This adventure follows easy cycling terrain through a viscerally French, historic area known as the Navigator’s Route. Although the roads are now paved (mostly), and well-signposted, you will follow the same path as the first explorers: Jacques Cartier, and founder of Quebec city Samuel de Champlain.
The gently rolling, quiet country roads on the southern shore of the mighty Saint Lawrence River takes you to quaint Quebecois villages including 5 of the ‘25 Most Beautiful Villages in the Province.’ You will rest in truly unique places, from a lighthouse on Île Verte, to a cozy, wood-floored mansion set in beautiful gardens. In Trois Pistoles, when the fog rolls in from the river, the jazz bar is a favorite retreat, and your idiosyncratic inn will charm you with its rural flair. This is where, the locals say, you can meet the devil if you go to the cross on the night of the full moon.
As you cycle along the St. Lawrence River banks, observing the shorebirds and wildlife, admiring the waterfront homes reminiscent of turn-of-the-century seaside resorts, and marveling at the traditional eel nets reaching out to sea, you might even catch a glimpse of passing whales. In the evening, you can enjoy the sun setting over the Charlevoix Mountains north of the river - rated by the National Geographic as one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world.
2009 Guided Dates: Jun 7-13; Jul 5-11; Jul 19-25; Aug 2-8; Aug 16-22; Sep 6-12; Sep 20-26. Self guided: You choose your own dates. Custom trips any time.
Tour starts: Day 1 Quebec City Airport at 15:30 or Auberge Saint Antoine www.saint-antoine.com 8 Rue Saint-Antoine at 16:00.
Tour finish: Day 7 Quebec City Airport 17:30 or Auberge Saint Antoine at 17:00.
Route Notes: This is an easier trip than most, on a mix of paved and unpaved roads and fairly level terrain. The distances are not short, but van support will be abundant. Expect to ride on hard pack gravel and dirt roads on Ile Vert, well suited for hybrid bicycles. Highlights include the cuisine – bakeries and delicious food throughout the tour; the island – always a hit, the scenery and the people.
Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Quebec City to La Pocatière. The tour starts with a late afternoon complementary transfer (90 minutes) from the Quebec City Airport or Auberge Saint Antoine to La Pocatiere; gateway to Bas Saint Laurent. Introductions and bike familiarization will precede dinner. Dinner included on guided trips only. Lodging: Le Diablo Vert, La Pocatière or La Chevriere, La Pocatière.
Day 2: La Pocatiere to Kamouraska 50km (31 mi) + options. Follow quiet country roads to St Pacôme, the first of several of Quebec province’s “25 most beautiful villages” you will ride through this week. Follow the banks of the St. Lawrence, one of the biggest rivers in the world, to Kamouraska, famous for its medieval festival and the archipelago off its shores. The water retreats so far at low tide that some of the islands can be reached on foot. Try not to get caught by the rising tide, or you’ll spend the night alone! Breakfast is included. Lunch included on guided trips. Lodging: La Grande Voile, Kamouraska.
Day 3: Kamouraska to Notre Dame du Portage 48km (30 mi). Leave Kamouraska for some coastal and rural riding to St André. Stop for lunch at ‘les Battures Ecologiques’, and enjoy a spectacular view of the Laurentian Mountains. Follow the flow of the river to Notre Dame-du-Portage, another of ‘the Most Beautiful Villages in Quebec’, and the end of the great canoe portage between the St. Lawrence River and Acadia - the Maritime Provinces. Breakfast and dinner included on both guided and self-guided trips. Lunch also included on guided trips. Lodging: Auberge du Portage or Le P’tit Paradis, Notre Dame du Portage.
Day 4: Notre Dame du Portage to Île Verte 40 km (25mi) + options. Today’s ride takes you to Cacouna, another of the Beautiful Villages. It’s name derived from an Indian word for “land of the porcupine’’. Along the coast, you may catch sight of the whales frequently seen offshore. Better viewing is sometimes the reward as you cross the ferry to step back in time on Île Verte, an island of 45 inhabitants. You will stay in the oldest lighthouse keeper’s residence in the province. The island is renowned for its salt marsh lamb, raised by a resident non-profit co-op. The salt marsh gives the meat a distinctive flavor, unique but similar to that of lamb raised on the salt flats near Mont St. Michel in Brittany, France. Breakfast included. Dinner included on guided trips. Lodging: La Maison du Phare, Île Verte or alternative.
Day 5: Ile Verte to Trois Pistoles 55km (35mi) + options. Enjoy the peaceful roads of Île Verte, then take the ferry back to the mainland and cycle to Trois-Pistoles, marked by the tall steeple of the enormous church of Notre Dame-des-Neiges. Cycle the green forest path to see waterfalls, then follow the Trois Pistoles River back to the St. Lawrence. Stop at the government wharf to take in the view of Île aux Basques, where Basque fishermen rendered whale fat long before Jacques Cartier was here. Breakfast included. Lunch included on guided trips. Lodging: Auberge le Bocage des 2 Gamins, Trois-Pistoles.
Day 6: Trois Pistoles to Le Bic 60 km (38mi). Inland exploration of The Basque Highlands, followed by a stop to stock up on local specialties such as maple-based drinks. Enjoy the spectacular look off on your way to Saint Fabien, home to the wild falcons frequently seen flying from the cliffs. Then cycle to the village of Bic, and enjoy the miles of hiking/biking trails in Le Bic Provincial Park. Breakfast included. Lunch and dinner included on guided trips. Lodging: Le Mange Grenouille, Bic.
Day 7: Le Bic exploration, or optional trip to Reford Gardens, followed by a return to Quebec City by approximately 5:00pm. Breakfast is included.
Accommodation:
We have selected inns of the highest possible standards, and endeavor to secure rooms with private bathrooms for all guests. In a few villages on this adventure, there are no inns with private washrooms for each room, in which case we try to reserve the entire inn for your exclusive use. Nonetheless, on some nights you may have to share a bathroom with other Freewheeling guests. If you are uncomfortable with this, we will try to make alternative arrangements for you. Please discuss this with us when booking.
Testimonials:
"Inns were better than expected. Liked them for different reasons, but all were warm, welcoming, comfortable. View, decor, attention to detail, personal attention of hosts, unique character and atmosphere are among things we liked. Each day, a pleasant surprise awaited us what would our inn be like?:
(Sam & Marcy H., CT)
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
- Guided Cost: C$ 2495 (US$ 2275) p.p. dbl. occ. (6 nights, 6 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners, ferry to Isle Verte, luggage handling, guide & van support, maps & route notes)
- Self-Guided Cost: C$ 2195 (US$ 1995) p.p. dbl. occ. (6 nights, 6 breakfasts, 1 dinner, luggage handling, transfers where necessary, 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
Ecotourism
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