Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive is approached from the heights, where visitors can admire the cliffs plunging into the St. Lawrence River and watch large ships, appearing tiny in the distance, make their way through the channel. The views are striking in their scale, diversity and dramatic perspectives. In 1663, a massive landslide shaped this remarkable landscape. The village stretches along a small bay between the river and the mountains, all the way to the wharf, where visitors can board the ferry to Isle-aux-Coudres. A small sandy beach offers the perfect place to relax to the rhythm of the tides. By the mid-19th century, the construction of schooners—poetically known as “water carriages”—was flourishing. By 1900, Saint-Joseph had already become a popular vacation destination. Today, the village is home to an interpretation centre dedicated to schooners, the Saint-Gilles artisanal paper mill, and the Musée maritime de Charlevoix interpretation centre.