By Go-Van
There are countless ways to explore a new destination!
Some travel for art or architecture, while others choose their next stop based on their favorite sport. While van life is often associated with breathtaking landscapes, one thing is certain—vanlifers are always on the lookout for great food! Want to savor the best local flavors along the way? Discover how culinary tourism can help you plan your ultimate road trip.
Let Your Taste Buds Lead the Way
Have you ever tried letting your stomach decide your next destination? Forget the wind, the sun, or the stars—this time, it’s your taste buds calling the shots!
Québec is home to countless producers and culinary artisans crafting delicious products that reflect the richness of our unique land. What better way to experience and celebrate them than by planning your next road trip with culinary tourism in mind? You’ll get to explore vineyards, microbreweries, farms, artisanal producers, and terroir boutiques, filling both your belly and your mind with unforgettable experiences.
Need inspiration? The Terroir et Saveurs du Québec website is the perfect tool to start planning your itinerary! You’ll find a variety of gourmet road trip ideas across the province, along with suggestions for farm visits, tastings, and agricultural activities.
A Warm Welcome for Vanlifers
If you’re like us, you love discovering new places through their flavors. There’s nothing more authentic than local cuisine and products to truly experience a region! So why not combine adventure and comfort by staying overnight at the very places where these flavors come to life?
In addition to offering agrotourism and gourmet experiences, many producers in Québec welcome vanlifers to stay on-site. All they need is a CITQ registration number to host you! The perfect plan? Arrive in the afternoon to explore the site, learn about production methods, and browse the facilities, then pick up some fresh local products to cook for dinner before spending the night in a truly unique setting.
Are you interested in the experience? The Go-Van.CLUB, a network of spaces dedicated to vanlifers, gives you access to a community of Québec producers who are delighted to welcome you and share their love of culinary tourism.
More than fifty Terroir et Saveurs du Québec members accept vans. Among them, some of our favorites include Cidrerie Milton, Domaine & Vins Gélinas, Ferme Ambrosia, Un Goût de Miel, and Verger Champêtre. There is no shortage of options—find them all here.
💡 If this is your first time spending the night at a producer’s site, here are a few things to know before you arrive:
- Don’t forget to support the producer who kindly welcomes you!
- It’s best to be self-sufficient (water, toilet, and electricity), as producers don’t always have these facilities available.
- Be sure to respect the environment by leaving no trace, disposing of your waste in designated bins, and never dumping wastewater in an unauthorized area.
- Respect others on-site: no generators!
Discovering a territory in an authentic way
When setting off on the road, we sometimes choose not to plan ahead. We adjust our itinerary and destinations as we go, giving ourselves the freedom to change our minds! Over the years, we have realized that one of the best ways to get to know a new place is by meeting the locals. They are great guides and always have the best suggestions for activities and hidden gems to discover! Sometimes, a visit to the village barber leads to finding a secluded waterfall nearby, or a latte at the local café turns into an evening around a campfire with live music.
That’s why we love culinary tourism—it allows us to connect with the locals! A visit to a producer is the start of a journey filled with gastronomic, cultural, and travel discoveries. When planning your next road trip, be sure to include a few culinary or agrotourism experiences for truly unforgettable memories. Find them all and get inspired by the Terroir et Saveurs du Québec directory.
Supporting Our Local Producers
One of the core values of the vanlife movement is supporting small local businesses throughout our road trips. To ensure the sustainability of our way of life, it’s essential for us to give back to the communities that welcome us. Buying local helps maintain the bond of trust between vanlifers and the municipalities that open their arms to us, and this relationship is incredibly valuable.
Fortunately, this habit is already deeply rooted within our community. In our most recent survey on vanlife in Québec last year, 65% of the 1,500 respondents said they spend more than $100 per week at restaurants, microbreweries, and local producers while on the road. This proves that vanlife and culinary tourism truly go hand in hand!
By traveling with a culinary tourism mindset, you’ll not only support local producers but also enjoy unique experiences. At Domaine & Vins Gélinas, we had the opportunity to taste their wines in a breathtaking setting, each one presented by a sommelier, and we even discovered a perfect wedding venue! At Un Goût de Miel, the passionate owner welcomed us personally with an incredible lunch showcasing her various products, which we could then take home from her self-service counter. There’s nothing better than hitting the road while filling both your stomach and your mind with delicious memories.
It’s easy to see the natural connection between culinary tourism and vanlife. What could be better than gathering around a great meal filled with local products to connect with fellow vanlifers? Next time you hit the road, treat yourself and let the flavors of our land and the warm hospitality of our local producers guide your journey.
