We had a GREAT couple of days with Barb’s sister Jane. We had the pleasure and convenience of touring around, with Jane driving us around in her car – a great change from touring in the RV. What a treat!
Our first stop in Mont-Saint-Hilaire….a bakery of course for a bit of brunch, which turned into a carb fest of artisanal breads, which was worth it. This location of the Boulangerie Le Pain Dans Les Voiles was formerly owned by the family of NFL player and local hero, Laurent Duvernay-Tardif. While this may make the bakery famous, it continues to maintain rights to the name and recipes which easily make it the most popular stop in the area. Note – the family still runs the bakery in Montreal with the same name.
Next stop, downtown Beloeil for a walking tour of a small village set against the river. Beautiful large churches, local shops and pubs. Very quaint. Since we entered Quebec, Lori has been learning French words and phrases. After learning the meaning of ‘depanneur’ (or ‘dep’ for short), Caroline and Geoff challenged Lori to find a ‘super dep’. No challenge is too big so off we went and Lori discovered one that sells beer & wine and sends faxes! LOL! We entered several great shops and discovered one which gives Italian cooking lessons. After meeting and conversing with the owner Maria, Lori has decided this is a must return to spot for a weekend next year.
Saint-Mathias-sur-Richelieu and Chambly
The tour continued past Barb’s former home in Montreal beside the river in Saint Mathias. Then off to Chambly where Barb also previously lived and where her sister Jane and our good friend Francois both live. What a beautiful city. Historic town with incredible views of the Chambly Basin as well as the old Fort Chambly built in 1711 and involved in the 1812 battle with the U.S., that is credited with having saved Montreal. Then the federal locks system which are all still manually run, and some great shops and cafes. FG Chocolatiers (chocolate shop) is beautiful with all made on site. Final stop, La Ferme Guyon in Chambly which sells an incredible selection of local Quebec products. We bought some freshly picked apples, some cheeses and meat pies. It also has a Butterfly sanctuary with a friendly turtle free to roam.
Tomorrow we are off to the Eastern Townships!