A little Canadian, a little European, but entirely Quebecois; this area is rich in culture, history and beautiful cities, towns and countryside. It’s the perfect place to take a car and explore a unique area of North America.
Arrive into Montreal and VIP Transfer to The Ritz Carlton Montreal. The Ritz Carlton is the classic 5-star hotel with updated amenities and fresh, contemporary rooms. It has an incredible champagne bar and is located in the city’s high-end shopping district.
Overnight at The Ritz-Carlton Montreal
Accompanied by the best guide in Canada, begin your Quebecois adventure with an insider walking tour of charming Old Montréal. While this customizable tour will be tailored to your interests and preferences, it will also feature additional VIP enhancements. Visit the oldest chapel in Montreal, then enjoy a private insider tour of the city’s magnificent city hall. Stop at a maple producer to learn about Quebec’s longstanding tradition of maple production and delight in a fun tasting.
Afterwards, enjoy high tea at the Ritz Carlton (pay direct), then relax and spend the rest of the afternoon enjoying the neighbourhood and exploring on your own.
In the evening, head out on a private, art-meets-history themed stroll through Old Montreal to see the Cité Mémoire, a large-scale video projection installation that incorporates images, words, and music to construct a dreamlike ode to the city’s history. Your guide will be on hand to provide insight into the stories projected on the surrounding trees, buildings and cobblestone streets. During your tour, enjoy an ice cider tasting at a neighbourhood bar featuring live jazz music.
Overnight at The Ritz-Carlton Montreal
Montreal is home to one of North America’s leading culinary scenes. This morning, make your way through the city’s truly special neighbourhoods one bite time with a local foodie guide. Stop along the way to sample some of the best chocolate, poutine, smoked meat sandwiches, and incomparable Montreal-style bagels that the city has to offer. Finish with a stop at North America’s largest year-round market for unique local wares.
In the afternoon, head on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Museum of Fine Arts. Considered Canada’s most artistic city, the Museum of Fine Arts has some of the best collections in the country. After the museum closes to the public, join a museum curator for a private tour of the collections. Learn how priceless works of art are meticulously restored in the master workshop, and go behind the scenes at the Pompeii exhibition to see the incredible finds from the lost city.
End your day with a private cooking class and demonstration with a fine culinary chef who will show you how to achieve the region’s signature flavours. You may opt for the experience to as hands-on or hands-off as you want. Then, delight in the delectable multi-course tasting experience. Afterwards, head back to the hotel for some well-deserved rest.
Overnight at The Ritz-Carlton Montreal
In the morning, check out of your hotel and be privately transferred to the Eastern Townships, about two-hours drive time. Stop at a charming town along the way for a delicious village lunch.
Arrive at the Manoir Hovey, your fantastic Relais & Chateaux retreat in the countryside and unwind with a drink on your balcony overlooking the lake. If you have energy, enjoy a pontoon boat cruise on Lake Massawippi, take canoes or kayaks on your own, play tennis on the lighted clay courts, or take the bikes out to explore the nature around the resort.
Overnight at Manoir Hovey
Today you will enjoy a peaceful morning at leisure, savouring the beauty of your pristine countryside surroundings. After breakfast, meet your local driver guide to embark on a gastronomic adventure in the Eastern Townships! Your tour will focus on this bountiful region’s local specialties, beginning with an aromatic start at a family-owned-and-operated coffee company. Enjoy a lesson on their sourcing and crafting process, then proceed to the Brome County Historical Museum to meet its lead curator for a brief tour of the historic buildings that exemplify the quaint charm this area is known for. Continue on to a local duck farm– the oldest in Canada that specializes in the production of Peking duck– and learn about its sustainable practices as you taste finely-crafted gourmet treats.
Break for a light picnic lunch on the shores of Brome Lake, enjoying the views as your guide entertains you with anecdotes and facts about Eastern Township life. Next, sit back and enjoy the view as you take a ride on the lake aboard a pontoon boat. Finally, cap off your afternoon with a visit to a local winery for a guided tour of its vineyards with the head sommelier. Delight in varietal tastings alongside a mouthwatering locally-sourced charcuterie plate. Once your tour concludes, make your way back to your hotel to enjoy the rest of your day at leisure.
Overnight at Manoir Hovey
In the morning when you check out of your hotel, your car and driver will be waiting to drive approximately three hours to Quebec City. Alternatively, you may elect to be transferred from Manoir Hovey by R44 helicopter, flying over the Saint Lawrence River, the Old Québec City, and Orléans Island before landing at YQB Airport, (approx. 1h15 min flight duration). Arrive in Quebec City and check into your five-star Relais & Chateaux hotel, the Auberge Saint-Antoine rated the best Hotel in Canada. Your room will have a terrace with a spectacular view of the Fairmont Frontenac Castle.
In the afternoon, meet your expert insider guide for a walking and driving tour around Quebec City. View the Parliament building’s incredible art collection on a special tour, visit the summer residence of the Governor-General at the Citadelle, and walk the 5 kilometres of fortifications and gates in the continent’s only fortified city north of Mexico. Cap the afternoon off with a visit to The Plains of Abraham, an urban park that was the scene of the 1759 battle between Generals Wolfe and Montcalm.
In the evening, have dinner at the hotel’s Relais Restaurant, Chez Muffy, one of the best in Canada.
Overnight at Auberge Saint-Antoine
After breakfast, today, meet your expert driver-guide for a morning of exploration along the Beaupré Coast. The site of some of the very first European settlements in North America, the Beaupré coast is a fascinating, historic region that also lays claim to incredible natural splendour. On this customizable day of adventure, you may visit the iconic Montmorency Falls. One of Canada’s most remarkable natural features, the Montmorency Falls are 99 feet taller than Niagara Falls. Explore the surrounding park’s walking trails, and climb the cliff-side stairwell up to the top of the falls, where you will be treated to an expansive birds-eye-view of the area. Head to the Île d’Orléans to visit quaint farming villages along the banks of the St. Lawrence River, and enjoy a gourmet lunch in an old stone mill before making your way back to Quebec to spend the rest of your day at leisure.
In the evening, have dinner at Restaurant Initiale, one of the top dining experiences in Canada.
Overnight at Auberge Saint-Antoine
In the morning, check out of your hotel and your driver will begin your drive North toward Charlevoix. Stop at The Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, a major Roman Catholic place of pilgrimage that has a copy of Michelangelo’s Pietà (the original is in the St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome). The basilica is also known as a place of miracles. One of the builders of the original church, Louis Guimont, helped build the church despite having severe scoliosis and needing the aid of a crutch. When the church was complete, he was able to walk independently. Also go on a hike to the Canyon Sainte-Anne, to visit the magnificent gorge and waterfall.
Arrive at the Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu to drop your bags off and enjoy lunch. This beautiful property sits right on the St. Lawrence River and has an excellent golf course along with beautiful natural Quebecois surroundings.
In the evening, enjoy dinner at one of the delectable restaurants in the town of Charlevoix.
Overnight at Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu
The Charlevoix region and the Saguenay River offer some of the most incredible nature and whale-watching in Canada. Today, you will board a private zodiac and go whale watching with your naturalist guide. Thousands of whales travel north to the area to breed for the summer and it is easy to see more than fifty whales in one visit. Enjoy the benefits of travelling aboard a small zodiac watercraft instead of a large public whale-watching boat, allowing you to get up close and personal with the whales for a truly unforgettable experience!
On your last night, have dinner at the Fairmont and enjoy a massage after a day of hiking and boating.
Overnight at Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu
This morning, your driver will assist you with check out and transfer you back to Quebec City for your flight home.
