Ride, Ride, Ride Your Bike, Gently By the Stream… Distances indicated are approximate
Tours for those who believe you should never go on vacation from cycling.
Make sure your “steed” is in top shape before you go.
Impressive panoramas featuring mountains and the sea.
Les caps de Charlevoix
Route 360 East (towards Saint-Féréol-les-Neiges).
Route 138 East (60 km / 36 miles from the Val-des-Neiges).
Go down Route 360 East that runs alongside Mont-Sainte-Anne. A few
steep climbs and thrilling descents later, you will arrive at the
intersection of Route 138 East to Saint-Tite-des-Caps, 20 km (12 miles)
away. The scenery changes from fields to untamed forest and rocky
mountains, and is certainly among the most beautiful landscape in
the province. Keep your eyes peeled for deer or moose that have come
to gawk at the human “wildlife”, just like we do with
them. As you speed down the steep coastal road towards Baie-Saint-Paul,
a delightful village nestled in a deep valley, you will feel like
the entire Charlevoix region is welcoming you with open arms! Sidewalk
cafés, bistros, snack bar and grocery store. Be sure to take
a stroll on the old wharf.
You want more? Continue down Route 138 East towards the
hinterland of the impressive Charlevoix region, or head for the
sea by following Route 362 East, also known as the Tour
Along the St. Lawrence towards Isle-aux-Coudres. During your journey,
you will discover the quaint coastal villages by the banks of the
river. Belvederes, magnificent scenery and sandy beaches.
Tour Along the St. Lawrence
To Baie-Saint-Paul
(60 km / 36 miles from the Val-des-Neiges Hotel).
362 East Towards Isle-aux-Coudres
(20 km / 12 miles from Baie-Saint-Paul).
Ride past the fields until you reach Éboulements, then go down
to Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive to get to the sea and your ultimate destination:
Isle-aux-Coudres. The ferry to the island is free; the trip to the
island only takes 15 minutes. Isle-aux-Coudres, a delightful, natural
treasure nestled between the sea and the mountains, is very popular
with amateur bike tourists. The island has gentle slopes and lush,
green fields, with a few belvederes, sea gulls, historical wind mills
and monuments sprinkled for good measure. Located halfway between
Charlevoix and the South Shore, Isle-aux-Coudres developed its maritime
heritage through necessity, but the hospitality of its residents comes
from within.
From Baie-Saint-Paul
(60 km / 36 miles from the Val-des-Neiges Hotel).
Route 362 East Towards Saint-Irénée
(40 km / 24 miles from Baie-Saint-Paul).
Follow the road through the fields until you reach Éboulements,
a village famous for its artisans’ shops and pretty, century-old
homes built on a steep slope. Once you reach the top of the slope,
your efforts will be rewarded by the picturesque view. From here,
the St. Lawrence seems wider and a much richer blue. If quiet hamlets
are more your cup of tea, then travel the back roads at your leisure;
you won't be disappointed. Be sure to bring a snack with you because
you will not find a restaurant in these small communities.
A little farther down Route 362 East, you can admire the view of the
St. Lawrence River as the road winds down to Saint-Irénée
beach, a popular hangout for people of all ages. Snack bar, restrooms
and corner store nearby.
From Baie-Saint-Paul
(60 km / 36 miles from the Val-des-Neiges Hotel).
Route 362 East Towards Pointe-au-Pic
(50 km / 30 miles from Baie-Saint-Paul).
You will see grassy plateaus and abrupt cliff faces during this portion
of the Tour Along the St. Lawrence. Admire scenery that looks like
a postcard, such as those appearing in the tourism brochures for Charlevoix,
brought to life. Stop to take a better look of Pointe-au-Pic near
the Casino de Charlevoix, ancestral homes and vast estates with English
gardens. Wharf, boardwalk and park near the sea. Restrooms, drinking
water and picnic tables.
Hinterland Bike Tour
From Baie-Saint-Paul
(60 km / 36 miles from the Val-des-Neiges Hotel).
Route 138 East towards La Malbaie
(50 km / 30 miles from Baie-Saint-Paul).
Don’t let the flat appearance of Baie-Saint-Paul deceive you,
as the road climbs quite steeply up one of the most daunting slopes
in the Charlevoix region after the intersection with Route 381 North
that leads to the Parc national des Grands-Jardins, 30 km (18 miles)
away. This superb provincial park has a bike path running through
the woods [lien vers 3.2.1]. The scenery along this roadway is less
lush than the “Bike Tour Along the St. Lawrence”, as the
fields end at the foot of the Laurentians. In the distance, you can
see the rocky peaks of the mountains in the Parc national des Grands-Jardins.
Your itinerary will take you through a few rural villages, including
Saint-Hilarion and Saint-Aimé-des-Lacs (to get to the road
leading to the Parc des Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie
about 35 km / 21 miles away). The last leg of this tour has you follow
the Malbaie River down to the St. Lawrence.
