23 June 2026
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Embark on a culinary road trip straight to the root of Québec’s food culture in its bucolic countryside. Outside the province’s major cities of Montréal and Québec City, chefs are finding fascinating ways to harness ingredients from this fertile boreal landscape, mixing Québec’s distinct culinary identity with global inspiration.
This 1,450 km (900-mile) journey figure-eights the southeastern part of the province, cruising through the Laurentian Mountain forest, farmland dotted with colorful cottages and windswept maritime villages fronting the mighty St. Lawrence River. Many restaurants and several hotels feature in MICHELIN’s 2026 guide to Québec — explore them alongside artisanal bakeries, fry shacks, wineries and the farms that supply the ingredients wielded by these creative chefs. The result is an eight-day route through the places — and the plates — that define Québec’s cuisine today.
At a Glance
- Route: Montréal → Mont-Tremblant → Trois-Rivières → Eastern Townships → Beauce → Baie-Saint-Paul → La Malbaie → Rimouski → Québec City
- Distance: ~1,450 km (900 miles)
- Duration: 8 days
- Best for: couples, cyclists, natural wine enthusiasts and gourmands
- Best time to go: June through October
Day One: From Montréal to Mont-Tremblant – 136 km (84.5 miles)
Depart Montréal, Québec’s largest city, via the Trans-Canada Highway Autoroute 15 N for the Laurentians — a region named after a billion-year-old mountain chain with a proud history as cottage country. Stop along the way for bites in quaint towns before landing in Québec’s ski resorts, including Saint-Sauveur and the much celebrated Mont-Tremblant.
Saint-Sauveur
Under an hour’s drive from Downtown Montréal, Saint-Sauveur is like a miniature version of Mont-Tremblant, with a ski resort and an upstart dining scene.Where to Eat
Kick off your culinary road trip with a meal at Loiseau d’à Côté. After working in top Montréal restaurants, Chef Alexandre Loiseau left the city in 2021 — but he didn’t go far. His Saint-Sauveur restaurant is bright and modern, using seasonal ingredients to serve French-style dishes at accessible prices. Think lamb Navarin and mushroom cavatelli in a foie gras sauce. For lunch, it’s a table d’hôte, with dishes like boudin noir (a type of blood sausage) and a trout cake with wasabi sour cream. The wine list is curated by co-owner and sommelier Sandra Côté.What to See and Do
In winter, zip down the mountain via 38 ski runs at Sommet Saint-Saveur, or warm up in the outdoor pools at Scandinavian Spa Strøm Spa Nordique. If it’s summer, cool off at Sommet Saint-Saveur’s water park or hit the trail on a bicycle; the 234 km (145.4 mile) P’tit Train du Nord Linear Park’s paved cycling path cuts through the Laurentians all the way to Mont-Tremblant. A 75-minute bike ride can take you to the town of Val-Morin and Ayawan, a craft brewery inside a former synagogue. Ten minutes further takes you to Val-David, with its terrific shopping strip on Rue de l’Église.
Mont-Tremblant
With a resort area reminiscent of a town in the Alps and a historic center that has one of the region’s best long-standing restaurants, you’ll want to spend at least one night in Mont-Tremblant.Where to Eat
Chef Sébastien Houle’s sEb l’artisan culinaire just celebrated 20 years in the heart of Mont-Tremblant’s historic center. The menu features global flavors inspired by Houle’s time abroad, including as a private chef on yachts. Menu highlights include walleye caught in Lake Tremblant, fried into a tempura with a gribiche (a sauce similar to mayonnaise and tartar sauce). Another standout dish is the tender osso bucco served atop risotto with Parmesan.What to See and Do
Canada’s first chairlift, “The Flying Mile,” opened at Mont-Tremblant in 1938, and the hype hasn’t stopped since. Mont-Tremblant Ski Resort rises to 932 m, with 100 or so runs and 14 lifts — but skiing isn’t the only thing that brings people here. Go mountain biking around an extensive network of trails, or relax alongside Devil’s River at Spa Scandinave.At nearby Mont Blanc, Sentier des Cimes is a 2.7 km (1.67 mile) wooden footpath that leads to a wooden tower which rises 40 m above the forest floor, with mesh hammocks to hang out above the treetops. Down below, Gourmet Sauvage grocery and its cafe next door share gastronomic products made with edible plants from said forest, including balsam fir ice cream and chanterelle mushroom caramel.
