You tell me yours and I’ll tell you mine.
After several trips to the Gaspe over the years there are a couple of accommodations that stand out with us. They are of the B&B variety and stand out particularly because of the people who operate them as well as the quality of their facilities.
We are what you might call mature travelers between 55-65 and are looking for quiet comfortable places the stay where we can learn from the folks who run them more about the area and their life style. We started to migrate from motels and their packages to smaller B&Bs because of the great experiences we had in places like these:
The Green House (La Mason Verte) at Cross Point (Point-a-la- Croix), 1-866-788-2342:
We have started several trips at Cross Point and have found this place a great place to start and finish. The rooms are first rate and the living room areas in the basement suite is large enough for a group of 6-10 to congregate for the evening. This is a B&B so you have to eat dinner at a nearby restaurant or have pizza brought in.
What really makes the place stand out is the owner, Andre DesRochers. He goes out of his way to make your stay memorable and your trip a great experience. He is knowledgeable of the area and has great suggestions.
You can keep your vehicles in his back yard and not worry about loosing them. Even more importantly, Andre will drive your vehicle to pick you up if you have a break-down or bad weather on the trip for a moderate fee. If your leading a trip around the Gaspe, there is some real peace-of-mind knowing you have this kind of support should there be problems. We had to use Andre’s service this year and it saved us several hundred dollars.
Andre’s wife, Marie makes a great unique breakfast and keeps a spotless facility. It’s our home base when we are on the Gaspe.
Tranquil Acres (Les Acres Tranquilles) at Port Daniel West, 1-866-302-3491: This is a convenient place to stay about 150 miles east of Cross Point.
We knew we were welcome when we hit their freshly groomed trail right to the back door and we really felt welcome when we gathered around the wood stove in their toasty kitchen.
Myra and Normand Roussy have converted and old farm house into a B&B that is located right on the bay. Both of them speak fluent English and are great hosts and work hard to make you stay enjoyable. Normand is a farmer, lobsterman, barber and jack of all trades and is very knowledgeable of the area and willing to share his stories and experiences. Myra is a gracious host who runs the place and is and an excellent cook. We opted for both dinner and breakfast and are glad we did…..its like visiting old friends.
Both of them have turned their facility into a showplace of their handiwork, talent and common sense. It’s worth stopping by just to tour the house and visit the animals in the barn. If you want to get a sense of what it’s like to live on the Gaspe, this is the place to stop.
You don’t have to beat around back streets to get there, nor do you have to worry about locking up your sled. We envy the lifestyle of this wonderful couple.