In 1608 Samuel de Champlain's ship was stranded after an overnight stay because he did not know that the bay ran dry at low tide. Legend has it he screamed "Ah, La Malle Baye!" (Oh, the bad bay!) giving La Malbaie in Canada's Quebec province its name. It was renamed Murray Bay for a Canadian governor, but the former name lives on.
Sportsmen came to the area for hunting and fishing in the 1700s. At first, rooms were rented out in homes or small hotels. During the Belle Epoque and Gilded Age, La Malbaie became a fashionable resort community that welcomed steamships known as floating palaces. High society Americans and Canadians came for salt water and sea air, hunting and fishing at private clubs, and fine dining and accommodations.
The crown jewel was the magnificent 'Castle on the Cliff', the Manoir Richelieu, then owned by the Canada Steamship Lines. The first Manoir opened in 1900 with two hundred and fifty beautiful decorated rooms. Adjacent bathrooms had running fresh and salt water. When the golf course opened in 1925 former President William Howard Taft presided over the opening ceremonies.
The original Manoir Richelieu was completely destroyed by fire in 1928. A new luxury hotel was opened in 1929.
People like Taft built grand summer estates overlooking the sea and cliffs, most notably on the prestigious Chemin des Falaises. Some are now luxurious and romantic inns. Many serve outstanding regional cuisine.
Nearly two centuries later, the beauty of the region and savoir-faire of the hospitality industry continue to flourish. La Malbaie was awarded 3 fleurons in Les Fleurons du Québec program to beautify gardens.
There is an active nightlife in the adjacent Casino de Charlevoix.
There are many fine dining opportunities in Charlevoix, but the crown jewel is Chef Patrick Turcot's La Table du Chef, the Chef's Table, at the renowned four-diamond Le Charlevoix Restaurant.
Reserve early for Charlevoix's ultimate dining experience.
And to burn a few calories after all this indulgence, there are swimming pools and championship golf.