Where to Stay
Fairmont Tremblant has the most privileged location in town, with ski-in/ski-out access close to the base of the gondola. While winter is prime time for stays here, it’s a terrific stop at any time of year, with luxurious rooms and an outdoor pool that have recently been renovated.Hotel Quintessence on the waterfront of Lake Tremblant is an exclusive stay with 30 rooms, each spanning at least 700 square feet. A MICHELIN Key selection, this hotel is styled like a high-end lodge in the Swiss Alps and rooms come with wood-burning fireplaces and deep soaking tubs.
Day Two: From Mont-Tremblant to Trois-Rivières – 209 km (129.8 miles)
Retrace your route south on the Trans-Canada Highway Autoroute 15. Take the Sainte-Adèle exit 69 east on road QC-370 towards Lanaudière, a lake-filled region northeast of Montréal whose hub is Rawdon. From there, you’ll continue driving southeast to catch the Autoroute 40 O to Trois-Rivières.
Rawdon
This town is a base for outdoor adventures and is just 12 minutes away from a gourmet farm-to-table experience.Where to Eat
Spend an afternoon at Huit 100 Vingt, where 80% of the food on your plate is sourced from the onsite farm. Réunion-born Chef Loïc Leperlier and his team grow vegetables, herbs and free-range poultry, serving “country table” meals in a wooden lodge that’s a big upgrade from a barn. A great time to visit is during late February to late April when Huit 100 Vingt hosts gourmet sugar shack meals to celebrate the maple syrup harvest.What to See and Do
Leap from treetop to treetop — attached by a cable of course — at Abraska rope park near Rawdon. Or explore the forest and waterfalls with Forêt ô Cascades, which offers guides and gear for rent, as well as mushroom-foraging outings. Or visit the great North American beasts at the Domaine des Bisons farm.
Trois-Rivières
Sitting about halfway between Montréal and Québec City, Trois-Rivières is the gateway to La Mauricie National Park and a terrific place to experience authentic local life with few foreigners around.Where to Eat
Taste locavore cuisine at Auberge Saint-Mathieu, a cozy 10-room inn near the entrance to La Mauricie National Park (about a 45-minute drive from Trois-Rivières). The inn’s restaurant was recognized by MICHELIN for its cuisine from Chef Samy Benabed, who was named Québec’s Most Promising Young Chef in 2026 and utilizes a wide range of ingredients and methods, including those inspired by Scandinavia. Try his trompe-l'œil dumpling, filled with pork, white miso broth and matsutake mushrooms.In Trois-Rivières proper, Épi, Buvette de Quartier has 36 seats in an industrial-style loft and offers plates intended to be shared. Its chef, Simon Lemire, was once a pastry chef, so don’t miss his desserts like a chocolate and buckwheat fondant.
What to See and Do
Wander through Trois-Rivières historic center to visit its old prison dating back to 1822 and an 18th-century chapel next to Sanctuaire Notre-Dame-du-Cap. Outside the city, hike 110 km (68.3 miles) of trails alongside 150 lakes at La Mauricie National Park, one of just three Québec parks managed federally with Parks Canada.Where to Stay
Look for accommodation in Trois-Rivières, such as at Auberge Saint-Mathieu, or consider camping in the national park.
Day Three: From Trois-Rivières to North Hatley and Eastern Townships – 220-320 km (136.7-198.8 miles)
Drive across the Laviolette Bridge to Centre-du-Québec, the birthplace of the province’s most noteworthy dish: poutine. Turn right on the Trans-Canada Highway Autoroute 20 West towards Drummondville, or continue on the highway to the exit for Granby, an entryway into the Eastern Townships. Take small country roads alongside vineyards, farmland and New England-style cottages before turning onto Autoroute 10 E to North Hatley for the night.
