Quebec riviera soothes the soul
hyperbole is no more than simple truth. Le Manoir is a 405-room extravaganza, a turreted grey stone structure extending elegantly up the hill with a private dock along the riverbank.
The region is a protected Unesco Biosphere, a landscape formed millions of years ago by a rogue meteorite and pretty well untouched by man since. Just north of La Malbaie is Cap-aux-oies (Cape Goose), with a row of pretty riverside timber houses boasting surely one of the most memorable views in the world, across the vast estuary to the distant Charlevoix Massif mountain range.
To the south of Le Manoir, I visit the village of Baie-saint-paul, Charlevoix’s Montmartre and Canada’s Cultural Capital 2007. Surrounded by cafés, shops and art galleries to fit every purse, I sit on the terrace of the iconic, Victorian-style Auberge La Muse restaurant and inn and soak up the ambience.
La Muse boasts that a stay here will “soothe your soul”. Following a week on the St Lawrence riviera, that neatly sums up my state. IT HAS been 15 years since James Cameron’s Titanic launched Kate Winslet and Leonardo Dicaprio into film stardom. Next week the Oscar-winning blockbuster is re-released in 3D with Leo (inset) now an established Hollywood heartthrob.
He’s still a mummy’s boy at heart though, spending quality time with mother Irmelin in Miami’s South Beach last week.
With its vast, white-sand beaches, palm tree-lined sidewalks and mild weather all year round, Miami is a fantastic place to kick back and relax. The Art Deco district, which includes Ocean Drive, Collins Avenue and Washington Avenue, is a patchwork of colourful buildings, many neon lit at night.
Hotels here are some of the most stylish in the world, including the Delano on Collins Avenue which boasts Philippe Starck furniture and works by artists such as Salvador Dalí.
Leo and Irmelin also visited the Vizcaya Museum & Gardens. The Italian-inspired, 50-acre estate overlooking Biscayne Bay boasts antiques dating from the 15th century, an orchidarium and great walks among the tropical foliage and decorative fountains. BA Holidays (0844 493 0758/ba.com) offers three nights at the Delano from £849pp (two sharing), room only. Price includes return BA flights from Heathrow. Book by April 11 for travel between May 1 and June 22, 2012. Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau: 020 8877 4523/ miamiandbeaches.com