The Manoir Richelieu hotel and country inns of Charlevoix are familiar to visitors, but the private world of the summer houses and gardens of the area remains mysterious for most. In this new book in the Mendel Guides series, authors François Tremblay, David Mendel and Judy Bross provide a fascinating history and exploration of summer resort life in the region. Short informative texts, captivating stories and anecdotes are illustrated with historic images and more than 100 new photographs by Luc-Antoine Couturier of summer homes, their gardens, and the magnificent Charlevoix landscape. You are invited to take a vicarious tour of some of these hidden properties that date from the golden era of summer resort life, when prominent Canadian and American visitors, including the President of the United States, William Howard Taft, arrived by steamboat to spend their vacations in the summer homes they built. Discover a remarkable heritage that is very much worth preserving.