Drummondville
A stop in this small Central Québec city offers an authentic sense of the province, with two superb farm-to-table restaurants.Where to Eat
Vegetables and seafood shine beneath the twinkly lights on the menu at Au Pâturage, a farm-to-table restaurant 30 km (18.6 miles) from Drummondville. Chef Chloé Ouellet proudly displays her farm’s 50 varieties of organic vegetables and spices on the plate, and sources Arctic char and halibut from her hometown region of Gaspésie. Multicourse tasting menus are served along with Sunday brunch.Ouellet is also at the helm of Bibine Buvette in Drummondville. Dishes are veggie- and seafood-forward there, too, with a particular emphasis on natural wine and spirits sourced from the Eastern Townships. Try their venison loin with carrots, barley and blue cheese — and plenty of the home-made bread with garlic confit butter.
What to See and Do
Some say Drummondville’s Le Roy Jucep was the first casse-croûte (fry shack) to serve poutine from its drive-thru in 1964. Taste for yourself to see if it’s the best. Or head to Fromagerie du Presbytère to see artisanal cheese production inside a church. The best time to go is on Friday nights in the summer, when locals gather around picnic tables with wine and cheese spreads.Roughly 40 km (24.9 miles) north in Odanak, visit the Abenaki Museum to hear stories and see artifacts from the Indigenous W8banaki people.
Granby
Less than 80 km (49.7 miles) from Montréal, Granby is the gateway to the Eastern Townships, also known as les Cantons de l’Est — a cluster of villages that grew with Loyalists to the British Crown following the American Revolution in the 1780s. Granby itself is home to two MICHELIN selections as of 2026.Where to Eat
François Côté spent four years working at Montréal’s Joe Beef and has brought his taste for the indulgent to Granby’s Pavane. Lobster caviar, short ribs with thick bones and foie gras make frequent appearances on the menu. You’ll also notice Asian influences, like izakaya-style mackerel and kamikaze-style salmon tartare.Down the road, Maison Boire has a royal feel thanks to dining room decor such as a vintage record player and a fireplace. Its food is local, with herbs plucked from its rooftop garden, veggies grown out back and meat from nearby farms. Dinner is available as a five-course tasting menu, à la carte or with shared plates, and the wine cellar has an excellent selection of imports.
What to See and Do
The Eastern Townships are a playground for the gourmand. The area is jam-packed with artisanal cheese makers, wineries and other culinary surprises if you hop around. In Bromont, taste chocolate truffles and other delights at Le Musée du Chocolat. In Cowansville, opt for gin with a neon yellow color at Ungava or a flaky croissant from La Mie Bretonne.Yet wine is one of the main attractions in the Eastern Townships, and there is no shortage of wineries that offer tastings. Vignoble de l'Orpailleur, founded in 1982, is one of the Townships’ oldest, while Joy Hill is a relative newcomer and a terrific place to experiment with Québec’s affinity for natural wine.
Furthest south, head to Clos Saragnat to try ice cider. It was invented by Christian Barthomeuf in 1989 and involves procuring apples that freeze while still on the trees.
Insider Tip: With so many producers in the Townships, driving and tasting isn’t a safe idea. Instead, rent a bike and pedal around to 134 food destinations using itineraries available at Vélo Gourmande’s website. You can also book private shuttles and luggage transport if needed.
North Hatley
Spend the night at this tiny town on Lake Massawippi and try its MICHELIN Guide restaurants. It’s long been known as an idyllic retreat, as well as for its boardwalk that stretches over the water.Where to Eat
Le Hatley, the hotel restaurant at Manoir Hovey, has an almost aristocratic level of class, with precise cooking morning and night from Chef Alexandre Vachon. Tasting menus, available in omnivore and vegetarian variations, feature local seasonal ingredients like Québec lamb, Sterling beef and sea buckthorn.The hotel bar, Le Tap Room, also earns its place in the MICHELIN Guide with cozy decor reminiscent of a historical trapper’s shack, with considerably more polish. Chef Vachon is at the helm here as well, with dishes made for sharing including bison tartare and wine from a private cellar.
