Au Petit Poucet

Yes, that is a piggie sign hanging on the post

When we first bought our place in Mont Tremblant, a friend of mine who grew up in Montreal asked if we had been to Au Petit Poucet.  We hadn't, and she described this cute place in Val David with true Quebecois delicacies that we absolutely *had* to experience.  So we filed it away as something we'd get around to some day.  We walked by a couple of times on visits to Val David but hadn't paid a full visit.

We got a table right side the awesome fireplace

Well, we finally got around to it and it was fantastic.  The restaurant is dressed up like a vintage Quebec chalet, cosy but spacious with post and beam construction and cathedral ceilings.  The dining room is dominated by a central 4-sided fireplace that extends about 30 feet up.  Although there is plenty of seating capacity, each time we have visited the place has had a lineup ranging from a few couples to about 20 diners in our last visit.  Apparently it's less busy before 10am or after 2pm, but regardless the lines move quickly and you can spend some time in their little shop, filled with maple syrup, pies and other tasty gifts.

A bike made of saws and axes hangs by the gift shop

One of the prime items you can pick up in the gift shop is their famous smoked hams.  There's a whole deli counter full of them so be sure to pick one up.  But the main attraction is the menu...ostensibly a brunch place with a variety of breakfast plates but also a nice selection of sandwiches.  If you're after a traditional sugar shack meal, they offer that too, complete with maple syrup to pour over the entire plate.  Sugar shacks are surprisingly few and far between in the Laurentians and while I wouldn't call Au Petit Poucet a sugar shack, it's a good substitute.  Overall we really enjoyed this experience and would recommend it it you can make the 30-minute drive to Val David.

Jan 2018 Update
We were in the Val David area today and decided that Au Petit Poucet would be making dinner for us.  We stopped by their little boutique and picked up the staples of a truly Quebecois dinner: the famous smoked ham, pork 'n' beans, and sugar pie for dessert.  For the record, we will include vegetables.