La Malbaie

La Malbaie (population 8300, 2016) is a small city in Charlevoix, on the north shore of Quebec's St. Lawrence River.

Understand

In 1608, Samuel de Champlain denounced this location as Malle Baye (the bad bay) upon finding no suitable anchorage for his ships. It didn't help that the bay was dry at low tide. The region where the Malbaie River meets the St. Lawrence has been a travel destination since 1760, an era when Scottish feudal lords John Nairne and Malcolm Fraser owned much of the area's land. On June 8-9, 2018, La Malbaie hosted Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and world leaders at the G7 Summit.

Get in

La Malbaie is 150 km downriver (east) of Québec City on Route 138, on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River.

• Train de Charlevoix, 50, rue de la Ferme, Baie-Saint-Paul, ☎ [phone], toll-free: +1-844-RESEAUC (7373282), e-mail: [e-mail]. Seasonal tourist train runs 125 km between Montmorency Falls and La Malbaie; a shuttle bus continues to Québec City (Gare de Palais).  
• Intercar, Dépanneur Julien Lavoie, 170, boul. Malcolm Fraser (on Rte 138, Cap-à-l’Aigle), ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. Intercity bus from Quebec City via Baie-Saint-Paul. 

Get around

• Taxi Dufour Elite, 100, boulevard Kane, ☎ [phone]. 

See

• 🌍 Forge-menuiserie Cauchon, 323, chemin de la Vallée, ☎ [phone]. Jun-Oct: daily 10:00-17:00. Working forge with guided tours, picnic area on Malbaie River, manufactured pieces from the forge for sale. $6, $4/kids (10-18). 
• 🌍 Musée de Charlevoix, 10 chemin du Havre, ☎ [phone], fax: [phone]. Folk art, regional history and culture. $7. 

Do

• 🌍 Casino de Charlevoix, 183, rue Richelieu, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. Bad at math and statistics? Have money to burn? Come on in!  
• Croisieres AML Inc, 100, chemin du Havre, ☎ [phone]. Whale watching. 

Buy

• Centre Charlevoix, 375, boul. Comporté, ☎ [phone]. Daily 09:30-17:30. (updated Aug 2017)

Eat

• Café Chez Nous, 1075, rue Richelieu, ☎ [phone]. Daily 07:00-21:00. Italian and Californian, 1950s theme restaurant. 
• Chez Chantal, 95, rue du Quai, ☎ [phone]. Waterfront snack bar with burgers and ice cream. 
• Crêperie Le Passe-Temps, 245, boul de Comporté, ☎ [phone]. Opens at 17:00. 
• La Goélette, 10, boulevard Kane. Restaurant and snack bar, ice cream. 
• Grillade La Bohème, 955, rue Richelieu, ☎ [phone]. Steakhouse. 
• Joe Smoked Meat, 263 rue St-Étienne, ☎ [phone]. Deli/restaurant. 
• Restaurant Allegro, 990, rue Richelieu, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. Italian, waterfront, casual. Tartares, pasta, grilled or roasted meat, pizzettas. $30-50. 
• Restaurant L’Orchidée, 439, rue Saint-Étienne, ☎ [phone]. Steak and seafood. 

Drink

• Bar L'Arbre Fou, 375 boul de Comporté, ☎ [phone]. 
• Bar L'Évasion, 394, rue Saint Étienne, ☎ [phone]. 
• Bar Le Jazz, 50, rue Du Quai, ☎ [phone]. 
• Resto Bar Billard Chez Veilleux, 64, rue de l'Église, ☎ [phone]. M-Sa 09:00-21:00. Pub. 
• Resto-Pub Belles & Bum, 623, boul de Comporté, ☎ [phone]. M-Sa 11:30-21:00, Su 16:00-21:00. Restaurant and sports bar, five screens. 

Sleep

• Chez Truchon, 1065, rue Richelieu, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone], fax: [phone] inn and French-style bistro. $135-170 rooms (high season), $20 Sunday brunch, $60 table d'hôte. 
• Manoir Charlevoix, 1030, ch du Golf, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone], fax: [phone]. Eight-room 19th-century inn, breakfast and Wi-Fi included. Restaurant Le Graal bistro and dining room. $150. 

Manoir Richelieu

• 🌍 Manoir Richelieu (Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu), 181, rue Richelieu (Pointe-au-Pic), ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone], fax: [phone]. A grand old hotel built 1929 to replace an 1899 hotel destroyed by fire. Moments Spa, restaurants, sports centre, 27-hole golf course, direct access to snowmobile trails. Horse-drawn carriage tours ($7-15, depending on length) run here on weekends. A $20/day resort fee covers mini-golf, badminton, tennis, beach volleyball, cycling, fishing and skating. (updated Jun 2018)
• Petit Manoir du Casino, 525, Chemin des Falaises, ☎ [phone], toll-free: [phone]. Hotel with 67 rooms, 2 spas, restaurant. Pavilions (78 studios overlooking the St. Lawrence on Pointe-au-Pic cliff at 75, rue des Villas) with electric fireplace, kitchenette, therapeutic bath, A/C, Wi-Fi, balcony. $140. 

Camping

• Camping au Bord de la Rivière, 1520, boul de Comporté, ☎ [phone]. Campground on Malbaie River. 

Connect

The federal government installed additional communications infrastructure in La Malbaie (and along Highways 138, 170 and 362 between Charlevoix and Quebec City) for the 2018 G7 Summit. This was left it in place afterwards, so cellphone and wireless Internet connections are better than they were in 2017.

Nearby

St-Joseph-de-la-Rive

Between Baie-Saint-Paul and La Malbaie on Route 362, near Les Éboulements. Approximately 35km upriver from La Malbaie.

• Musée Maritime de Charlevoix, 305 rue de l'Église, Saint-Joseph-De-La-Rive, ☎ [phone]. Daily (seasonal) 09:00-17:00. Marine museum and ship. 

Go next

Routes through La Malbaie

Quebec City ← Baie-Saint-Paul ←

W  E

→ Tadoussac → Sept-Îles