The second half of our third day in the Outaouais region of Canada began with something sweet! Following lunch at Café 349, our group drove to Coronation Hall Cider Mills to sample some sweet treats and lean about the artisanal ciderie.
When we pulled up to the cider mill, I couldn’t help but think the place would be a tremendous location for a wedding.
Apparently they host a number of weddings on the property and I can see why! It’s so charming!
The family-owned cider mill makes both hard and regular cider, apple crisp, apple pie, apple cookies, apple muffins and more. We were able to try a little bit of everything and after one bite of an apple cookie, my sweet tooth started raging.
They tasted like snickerdoodles with a hint of apple and they were delicious!
In addition to two cookies, I also couldn’t resist the apple pie with ice cream.
I’m pretty sure we all tried to coerce the woman who made the fantastic homemade goodies to come home with us for the holidays. She said she is in charge of dessert at her family parties, which didn’t surprise me at all!
The cider mill is also open to those who wish to bring in their own apples or pears to have pressed into juice.
It was a great place to visit in the middle of apple harvest season!
Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello
After we thanked the Graham family for having us, our group headed on to Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello, the world’s largest log castle.
The giant fire place will be lit for the season next week so we just missed it. Bummer! It was stunning and added to the rustic and regal feel of the gorgeous hotel.
Though the fireplace was the first thing that caught my eye, the second thing I noticed was the giant dog house located in front of the reception desk.
Monte, a gentle and friendly three-year-old golden retriever, is the canine ambassador for the hotel!
At select Fairmont hotels, hotel dogs serve as canine ambassadors and can go on walks or simply sit and hang out with travelers who miss their own furry friend while they’re away from home. How cool is that!? Monte was such a sweetheart and let us pet him and play with him for as long as we wanted before we checked into the hotel. (He goes home with the general manager of the hotel at night.)
After I gave Monte a quick hug goodbye, I headed up to my room to drop off my bags before it was time to explore the hotel grounds.
My room was spacious, comfortable and beautiful.
After I dropped off my suitcase, I ran downstairs to meet up with Anne to walk around outside. I needed an evening walk to wake me up a little bit and a walk on the trail surrounding the hotel did the trick.
It was gorgeous outside and Anne and I commented on the breathtaking scenery every 2.5 seconds.
This view of the lake was incredible at dusk:
Montebello is so beautiful!
After we spent 60 minutes outside, it was time to change before dinner. We met up with our group in the lobby for our final dinner together.
(Anne, Candice, me, Kate and Jenn)
I know I’ve already said this, but this group of women made the trip so much fun. We were able to see some incredible sights in the Outaouais region of Canada together and I had the best time with every single one of them and our wonderful hosts, Anne and Marouan.
For our final evening in Quebec, we dined at the Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello’s restaurant, Aux Chantignoles.
We all enjoyed a four course meal and thought every course was fantastic. I could not stop raving about the lobster appetizer and the scallops I selected for my entrée.
I was in seafood-lover heaven!
For dessert, I ordered a chocolate mousse paired with pistachio and warm apples and it was so, so good. I didn’t think I had enough room in my stomach to finish it, but I somehow managed to polish off every last bite.
It was the perfect way to conclude such a full and fun day in the Outaouais region!
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Whoah, that hotel is one of the coolest hotels I’ve ever seen in my life! And, they have a canine ambassador. I’ve never heard of that, but it’s genius!
I wish there was an apple cidery up by me! Lots of orchards but no straight cideries. It looks like the exact type of place I hope to get married in one day 🙂
Looks like such an amazing time! The food — especially the dessert — looks so delicious!
And a canine ambassador? What a great idea! Monte looks like such a sweetie 🙂
WOw, such cool places definitely some awesome wedding type venues up there as well! Looks like you are having a great time getting to see cool things and have great food too!
Wow, what a gorgeous spot! Looks amazing. I also love the idea of having a canine ambassador!! Every hotel should have one, in my opinion!
I loveeee the log cabin! I feel like they always give a more relaxing atmosphere, and make it such a cozy place! Having pet ambassadors is one of the sweetest things I’ve heard. I know many people who get animal sick when they are away from theirs, and that is such a special treat to have for guests!
The hotel looks gorgeous, really homely! The cider mill sounds great too, love that they allow people to bring they’re own fruit to be pressed!