What to See and Do
Drive southeast to Coaticook to try Laiterie de Coaticook, perhaps the province’s most popular ice cream producer. Coaticook is also home to Forest Lumina, an immersive nighttime walk through the trees, where sound and light shows tell the forest's mythology.Where to Stay
Built at the turn of the 20th Century, Manoir Hovey was modeled on George Washington’s Mount Vernon plantation and is classic luxury. Throughout 39 rooms, suites and cottages, the decor at this Two-MICHELIN-Key property is old-fashioned with modern touches such as Jacuzzis, up-to-date bathrooms, a spa and a four-season pool overlooking the lake.
Day Four: From Eastern Townships to Beauce – 236 km (146.6 miles)
It’s a quick drive northbound into Sherbrooke, before following country road QC-112 eastbound until just after the Chaudière River. Turn left on Rue Notre Dame in Beauce for Sainte-Marie or right for Saint-Georges.
Sherbrooke
If not counting suburban municipalities, Sherbrooke is Québec’s third-largest city, and it has the energy of a New England college town. Find historical buildings, performing arts and a MICHELIN Guide restaurant.Where to Eat
Chef Isabelle Charest’s passion for seasonal food and natural wine pairings at Vin Polisson earned its place in the MICHELIN guide. This small wine bar on Sherbrooke’s main drag, Rue King, has small plates with fun-loving combinations, like salmon n’duja with cauliflower and spicy crab ravioli in a miso sauce.What to See and Do
Wander around Sherbrooke to see colorful murals and to visit the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Sherbrooke. Housed in a former bank building, the fine arts museum has nearly 5,000 works, showcasing mostly artists from Québec and the Eastern Townships.
Beauce
Lining the Chaudière River, this Québec region is known for agriculture and maple syrup. It’s also growing as a culinary destination, with two MICHELIN Guide restaurants in two towns along the river.Where to Eat
Go beneath the stone vaults of the École d'Entrepreneurship de Beauce to find Restaurant 1668 helmed by Chef Ariel Cardinal-Petit. Located in Saint-Georges, the largest town in Beauce, every single ingredient here, from Arctic char to rhubarb, is sourced locally. Order the seven-course tasting menu, à la carte or a shareable lamb feast.At Saindoux Restaurant BBQ, Chef Alex Bouchard celebrates the pork from the Saint-Patrice-de-Beaurivage pig farm, which has been in business for more than a century. Order ribs with a black garlic and maple syrup sauce, picanha pastrami, a Frito pie or a combination platter to share.
Where to Stay
Look for a vacation rental or hotel in Beauce, or drive into Québec City to stay the night at one of its many MICHELIN Guide hotels, such as the famed Fairmont Le Château Frontenac.
Day Five: From Beauce to Baie-Saint-Paul – 154 km (95.7 miles)
Head north and brave the traffic over the Pierre Laporte Bridge into Québec City. Cut through the city via Autoroute 40 O, or stick around for a few days, exploring the oldest walled city on the continent north of Mexico. Take the exit for Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré for a spiritual stop, before continuing along Route 138 E up and over the mountain before descending into picturesque Baie-St-Paul.
Sainte-Anne de Beaupré
The Québec capital’s urban core disappears in this town, known for its massive church, ski resort and now a Bib Gourmand restaurant.Where to Eat
Flapper girls would’ve felt quite at home at Coquette, a 1920s-themed restaurant recommended for the first time by MICHELIN in 2026. Chef Marc-Antoine Minot’s small menu of seasonal dishes is meant to be shared and eaten with creative cocktails like Yvon, a refreshing and peppery drink made with cachaça, absinthe, Kiwi and mint. Examples of dishes on the spring menu include garnished oysters, fiddleheads with bourgot sea snails and fried gnocchi with pork and turnips.What to See and Do
Follow in the footsteps of Pope Francis and Pope John Paul II by visiting the imposing Sanctuaire Sainte-Anne de Beaupré — its two spires reach nearly 300 feet. It’s well worth wandering the main floor and the downstairs chapel, with its intricately sculpted ceiling. Look out for the crutches and canes inside the front door — signs of how believers were healed.North of Sainte-Anne de Beaupré, Mont-Sainte-Anne is one of Québec’s most popular ski resorts. In the fall, it’s a great place for hiking among the multi-colored leaves.
