A rare business open all year round in the picturesque village of Kamouraska, the cozy Chez Casgrain, a small café tucked away from the main street, is a real haven of peace — and caffeine! — in the heart of the village, otherwise almost deserted, during our visit, earlier in the winter.
With its large windows that provide plenty of sunshine, its green plants in abundance and its soft music, you immediately feel welcomed. And well served: here, everything is homemade (even the bagels!), the coffee comes from a roaster in Rimouski (Chapeau Mustache), and we work with local producers (herbal teas, chocolate, etc.).
Open since last summer, by Elaine Bossé and her husband Blake Love, the business is in fact a family affair. Elaine grew up in the magnificent historic house next door, the former La Belle Blanche inn, built by a certain Pierre Casgain, which was, for the record, first a general store, then a bank. His room (at the back of the main house) also belongs to his parents.
“When the chocolate factory [La Fée gourmande] that was here moved, I saw an opportunity to come back to the area and open a café,” she says. It was missing: a space to gather and socialize. We are also promised a terrace in the summer, and several frozen drinks!
