Classified as a “biosphere reserve” by Unesco, the region of Charlevoix is one of the best preserved places on the planet. It is also one of the largest inhabited craters in the world: the impact left by a meteorite 350 million years ago has given this part of Québec a unique landscape. On the banks of the Saint-Laurent River, from where you can see the spouting whales, the Authier family has created a beautifully restful little hotel with opulent interiors, an excellent wine cellar and delicious authentic food including homemade viennoiseries (the breakfasts are a delight) and fish smoked on site.