Baie-Saint-Paul
Tucked between some of Québec’s tallest mountains, Baie-Saint-Paul has long been a retreat for artists to get some peace and quiet and focus on their work. Visit the quaint town’s galleries and sip wine at its Bib Gourmand restaurant.Where to Eat
Tilt a glass and taste dishes with Charlevoix ingredients whipped up at Buvette Gentille, which is as friendly as its name suggests. Run by Chefs Émile Tremblay and Sylvain Dervieux as well as sommelier Andréanne Guay, dishes include brined scallops with spinach and buckwheat, root vegetables and maitake mushrooms, and nougat glacé with pumpkin seeds.What to See and Do
Baie-St-Paul’s Rue St Jean Baptiste is lined with galleries, showcasing the town’s history as an artist’s retreat. Pop into house galleries like Galerie L'Harmattan and Galerie d'Art Iris before driving down to the quai to watch thousands of birds feast at sunset — you may be inspired to pick up your own brush.Where to Stay
Baie-Saint-Paul’s Le Germain Charlevoix Hotel & Spa earned a MICHELIN key for its impressive mix of comfort and contemporary design. The property comprises 145 rooms, a spa and a farm, which supplies two exquisite restaurants. Le Germain Charlevoix also has its own station for the Train de Charlevoix, a tourist train that rides 125.5 km ( 78 miles) up the St. Lawrence River.
Day Six: From Baie-Saint-Paul to La Malbaie – 46 km (28.6 miles)
A short driving day gives plenty of time for stops at artisanal producers. Either take Route 362, which climbs up and over Les Éboulements mountain and back down to La Malbaie, or take a detour on Route 138, depending on the producers you’re most interested in visiting.
La Malbaie
This town’s heyday came in the 19th century, as a destination for seafaring vacationers from south of the border in the U.S. Former President William Howard Taft used to spend summers here with his family. Surrounding La Malbaie are a wealth of artisans, doing surprising things with ingredients and materials from this stark landscape, including growing saffron and distilling haskap berry gin.Where to Eat
About halfway between Baie-St-Paul and La Malbaie, Le Sainti has an idyllic location facing the St. Lawrence River. A new addition to the MICHELIN Guide in 2026, ingredients used are mostly organic and local, with plenty of surprises sprinkled in. Salt-cured salmon with bee pollen and red miso emulsion and its cari-ppino squash, seafood, tomatillos and curry dish are but two examples.In La Malbaie, the spacious dining room of a 19th-century bourgeois house is the setting for Chef Dominique Truchon’s Chez Truchon. Blending local traditions with French recipes, dinner can be served as a multicourse menu or à la carte, and it also does breakfast and Sunday brunch. Look out for plenty of ingredients procured in the Charlevoix region, including lamb leg with pearl couscous, pea, mint jus and maple syrup.
What to See and Do
A massive asteroid struck the Charlevoix region roughly 450 million years ago, creating a geography and terroir unlike anywhere else in Québec. See how local producers are doing wonders with this unique landscape by hopping around using Charlevoix’s Flavor Trail as a guide. Top producers include Safran Nordique, which grows saffron in Québec (yes, really), Menaud Distillery, which makes beer and spirits using local ingredients, and Les Viandes Bio de Charlevoix, a butcher committed to raising sustainable livestock.To learn more about the asteroid strike, visit the Observatoire de l'Astroblème, which displays rocks that resulted from the blast and leads stargazing evenings. Coming in 2027, the Hubert Reeves Space will include an immersive sphere and scale model of the Charlevoix Astrobleme.
Where to Stay
Perched on the Pointe-au-Pic bluffs, overlooking the St. Lawrence like a fortress, Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu is one of Québec’s grandest and most historic hotels. First built in 1899 to entice passengers aboard ships sailing from Québec City and farther south in the United States, the French Château-style resort exudes royal luxury — hosting stars like Fred Astaire and presidents during the G7 Summit in 2018. Fairmont Activity Passes add-ons to a room provide access to a swath of activities, from golfing up to 27 holes to climbing a Via Ferrata to playing croquet.
