Alpacas, emus, sheep, lavender and flowers: five farms open to the public in Charlevoix for a family outing into the backcountry.
Behind the mountains that line the river, the Charlevoix backcountry is a world of farms. Some open their doors, and their animals — alpacas, emus, lambs, horses — become the excuse for one of the most endearing outings you can take in the region, especially with children. Here are five addresses where you walk, where you pet, where you pick, and where you leave with more than photos.
Alpagas Charlevoix: walking with your own alpaca
The Alpa-Trekking at Alpagas Charlevoix, in Les Éboulements. Photo: Tourisme Charlevoix.
In Les Éboulements, on the river road, Alpagas Charlevoix (2646 route du Fleuve) raises these Andean camelids with their gentle eyes and sumptuous wool. The farm offers guided tours of its grounds year-round, but the signature experience is the Alpa-Trekking: a hike across the farm's private land, with your own alpaca on a lead. A guide explains how to interact safely with the animal, and the route, on an exceptional site overlooking the river, yields photos you cannot take anywhere else.
It is a gentle, slow activity that appeals to children and adults alike — the alpaca is curious, placid, and walks at your pace. The farm shop lets you leave with alpaca-wool products, among the warmest and lightest fibres there are. Nearby, the seigneurial mill of Les Éboulements rounds out a morning in this sector.
The Centre de l'émeu de Charlevoix: a big bird from Australia
Guided visit at the Centre de l'émeu de Charlevoix, in Saint-Urbain. Photo: Tourisme Charlevoix.
In Saint-Urbain, at 710 rue Saint-Édouard, the Centre de l'émeu de Charlevoix raises the largest bird in North America after the ostrich — a prehistoric, curious and surprisingly expressive animal. Accompanied by an experienced guide, visitors follow a circuit that brings them up close to the emus in their living environment, and even into their habitat: incubation room, barn, outdoor pens. The route ends at the shop.
The centre is also home to an economuseum of the oil house, which showcases a rare craft: the production and transformation of emu oil, prized for its properties and used in cosmetics and skincare products. It is a chance to discover a trade you would never suspect, rooted in a regional tradition. Open year-round, the centre is a fine stop for anyone following the Flavour Trail or looking for an off-the-beaten-path activity.
Aux petits moutons tout ronds: bottle-feeding the lambs
Ewe and lambs at the Ferme Fritz-Philip, in Saint-Hilarion. Photo: Tourisme Charlevoix.
In Saint-Hilarion, in the farmland of the plateau, the Ferme Fritz-Philip — charmingly named Aux petits moutons tout ronds (17, 5e rang Ouest) — is a sheep farmer in love with rural life. The farm makes room for visitors in that way of living: you come to bottle-feed the little lambs, cuddle the horses, browse the shop. It is the tenderest activity on this list, and the one that leaves the deepest mark on young children — there is something irreplaceable about direct contact with a lamb only a few days old.
For a day built around families, this farm slots naturally into our Charlevoix with kids guide, which gathers the activities best suited to children in the region.
Azulée: a lavender field with a river view
The Azulée farm, in Baie-Saint-Paul. Photo: Tourisme Charlevoix.
In Baie-Saint-Paul, tucked at the foot of the mountain with a view over the high tides of the Saint Lawrence, the small farm Azulée (54 chemin de la Pointe) grows organic lavender. Self-guided visits let you explore the little farm and learn about this Mediterranean plant acclimatised to the Charlevoix climate. The highlight is the bloom, usually in July, when the rows of lavender turn purple and scent the air — a setting that draws photography lovers as much as garden enthusiasts. There are lavender-based products too, from soaps to infusions. Azulée welcomes pets, a detail appreciated by visitors travelling with their dog.
Azulée combines easily with a morning in Baie-Saint-Paul and a visit to its art galleries, just minutes away.
Aux Monts Fleuris: picking your own flowers
Pick-your-own flowers at Aux Monts Fleuris, in Notre-Dame-des-Monts. Photo: Tourisme Charlevoix.
In Notre-Dame-des-Monts, in the bucolic calm of the backcountry, Aux Monts Fleuris (92 rue Notre-Dame) is an eco-responsible flower farm. You will find an interpretation trail on floriculture, a space to picnic in the fields, pick-your-own flowers, an afternoon-tea hour and remarkable mountain views. It is a contemplative experience — you cut your own gladioli and dahlias, carry them home as a bouquet, and take away a little of the Charlevoix summer.
This farm pairs well with an outing focused on local products: our article on farmers' markets and producers lists the other addresses where you pick, taste and buy straight from the source, all across the region.
A word on planning a day: these five farms are spread across the whole territory, from Les Éboulements to Notre-Dame-des-Monts. You do not do them all in a single day. The simplest approach is to pick a sector — the river road for Alpagas Charlevoix, or the Saint-Hilarion and Saint-Urbain plateau for the emu and the sheep — and build a half-day around one or two farms, leaving time for the food stops along the way. Most are open year-round, but the lavender and the flower farm are seasonal: for Azulée and Aux Monts Fleuris, aim for July and August. Between the alpaca, the emu, the lamb, the lavender and the cut flowers, the Charlevoix backcountry reveals itself one farm at a time.
For exploring these backcountry farms, the family-friendly luxury chalet Le Littoral in Cap-à-l'Aigle, La Malbaie, makes a comfortable base — roomy enough for families and ideally placed between the river and the farmland of Charlevoix.