A short two-hour drive from Montreal, just long enough to listen to an episode or two of a podcast or two of Lady Gaga’s new album, you can step back in time and spend some time in an ultra-charming municipality where the gentle life of old Quebec has been incredibly well preserved.
The square houses, the general store, the little white church, the streets lined with gardens overflowing with flowers… In Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly, life is sweet by the river, and in spring the geese gather on the shore on their way back from the South.
Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly
The municipality of Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly is located in the Chaudière-Appalaches region, between the river and the mountains.
It’s only 25 kilometers from Quebec City, on Route 132, and can also be a stopover for those taking the Montreal-Quebec route.
Part of the illustrious Association des plus beaux Villages du Québec list, the village is known and loved by all for its golden wheat fields, colorful houses and village atmosphere close to the city.
Walks and tours
The municipality of Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly encompasses several villages, including Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly, its eponymous village – and we recommend starting there!
Strolling through the village, photographers, Practical Magic fans , Victorian architecture lovers and influencers will be enchanted by the colorful houses.
And afterwards, you can pop into the local villages to pick up some local cheese and strawberries from the farm next door…
We also recommend stopping off at the region’s churches, some of the most beautiful in Quebec.
For those who prefer a more athletic visit, there are several cycling loops and circuits starting from the village of Sainte-Antoine-de-Tilly – and we recommend them in summer to pedal between fields of golden wheat, pick-your-own farms and roadside snack bars.
We love the dépanneur! loop from Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly, which follows the river on the way out and passes through fields on the way back – see it here!
Along the river, starting from the Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly municipal park, we’ve heard that the shellfish harvest is quite exceptional and that, when the tide is out, you can walk the 9km of shoreline and come back with your little basket full of cockles and sand dollars…
Agrotourism
There are plenty of farms in the region, most of which you can visit and even pick your own during fruit season… We’ve put together a (non-exhaustive) list for you;
- Verger de la Falaise, for apples
- La Confrérie de Tilly microbrewery, for fruit beers on the terrace in the afternoon
- La Rosée du Matin Farm(in summer), for U-pick strawberries, raspberries and pumpkins, and homemade gelato
- L’Orée du Bois for pick-your-own blueberries, apples and cider
- La Fromagerie Bergeron for cheese and dairy products
- Ferme Marijoli for local meats
- Les Raisins Bio Vital for grape juice, garlic and honey
Where do we sleep?
For those dedicated to a road-trip into the charm of the past and village life which, when you see the introductory video on the Sainte-Antoine-de-Tilly tourist site, is just as you imagine it (and even more poetic, nostalgic and in tune with the rhythms of nature than you could have dreamed) – we recommend sleeping at the Maison Normand.
The 4-bedroom gîte is housed in the village’s former General Store, with a swimming pool for kids and lizards, and more info here!
For those who love the river and have come with friends, we recommend Le Dériveur cottage – which is not in the village itself, but on the water’s edge – to have your feet in the river from the morning and the most beautiful sunset in the area. For more info, click here!
There are also several campsites in the area: see the list here!
Enjoy your visit!