A canine ambassador – what a brilliant idea!! And what a cutie…I have a special place in my heart for Goldens! That castle and it’s surrounding are just perfect looking (nature is amazing!) – your room looks fit for a queen! 🙂
-Sammy @ peaceandloveandicecream.blogspot.com
That apple pie and ice cream looks SO good. I cant get over how much COOL stuff there is to do in one area. I am assuming you weren’t traveling all over during this short trip? That log building is gorgeous…I think I could make a vacation out of just going there!
P.S. My favorite restaurants/wineries are always the ones with dogs…I love it and the places are always so laid back with friendly owners.
All those apple treats look absolutely delicious! And the meal looks fabulous as well.
The views and hotel are also stunning! My family is actually thinking of staying at a Fairmont hotel in Quebec City next summer!
Wowww what an amazing and delicious time! I’m so curious about that chocolate mousse, and Monte is soooo cute! I love it when there are hotel pets as “ambassadors”. This bed and breakfast in SF had the funniest little cat as their pet and I thought it was so sweet!
Love your pink jacket! Is it Lululemon?
The doggy ambassador idea is so genius! I know I miss my puppy when I’m on vacation: it’s like a little slice of home is on vacation with me too! I love apple season and I miss living at home where we could go pick apples! Montana doesn’t harvest apples very well, haha! 😉
Those cookies and that pie both sound amazing. As does the whole trip so far! Love tha canine ambassador 🙂
that place is stunning!
This trip looks amazing! What a perfect place to visit during early autumn. Apple pie + ice cream = the best!
OMG! This place looks so peaceful and the perfect place for a wedding…or maybe a vow renewal 😉
My paternal family is from the Montebello area; my Dad was actually baptized in the Papineau Chapel on the grounds of the property. I try to visit every year, I actually got home this week after a 3 week visit – glad to see you got to experience so many beautiful, amazing things in the region.
That log cabin is AMAZING!
And the pic of you and Monte was precious. I bet you were missin’ Sadie at that point.
That all looks so wonderful! All those apple treats sound super yumm too.
That pup is adorable!
Ooooh I visited the Montebello last May. It really is beautiful there, especially over the water.
Great post Julie! I sincerely hope our paths cross again sooner than later.
Cheers,
Jenn
What a charming place to have a wedding! It would be perfect this time of year. I think I would have apple pie rather than a cake. Ha! That pie look absolutely delicious. I can see why you wanted to bring her home with you.
All those pics get me excited for fall! What a wonderful trip! I just might go and make some apple crisp this weekend 🙂
Had a lovely winter/Christmas wedding there :). Many family memories there as we go annually since my great grandfather was one of the founding members of the Chateau when it first opened in the 1930s.
Oh wow. Any way you can snag us the recipe for the chocolate mousse with pistachio and warm apples? That sounds incredible!!
Going to a dog sledding place is on my bucket list. I would loveeeee it. Also, I LOVE MONTE!!! So snuggly and sweet and I love his dog house. What an amazing, dog filled day!
In August we stayed at a Fairmont in Vancouver, Canada and they had TWO furry ambassadors. So awesome. It makes the hotels so inviting.
Gorgeous!! Everything looks so pretty there 🙂 The cider mill looks absolutely amazing, Brian and I went apple picking here in Indy and HAD to get some cider to bring home. One of my favorite things about fall!
Isn’t it just so nice to go to great places like this. We have a few nice holiday spots that are similar in Australia which we try to visit as often as possible. So good to spend time with family and friends 🙂
Wow, everything is breathtaking! I’ll definitely have to plan a visit Montebello next fall. Thanks for the great photos. Must be magical having apple pie (with ice cream) while sitting by the lake.
Those apple cookies look amazing…. any way you can beg them for the recipe??
They were so good! I’ll email them to ask for the recipe right now. 🙂
As a Canadian, I am sad (and baffled) that I have never heard of this particular Fairmont. So beautiful!!! Looks like a great trip 🙂
I’m taking the kids apple picking next week. I love fall!
I would love to go to the cider mill! I’m all about apple festivals in the fall and this seems ADORABLE. I would want to go there every day if I lived near it lol.
That apple pie looks delicious! And any hotel with doggie ambassadors is awesome in my book! Monte looks so sweet.
You go on the most amazing trips! I adore apple themed stuff in the fall! and the hotel looks so cozy, how fun that they have a dog ambassador!
-AJ
FitTravelerAJ.com
Cider Mills are the thing I miss most from the East Coast in the fall. The Chateau looks amazing! Thanks for sharing these wonderful pics Julie!