Whether you are a nature lover, a whale watcher, a music fan, a history buff or an adventurer, you are promised memorable moments in this region of ‘la belle province’.
The region of Saguenay & Lac-Saint-Jean is so vast that for generations, people have called it "the Kingdom"! The Saguenay is a unique sanctuary of culture, history and beauty. The landscapes are breathtaking and you will be amazed at the size of the fjord; one of the world’s oldest geological formations the fjord is also one of the worlds longest. With views of Mont Valin to the north and the Laurentians to the south, the Fjord Route is a surprising panorama rich with discoveries and warm welcoming people. Starting at Tadoussac and the salt water of the St. Lawrence, you will cycle towards the fresh water source at Lac St. Jean along the length of the Saguenay River where the waters blend together, a defining characteristic of fjords. Since the densities of these waters are different due to their salinity and temperature, the warmer freshwater originating from Lac Saint-Jean slips over the denser cold seawater of the Saint Lawrence River.
2009 Guided Dates: Jun 21-28; Jun 28-Jul 5; Jul 26-Aug 2; Aug 30-Sep 6; Sep 27-Oct 4. New Dates can be added or start a group. Call for updates. Custom groups any time.
Tour Highlights: Lots of swimming stops, exquisite French cuisine, quiet roads, wonderful culture, and beautiful scenery.
Route Notes: This is an easier trip than most, predominantly on paved roads and fairly level terrain. The distances are not short, but van support will be abundant.
Tour starts: Auberge Saint Antoine, 8 Rue Saint-Antoine, Quebec City. 10:00 day one.
Tour finish: Quebec City Airport 12:00 or Auberge Saint Antoine 13:00 Day seven.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Quebec City to Desbiens. 10:00 pick up in Quebec City for a 3-hour transfer to Lac Saint-Jean. After a late lunch, you become familiar with your rental bikes and go for an afternoon test ride. Speleologists can follow a steep path up to explore the Fairy’s Hole cave, the northernmost show cave in the Americas. Others can discover the history of life at the mouth of the Métabetchouane River, through archaeology, at a rebuilt Hudson's Bay Company trading post at the Métabetchouan Historical and Archeological Centre. The next two days will take you through many interesting sites and villages as you explore the shores of Lac Saint-Jean. Lodging: Gîte Chez mes 2 Fils, Desbiens
Day 2: Desbiens to Saint-Félicien 56km (35mi.). Enjoy the beauty of the Lac-Saint-Jean countryside, following the lakeshore first to Val-Jalbert to visit the Historical Village. Follow the Route Verte towards Mashteuiatsh (Pointe-Bleue), a meeting place for Quebec First Nations for over a thousand years. The Pekuakamiulnuatsh warmly invite you to discover the only aboriginal community in the region. Later, you can visit our wild friends at the exceptional Zoo Sauvage in Saint-Felicien, where you are caged on a train and the animals run free. The bilingual interpretation on this ride is exceptional. Lodging: Gîte à Fleur d’Eau, Saint-Félicien.
Day 3: Saint-Félicien to Pointe-Taillon National Park 80km (50mi.) plus transfer to Ste-Rose-du-Nord. Today’s highlight is the ride around the lakeshore perimeter of Pointe-Taillon Park, an immense delta formed by the Peribonka River at the end of the last ice age. The park is home to beavers and moose. On the way there, you can stop to enjoy a picnic lunch on the shore of the Mistassini River at the “top” of Lac Saint-Jean. After exploring the delightful coastal trails in the park, there is a transfer to your chalet in Ste-Rose-du-Nord, one of the “Most Beautiful Villages in Quebec”, situated within the Saguenay Marine reserve. Lodging: Pourvoirie du Cap au Leste, Sainte-Rose-du-Nord.
Day 4: Sea kayaking, climbing, aerobatics, sailing, horseback riding, or hiking in Ste-Rose-du-Nord. This morning you will see the impressive Saguenay fjord from the best perspective–the cockpit of a sea kayak. In the afternoon, or if you prefer not to kayak, the options include rafting, horseback riding, hiking, small-plane flying, and canoeing, or aerobatics and “via ferrata” hiking in nearby Parc du Cap Jaseux. Lodging: Same as last night.
Day 5: Hiking 15km (9.5mi.). Start with a short transfer to the trailhead, and then spend a full day hiking along breathtaking cliffs and steep slopes, with the Saguenay National Park on one side and the Zec Chauvin Forest on the other. Finish in Tadoussac. Lodging: Hotel Tadoussac, Tadoussac
Day 6: Sea kayaking in the Saguenay fjord. Spend the morning kayaking in the Saguenay fjord near Tadoussac, where the Saguenay and Saint Lawrence rivers meet. Here you will paddle alongside capes, sheer cliffs and beaches, and you may spot grey seals and white beluga whales, one of six resident species of migratory whales! Later in the afternoon, a 10 km (6 mi.) bike ride will take you to some fantastic sand dunes on the shore. Lodging: Same as last night
Day 7: La Malbaie to St-Joseph-de-la-Rive 60km (37mi.), optional island ride +23km (14mi.), transfer to La Malbaie. After a short transfer along the Saint Lawrence River to La Malbaie, known as “the first vacation spot in Canada”, you will ride around the interior of a 54 km diameter crater that was formed when a 2 km diameter meteor hit the Earth 350 million years ago. Enjoy Quebecois hospitality at a café in Notre-Dame-des-Monts and take in a panoramic view of the Saint Lawrence as you approach your inn at the centre of the crater. Don’t worry; meteors rarely strike twice in the same place! This afternoon you can take a 15-minute ferry ride to l’Île-aux-Coudres and explore its solitude by bicycle (23 km). You can also visit a windmill museum or an award-winning orchard to taste their rare ice cider. Lodging: Gîte du Vacancier, Les Éboulements
Day 8: Transfer to Quebec City, visiting Montmorency Falls. Following breakfast, you will be transferred to Quebec City by noon, in time for an afternoon of exploring the Old City, or afternoon flights home. On the way, you may stop at the spectacular Montmorency Falls, or in Baie-St-Paul to taste chocolate, visit galleries, and see one of Canada’s top and tastiest cheeses being created.
Testimonials:
"There is a very deep river with a strong current that is the river and the road to the Saguenay Kingdom and lands, as was said by our two men of the country. This river is between high mountains of bare stone, where there is little soil, where a large number of trees grow in spite of this, and several species, that grow on the said bare stone as if on good soil"
(Jacques Cartier 1535)
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
- Guided Cost: C$ 2995 (US 2725) (6 nights, 6 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners, luggage handling, guide & van support, maps & route notes)
- Self-Guided Cost: C$ 2395 (US 2175) (6 nights, 6 breakfasts, luggage handling, maps & route notes)
- Bike Rental: Light hybrid/mountain - $145; Super light road - $195
Also see tour packages in:
Canada
Quebec
Outdoor: Land Rambler
Bicycle Touring
Multi-activity
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