A beautiful place to explore the Côte-du-Sud and admire the sunsets on the riverbank

As you travel the Route des Navigateurs on the Côte-du-Sud, between Lévis and Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, you'll pass charming towns and beautiful villages. The river widens, becoming an estuary, and life here is governed by the tides. With its historical character, incredible museum, Rocher Panet campsite, and stunning sunsets, L'Islet-sur-Mer is one of my must-sees when I feel like taking a little maritime getaway near Quebec City.

The well-known Rocher Panet campsite is located near the quayside in L'Islet-sur-Mer. It's synonymous with vacations for the seasonal workers who settle there. For travelers, it's a welcome stopover, for one or more nights, to admire the scenery, breathe in the salt air, and explore the surrounding area by car, bike, or even sea kayak.

The advantage of this campground is that many of the campsites for travelers offer views of the river, the L'Islet quay, the legendary Panet Rock and its iron cross, and the sandbars. They are highly sought-after.

Beautiful pool!

During the (hot!) day, the place is lively: the beautiful pool echoes with the joyful cries of children. Nearby, tennis, pickleball, basketball, bocce ball, and washers players are having a great time. Many campers also ride their bikes.

Late in the afternoon, the tide rises, slowly but surely. The smell of meat grilling on the BBQ fills the air, and the cooks are busy at their griddles: hungry campers are in for a treat!

Migratory Bird Sanctuary

After dinner, a local ritual: people gather on the dock to chat and admire the sunset. The view of the misty, blue Charlevoix Mountains is picturesque. Baie-Saint-Paul and the famous profile of La Noyée are easily recognizable in the mountains to the east.

I see a bald eagle flying by, heading for L'Isle-aux-Grues. Did you know? The L'Islet wharf, the Quai road, and the marsh are part of the 59-hectare Migratory Bird Sanctuary, an area protected by the Government of Canada.

View of the sunset

On the campsite, a select few have a direct view of the setting sun. There's also a small, secret access point between sites 100 and 101, where two benches and a swing are set up especially for campers, without trespassing on other campers' sites.

Near the wharf, Havre du Souvenir Park is a popular gathering place. It offers a few parking spaces, the Fiesta sur mer! restaurant-terrace , picnic tables, and a boat launch for small boats. The festival and concert calendar is well-stocked.

Peaceful nights

However, the late evenings are quiet. The campsite, which has a gated entrance, is truly peaceful (thankfully, as the neighbors aren't far away!).

The powerful lights of the municipal tennis court go out at 9:30 p.m. The campers' favorite games stop. The visitors leave. We occasionally hear a quack-quack in the sandbank and, at regular intervals, the whistle of the train passing near Highway 20.

By the campfire, it's time to watch the moonset and the strange ballet of fireflies in the hay on the sandbars. I look at the sky: in a few minutes, three shooting stars zap in blue-green near the Big Dipper. I make wishes.

Camping Rocher Panet 10, route du Quai L'Islet-sur-Mer, Qc G0R 2B0 To book: 418 247-3193 or lislet.com

Practical information:

The reception desk is open from 10:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. in low season and from 10:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. in high season.

Check-in time: from 1:30 p.m.

Departure time: no later than 11:30 a.m.

Land for RVs and tents (2 services and 3 services).

There are sites reserved for cycle tourists (tent + bike).

Several sites are shaded, but those in the Rue de l'Îlot area are in full sun.

Bring a 30A adapter.

For some sites, you must enter from the front, even with a trailer, due to the layout of the campsite and the connection points for services (check the campsite map before booking).

Note this rule: "If the parking direction is not respected, the customer will inevitably have to park in the correct direction, and in the event of a customer refusal, the customer could be evicted."

There are two ready-to-camp pods , one of which offers a view of the river.

Ask reception for the Wi-Fi code.

Showers are free.

To access the swimming pool, you must obtain an access bracelet from reception.

Two pets are allowed per site and must be kept on a leash at all times.

Tide tables: tides.gc.ca

• Marie-France Bornais is a journalist and author of several travel guides published by Éditions de l'Homme.
• She wrote the best-selling Camping in Quebec and the practical guide Camping 101 , as well as the American Escapades guide (Vermont, New Hampshire, UpState New York).
• She is the winner of the TMAC “Best travel book” award, second place in Canada, for Camping in New Brunswick .
• She presents lectures and talks about camping.

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