The spirited city of Rimouski was built on forestry, oceanographic research, and a fishing fleet that supplies the seafood shops and smokehouses that dot its streets. Smoking fish remains an institution here despite a 1950 lumber yard fire which, fed by the region’s gusty winds, wiped out nearly half the town.
Any other fishing community on the planet would have shifted to sushi, but Rimouski thrived on this calamity, rising from the ashes to rebuild bigger and better. Local maple wood still fuels its many smokehouses.
Built on three levels, the city resembles an amphitheatre with the St. Lawrence River as its stage. At its western edge, nestled on Pointe-au-Père, whisky makers Jean-François Cloutier and Joël Pelletier operate their striking seaside Distillerie du St. Laurent.
Nearing Rimouski along the south shore highway from Quebec City, it becomes apparent how exceptional this part of Quebec is. Rugged boulders and low craggy mountains, thick with pine and maple trees and interspersed with multi-silo dairy farms, mark the approach. In the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, visitors cross an invisible line where big-city troubles dissolve into tranquillity, fresh sea air, and patience.
The distillery shares Pointe-au-PèreJean-François asks, incredulous. “It’s the sea.” At Rimouski, the St. Lawrence River is nearly 30 miles across.
