Approaching the
“Castle on the Cliff,”
we felt we were
stepping back in time.
My wife and I are partial to the old
elegant hotels that were Canadian
Pacific and changed to Fairmont upon
purchasing that hotel group.
Approaching the “Castle on the Cliff,”
we felt we were stepping back in time.
Starting in the 1850s, riverboat trips
from Montreal, up the St. Lawrence
River, to the town of Pointe-au-Pic
became very popular. By the 1890s,
large estates had been built in the
Charlevoix area. Especially one
organization, the Richelieu & Ontario
Navigation Company, turned this resort
town into Quebec’s number one resort.
From 1894 to 1898, the company’s
president, Louis Forget, conceived and
developed a plan for a great hotel on
the riverside cliffs of Pointe-Au-Pic.
Completely constructed of wood, the
first Manoir opened on June 15, 1899.
With 250 guest rooms, bathrooms
providing both fresh and sea water,
and, of course, the majestic St.
Lawrence view, the hotel was truly a
sight to behold. As with other hotels in
the area, it would be accessible only by
river, not land, travel.
In the first 30 or so years of the 20th
century, Le Manoir Richelieu drew many
prominent guests. Tourists who stayed
nearby often visited, to dine and explore
the hotel’s surroundings. To continue to
provide top-notch services for its guests,
the Manoir built a nearby golf course,
which opened on June 18, 1925. Its design
was intended to let players take in the
magnificent view of both the St. Lawrence
and the Laurentian Mountains. The course
soon developed a reputation as one of the
most beautiful in the world.
One prominent golfer was former U.S.
President, William Howard Taft. For forty
years, from 1895 to 1935, Taft spent all his
summers in the Charlevoix area. Despite
his girth, he was an avid golfer, who often
enjoyed playing at the Club.
The great Manoir was completely
destroyed on September 12, 1928, by a
fire. Gigantic flames soon devoured the
wooden structure. However, the next day,
Canada Steamship Lines, the current
owner, announced that work would
commence immediately on a replacement
hotel.
This time, the new Manoir was made
completely of concrete. The architect
drew on designs for the Chateau Ramezay
in Montreal, such as an imposing entrance
to the hotel, along with façade towers. One
huge room combined exposed beams with
fir from British Columbia. The rough
concrete was considerably softened by
numerous windows, doors, and verandas.
An adjoining building, known as the
“casino” (not a gambling casino) would
be used for dances and showing films.
With a completely rushed timetable, the
new Manoir opened in less than one year,
on June 15, 1929.
Guests entering the rebuilt Manoir went
up a great staircase to the main lobby.
Halls off the main lobby led to a lounge,
with a fireplace showing off the coat of
arms of the famous French
politician/churchman, Cardinal Richelieu.
Now, 350 guest rooms were available for
them.
William Coverdale, President of Canada
Steamship Lines, the hotel’s owner,
prepared a display for Manoir of
paintings, engravings and other art and
crafts from France and Quebec.
Together with the majesty itself of the
structure, the Manoir Richelieu soon
gained a reputation as the most luxurious
hotel in Canada. Some called the area
surrounding the hotel as the Newport of
Canada.
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MARCh 2014 • LUXE BEAT MAGAZINE