(c) 2Passions_CVB

As I started this journey, I had just lost my job and I was unsure about what was next. I was lost and was naively hoping this road trip would bring me all the answers I needed. This is why, despite the financial precarity I newly found myself in, I embarked on this journey.

Destination #1
Montreal to Rivière-du-Loup, Québec

Rivière-du-Loup was a surprise, a well-needed surprise.

I chose Rivière-du-Loup as a first destination because I was enchanted by the prospect of visiting a place that reminded me of a simpler time. A time when passing my driver’s license test was the most important thing in the world. I was a teenager, and the most mundane things stressed me out. So of course, I forgot everything I had learned, I probably even forgot to think, and I failed that test miserably. Thinking about it now, doing this test in Rivière-du-Loup was a mistake. It was only my second time there, and I barely remembered the first, but, as a result, that town left its mark on me. Though I wasn’t expecting much more than nostalgia from Rivière-du-Loup, the town surprised me. It turned out pretty good.

The first surprise of our two-night stay was the Airbnb. It used to be a restaurant and was newly renovated into an inn (2023), so with respect to the theme, it was called Auberge du Pub (the Pub’s Inn). The room was big, modern, clean, and it had a mini fridge. It was very well located between downtown and a large, lovely park: Waterfall Park. I took a small hike in that park the afternoon we arrived while my mom took a nap. It was beautiful, peaceful, and at the perfect time: about an hour before sunset, when the light dims down to a beautiful golden hue. I wish I could have hiked longer, because the little bit I did walk was enough to reach and admire beautiful rapids.

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The second surprise was the downtown area. During summer, it is organized in a way that offers people a great experience. The main street, which is Lafontaine street in this case, buzzed with life. Many small local businesses were open, there was a popular microbrewery, and there were a lot of restaurants to choose from, all with their respective patio area.

My mom and I had two dinners there, on the first night we went to a restaurant called Roof, and as its name so clearly states, the restaurant was located on the rooftop of a bar. The kitchen was inside, and I think there were a few insides seats, but everything else was outside. There was a cute view, but it wasn’t the main attraction, in a corner a DJ was preparing his set, many groups of people – colleagues or friends – were having amazing discussions and lovely cocktails, and a few individuals were on dates. It was quite busy, but my mom and I found a nice table near a lovely fireplace. I ordered a basil and strawberry cocktail that was refreshing and not too sweet, and a LARGE plate of shrimp tacos. I wasn’t able to finish everything, of course, but it was quite tasty.

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When we woke up the following day, we were ready to make the best of our one day in Rivière-du-Loup. We took the ferry across the Saint-Lawrence River to Saint-Siméon, a small beach. The salt-water air reminded me of my childhood and the time we spent in Saint-Fabien-sur-Mer every summer, along the Saint-Lawrence River: the fresh air, the wind, the quiet, and the good ol’ smell of algae. I sat there, on the water, and breathed it all in with my eyes closed, replaying some of my best memories. Memories that often involved my cousins and I playing on the beach, hopping through the rocks, fishing for tiny little shrimps, or throwing rocks in the water to see them ricochet on the waves. Simpler times.

The boat ride lasted about 45 minutes, just enough time to reflect without getting bored. We were hoping to see some oceanic biodiversity, but only saw, a few miles away, the white backs of belugas and the dorsal fins of small rorquals.

Once we arrived in Saint-Siméon, it was clear to us that while it was a very nice place, it was small and the beach was most of what could be enjoyed, so we did. We took a walk later that day after a few hours on the beach. We found a nice little coffee shop called Mont Café Bistro, where I had the opportunity to taste an excellent coffee milkshake (yes, coffee and ice cream, yum! ) before we went back to the ferry.

For our second and last dinner in Rivière-du-Loup, we went to a restaurant called L’Intercolonial. They had a diverse menu, and the food was excellent. I ordered a tartare with a glass of wine. My mom and I walked one last time around the lovely downtown area before we went to sleep and readied ourselves for the travels ahead.