Our History

Since 1978, owner and chef Guy Blain, his wife, Manon and their children, have shared their culinary savoir-faire with their guests at L'Orée du Bois.

The building which house the restaurant are those of a farm built at the beginning of the century. Their rusty color formely obtained from oxblood is traditional. Traditional too is the form of the roof which curiously is due to a distant influence of François mansart, great-uncle and teacher of the famous superintendant of King Louis XIV!

The reproductions in the Arcimboldo dining room are surrealist in inspiration. They were created from the works of the Renaissance painter Guiseppe Arcimboldo who, in his portraits, invites the eye to break down and reconstruct strange hybrids from every realm of nature. THe reproductions in the bar are of works by contemporary artists Magritte and Edward C. Pardee. As for the older objects in the bar (a Kub bouillon tim, a Brun cookie tin, no. 284, "returnable for 2 francs if in good condition", a coffee mill and a rock-salt grinder), they belonged to Guy Blain's parents and grand-parents. The chesnut-wood "couade", a kind of ladle, was used to dip water from a pail.

In the Portrait dining room are classical portraits inspired by Rembrandt, Georges de la Tour, Veronese, Murillo.

The Breughel dining room is entirely devoted to the Flemish artists Pierre Breughel the Elder and Pierre Breughel the Younger (1525-1569 and 1564-1638).

The musical accompaniment, about which you can obtain more information in the entryway, is a potpourri of French music. It is composed of works ranging from folkloric to classical; from the concertina (the accordion of the dancehalls on the banks; from popular successes of Chevalier, Piaf, and Trenet to the operettas of Offenbach or tunes found in the oral tradition of Gaspésie.

The curtains are of traditional lace from Le Puy, a town in Central France. The lamps as well as the etched glass of the entry door are by Alain Lavoie, master-glassworker.

A Breath of Fresh Air at L’Orée du Bois

Chelsea – Monday, April 27, 2009 – L’Orée du Bois’s family is increasing.  Manon and Guy Blain, founders of the restaurant, have taken as associates their daughter, Christelle and their faithful chef of twelve years, Jean-Claude Chartrand, and his wife, Josée.

The warm and romantic atmosphere, which makes L’Orée du Bois the restaurant that is so appreciated by its clientele, continues to pervade inside its walls. The fundamental values based on the respect of employees and of the clientele are perpetuated.  The restaurant offers a fine regional cuisine, and it will keep the same gastronomic repertoire, while adding some touches of originality.

Bordering Gatineau Park, L’Orée du Bois attracts nearly 30,000 clients per year. This former farm with a rustic style, rated three stars by the Guide Debeur, is listed among the best restaurants in Quebec.  The team is composed of approximately thirty employees who all share the same desire to offer an outstanding service. The interior decoration, where the omnipresent material is wood, offers a pleasant sight of artwork reproductions from famous painters.

L’Orée du Bois is always ready to greet its clients who are served in a friendly way by this large family.