Gîte à la Vieille École

The setting is one of those magical places you want to visit when you’re in the area. It’s halfway between La Baie and Chicutimi, about 15 minutes in either direction. There’s a private beach on the Saguenay with a little trail down to it, plus a pool in the backyard, a fireplace, and a huge lawn. We were on vacation with our family of five and got endless helpful tips. The caring, gentle couple who run the place make it feel intimate. It’s super clean and very comfortable, and breakfast feels like something from a top chef’s kitchen. If you like stargazing, the owner will happily bring out his telescope and help identify the stars.

We booked two nights, but after the first one, which we spent awake listening to the house creak and worrying it might collapse, Yvon told us to find another hotel. Maude, his partner, still demanded payment for both nights and was extremely rude. This guesthouse is one to avoid. The small upstairs bedroom has an uneven floor that creaks loudly with every step, and the floor is badly damaged. The bed, mattress, blanket, and sheets were poor quality and smelled musty. The stairs down to the ground-floor bathroom felt dangerous. The house had been for sale for months, and it seemed the owners had stopped putting effort into either the building or the service. When we arrived, Yvon tried to charm us with long, encyclopedic explanations. We soon found there were rules about everything: don’t touch this, don’t use the fridge, don’t make noise, don’t use that small bed. He made many jokes about women and his wife upstairs, including saying she had gone to get a silly manicure. When she came back, she was authoritarian and unpleasant when answering our questions. A place to avoid at all costs.

Staying with Yvan and Maud was such a pleasure. It’s a warm, welcoming home, and they shared lots of information about Quebec and the region, along with excellent advice. What a lovely surprise.

A little over a year later, we still have magical memories of our stay with Yvon and Maude. They were exceptionally kind, and the welcome was perfect. The location was magnificent, the room fantastic, and the breakfasts were the best we’ve ever had. We hope we can visit them again one day!! :-)