Crystal Quast's Blog - Posts Tagged "travel"
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea on a 3000km Road Trip: Chasing Jules Verne on Summer Vacation
What do Jules Verne, a mysterious restaurant in La Malbaie, and a 3,000 km road trip through Quebec have in common? This summer, I found my writing inspiration somewhere between the St. Lawrence River, the Chic-Choc Mountains, and a room full of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea memorabilia.
For the last two summers, my son has taken part in a French Immersion program that has seen our family road-tripping through the St. Lawrence and Gaspé regions of Quebec.
This area has always been special. I visited it with my husband in the early years of our marriage and we vowed to bring our (then non-existent) kids back to Percé Rock one day.
We did in 2016 but only had time for part of the north and south shores, travelling between the two by ferry from Matane to Baie-Comeau. Last year, we drove the entire peninsula through the spectacular Matapédia Valley.
This year we took a different route: to pick up our son on the south shore and return on the north, via La Malbaie.
While booking the trip, I discovered the I'ile Mystérieuse Restaurant, home to one of the largest collections of Jules Verne memorabilia outside of Europe.
I have based entire trips on one small thing before: a picture of a bar I could not get out of my head, a trip to Monterey after reading Cannery Row. It made sense to ensure this restaurant was on our list.
Having written both my first and second novels this year alongside running my corporate communications business has left me little time for anything else. But with my favourite road trip coming up, I settled in with this classic.
At first, it was hard to get past the old-timey language and endless descriptions of fish. But I love marine life, geology and geography, and a good revenge novel with personal drama. Fifty pages in, I was hooked.
That the Canadian character Ned Land was from just north of Quebec City and that the St. Lawrence featured in the book brought it to life as we cruised the seaside roads with the river beside us.
I could almost envision the Nautilus rising out of the dark waters near Rimouski, where the Onandaga submarine now rests seaside, a fun diversion for tourists.
La Malbaie, nestled in the heart of Charlevoix, was the last night of our trip. No reservations required, we entered I'ile Mystérieuse. Dark and mysterious like Verne’s tales, the back room held a treasure chest of artefacts.
The menu also held many delights, including a cocktail named after Verne. With a family of four, we worked through much of the tapas-style menu. Our favourite? The fondue. Given their ferocious role in the novel, we avoided the poulpe (octopus).
Seeing the first edition books, some surely never opened, was awe-inspiring. Beautifully bound with gold foil covers, they were a total contrast to today's style. Yet, Verne's story remains timeless.
I do not know if Verne ever visited the St. Lawrence area. He certainly travelled to many places in his incredible mind. I do know he wrote a classic that I enjoyed immensely more than 100 years after it was published.
Right now, I am closing in on the 100-copies-sold mark that so many self-published authors struggle to reach. I am grateful for every reader, but it is a tough road.
I hope one day someone reads Serenity Acres on a road trip and finds a thrill in the details when they drive through my part of the world.
With whales seen from shore, abundant seafood, and postcard towns, I'm sure I'll go back to Quebec-by-the-Sea for more rest and inspiration. And added to my reading list? The Mysterious Island.
For the last two summers, my son has taken part in a French Immersion program that has seen our family road-tripping through the St. Lawrence and Gaspé regions of Quebec.
This area has always been special. I visited it with my husband in the early years of our marriage and we vowed to bring our (then non-existent) kids back to Percé Rock one day.
We did in 2016 but only had time for part of the north and south shores, travelling between the two by ferry from Matane to Baie-Comeau. Last year, we drove the entire peninsula through the spectacular Matapédia Valley.
This year we took a different route: to pick up our son on the south shore and return on the north, via La Malbaie.
While booking the trip, I discovered the I'ile Mystérieuse Restaurant, home to one of the largest collections of Jules Verne memorabilia outside of Europe.
I have based entire trips on one small thing before: a picture of a bar I could not get out of my head, a trip to Monterey after reading Cannery Row. It made sense to ensure this restaurant was on our list.
Having written both my first and second novels this year alongside running my corporate communications business has left me little time for anything else. But with my favourite road trip coming up, I settled in with this classic.
At first, it was hard to get past the old-timey language and endless descriptions of fish. But I love marine life, geology and geography, and a good revenge novel with personal drama. Fifty pages in, I was hooked.
That the Canadian character Ned Land was from just north of Quebec City and that the St. Lawrence featured in the book brought it to life as we cruised the seaside roads with the river beside us.
I could almost envision the Nautilus rising out of the dark waters near Rimouski, where the Onandaga submarine now rests seaside, a fun diversion for tourists.
La Malbaie, nestled in the heart of Charlevoix, was the last night of our trip. No reservations required, we entered I'ile Mystérieuse. Dark and mysterious like Verne’s tales, the back room held a treasure chest of artefacts.
The menu also held many delights, including a cocktail named after Verne. With a family of four, we worked through much of the tapas-style menu. Our favourite? The fondue. Given their ferocious role in the novel, we avoided the poulpe (octopus).
Seeing the first edition books, some surely never opened, was awe-inspiring. Beautifully bound with gold foil covers, they were a total contrast to today's style. Yet, Verne's story remains timeless.
I do not know if Verne ever visited the St. Lawrence area. He certainly travelled to many places in his incredible mind. I do know he wrote a classic that I enjoyed immensely more than 100 years after it was published.
Right now, I am closing in on the 100-copies-sold mark that so many self-published authors struggle to reach. I am grateful for every reader, but it is a tough road.
I hope one day someone reads Serenity Acres on a road trip and finds a thrill in the details when they drive through my part of the world.
With whales seen from shore, abundant seafood, and postcard towns, I'm sure I'll go back to Quebec-by-the-Sea for more rest and inspiration. And added to my reading list? The Mysterious Island.
