Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu

The history of Manoir Richelieu dates back to the late 19th century, when the burgeoning prosperity of river cruise tourism, driven by the Richelieu and Ontario Navigation Company and later Canada Steamship Lines, created an urgent need for prestigious accommodations to welcome wealthy clientele disembarking at Pointe-au-Pic, where a steamboat dock had already existed since 1853. It was businessman and politician Rodolphe Forget who convinced the board of directors of the Richelieu Ontario company, already owner of a grand hotel in Tadoussac, to finance the construction of a comparable establishment at Pointe-au-Pic; construction began in 1898 and the hotel, featuring 250 luxury rooms in a style inspired by French châteaux, was officially inaugurated on June 15, 1899. The establishment gained decisive new momentum with the arrival of the Charlevoix Casino in the 1990s, which prompted a major expansion and renovation of the hotel in 1998-1999, bringing it to 405 rooms while reinforcing its role as an integrated resort destination featuring a historic golf course dating from 1925, spas, and year-round pools. Today operated by the Fairmont chain, the Manoir remains the most emblematic destination in the Charlevoix region, accessible from Quebec City via a scenic 120-minute drive along the river or aboard the picturesque Charlevoix Train.