Day Seven: From La Malbaie via ferry to Rivière-du-Loup and Rimouski – 168 km (104.4 miles)
Arrive in Saint-Siméon in time for your scheduled 90-minute ferry crossing to Rivière-du-Loup. Look out for whales! Once on the southern coast of the St. Lawrence River, drive along the Route des Navigateurs (Navigators’ drive, Route 132) to Rimouski.
Rimouski
The largest city in Québec’s Bas-Saint-Laurent region with about 50,000 citizens is a seafaring hub and home to a few MICHELIN restaurants.Where to Eat
Narval by Chef Norman St-Pierre opens up his kitchen to diners looking to experience world-spanning cuisine. The menu changes monthly, focusing not just on local ingredients but also on wild-grown products. Recent menu items include Madeira-inspired milho frito with local beef tartare and fermented apple gel, and a new spin on ricotta gnudi that uses fresh cheese from Baie-des-Sables and an almogrote sauce from the Canary Islands.Losange has floor-to-ceiling windows in a prime location facing the St. Lawrence. The menu is all about comfort, with dishes like mac and cheese using Louis d’Or and roasted beef ribs with potatoes. Les Affamés, from Chefs Nathalie Francoeur and Renaud Lambert, starts off with fried dumplings of tender beef cheek with local chanterelles or scallop crudo with pico de gallo and cilantro, before cutting into grilled black cod with braised cabbage in miso, parsnip puree with dashi and nori chips.
What to See and Do
South of Rimouski, Bic National Park might not be very big at 33 square kilometers (12.7 square miles), but it’s one of Québec’s most celebrated parks. Go kayaking around its islands, capes and bays, while looking out for seals.In Sainte-Flavie, the gateway to the Gaspésie region, there are two wonderful experiences for art and nature lovers. Centre d’Art Marcel Gagnon showcases the artist’s sculptures that line up outside beside the river, as well as the family’s paintings. Jardins de Métis / Reford Gardens is the result of decades of gardening by the late Elsie Redford, who managed to grow 3,000 plant species, including rare blue poppies in the unforgiving landscape. Don’t miss Jardins de Métis’ International Garden Festival, with outdoor art installations by artists and architects throughout the summer.
Where to Stay
Look for a suitable hotel in Rimouski, or spend the night camping at Bic National Park.
Day Eight: From Rimouski to Québec City – 280 km (174 miles)
Drive south along the Route des Navigateurs, stopping in Kamouraska before ending your road trip in Québec City.
Kamouraska
Kamouraska is one of the most charming towns in Québec’s Bas-Saint-Laurent region, which is well-worth a stop for a riverside stroll and visits to its galleries and shops inside colorful cottages.Where to Eat
There’s an adventurous spirit behind the menu at Côté Est in Kamouraska. Its chef, Kim Côté, has been a hunter and fisherman since childhood, and the restaurant’s terrace faces the river, allowing space to ponder life at sea. Dinner plates include pan-fried rockfish with mussels, beluga lentils and lacto-fermented vegetable chiffonade, and guinea fowl with wild mushrooms, duck fat potatoes, yellow beets and meat jus. Consider booking an adventure with Côté, who brings groups of four into the forest in his Land Cruiser to forage for wild mushrooms and to prepare a feast outdoors.What to See and Do
Grab an ice cream with drizzled gourmet chocolate at La Fée Gourmande and go for a walk around Kamouraska to visit its antique shops and galleries. A favorite is Art Populaire Kamouraska, a house filled with folk art inside and out in the garden.In September, Kamouraska sprouts into one of the best places to learn about mushroom foraging at its Festival des Champignons Forestiers du Kamouraska.
Where to Stay
End your journey in Québec’s 418-year-old provincial capital at Auberge Sainte-Antoine, a two-MICHELIN-Key property. It’s as much an intimate boutique accommodation as it is a museum. Its hallways are lined with artifacts found from digs beneath the hotel, which was once a cannon battery and maritime warehouse. Look for rooms with private terraces overlooking the St. Lawrence River.It’s worth spending a few days visiting Québec City’s walled city and MICHELIN Guide restaurants before departing from Jean Lesage International Airport.
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Hero image: Sunset over the St. Lawrence River from the terrace of the Côté Est. © JHA Photographie/Côté Est
Article created by the MICHELIN Guide in collaboration with Bonjour Quebec
