bellechasse — ©Berry wines at Le Ricaneux|Vicky Morency Lauzon

Last stop at the river

Sad that this gourmet outdoor weekend was over, we made one last stop by the river, at the Parc fluvial de Berthier-sur-Mer. We couldn’t have hoped for a better setting for our last stop. Benji was able to stretch his legs in the river while we enjoyed the view!

We took advantage of the last light of the day to take a deep breath of the region’s salty air, promising ourselves to return for more discoveries to our delight!

©A man and his dog on the beach at the Parc Fluvial de Berthier-sur-Mer|Vicky Morency Lauzon

You’ll be pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to travel around the region with your faithful companion. Chaudière-Appalaches is more than just a region for passing through, and deserves a little more attention.

Photos: Vicky Morency Lauzon for Les Voyageuses du Québec