You do a double take when you first see them — a parade of concrete figures marching out of the St. Lawrence River and onto the beach.
In the village of Sainte-Flavie, on Quebec’s Gaspé Peninsula, artist Marcel Gagnon created this unusual sculpture, dubbed Le Grand Rassemblement (the Great Gathering), with more than 80 human-like carvings that appear to emerge from the water.
Gagnon opened a small art center by the river as well, which includes a gallery and a river view restaurant. The building also houses a 10-room inn, the Auberge at Le Centre d’Art Marcel Gagnon, which makes an artful stopover on a Gaspé road trip.
Here’s the scoop:
Guest Rooms and Amenities
Located above the art gallery, the 10 guest rooms in the Auberge are furnished in a cozy country style, with simple wooden furniture, patchwork quilts, and private baths.
The smallest, and least expensive, rooms are on the street-facing side of the building, while the (slightly) pricier rooms have vistas of the St. Lawrence and of Gagnon’s sculptures.
The rooms feel a bit like galleries themselves, decorated with paintings by Gagnon or by members of his family. His son, Guillaume Gagnon, manages the inn, and the art gallery exhibits works by Marcel, his wife Ghislaine Carrier, his daughter Isabelle, and son Guillaume.
Rooms rates include a choice of four different breakfast options: eggs with bacon, toast, and potatoes; crêpes with maple syrup; a fresh fruit plate; or toast with either cheese or cretons, a traditional Quebecois pork spread that’s often part of a morning meal.
In addition to serving breakfast to the inn’s guests, the restaurant is open to the public for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s a window-lined space that faces the beach, the river, and the sculptures, who are always marching, marching, marching along the shore.
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Rates
Double room rates at the Auberge at Le Centre d’Art Marcel Gagnon range from CAD$79-149 per night, including breakfast and Wi-Fi. You can also book your stay through Trip Advisor. The inn is open from early May through the end of September.
Hotel feature by Vancouver-based travel, food, and feature writer Carolyn B. Heller. Photos © Carolyn B. Heller.
