Published on May 28, 2019
The dynamic author of the series La vie épicée de Charlotte Lavigne, and more recently, Turbulence du cœur, is originally from Sherbrooke. She’s sharing with us her favourite places, halfway between nostalgia and discovery.
By Julie Roy
NB Due to the pandemic, some places could be closed. Inform yourself before leaving home.
Hearing. The Vieux Clocher de Magog is a performance hall that can seat 400 people. It’s here, in this intimate venue, that Nathalie Roy attended her first shows. “It’s a very intimate place. You feel as if the singer is speaking directly to you. I have many fond memories of this place.” She explains.
Taste. When she comes to Sherbrooke, it’s impossible for Nathalie not to sit down at a table of the restaurant Auguste and savour their famous upside-down poutine along with a glass of sparkling. “It was one of the first gastronomic restaurants of Sherbrooke renowned throughout Quebec. The establishment has taken the restaurant offer to another level in Sherbrooke!” Chef Danny St-Pierre doesn’t work there anymore but Anik Beaudoin is still the owner; “And it’s still just as delicious as ever!” adds the author.
Smell. “There is no more sublime aroma than the scent of the forest,” says Nathalie Roy. And this is what we can experience when we spend a night in a yurt, in Piopolis, a small town near Lac-Mégantic, at Hébergement aux Cinq Sens. “Each season has its own aromas. Spring smells of wet leaves, summer sends out a flowery bouquet; Autumn holds earthier scents, whereas winter fills our nostrils with glacial fragrances.”
Vision. In Sherbrooke, one of the view points offering lovely panoramas while taking advantage of the tranquility of the site, can be found at the Beauvoir Sanctuary. “It’s nearby where I was brought up. I used to go for walks there with my mother and sister and it makes me feel somewhat nostalgic.” The hundred-year-old sanctuary has a quiet pathway allowing visitors to reflect surrounded by nature.
Touch. In the middle of summer, Nathalie loves to drift down a river or on a lake, letting her hand gently float through the water. “My favourite spot is still a portion of the Saint-François River in the Bury sector, but also in Bishopton. There is little pollution here and we feel very close to nature.”
Nathalie Roy is currently working on a new novel which should be out next year and is published by Groupe Librex. She will also soon return to her directing work and continues to be a contributor to the Salut Bonjour Weekend morning show.
The Townships in Five Senses
The Townships in Five Senses - Véronique Grenier
The Townships in Five Senses
The Townships in Five Senses - Johanne Seymour
