Québec: Montréal to Ottawa Laurentians Bike

6 nights and 7 days of easy cycling between Montréal and Ottawa on paved and unpaved rail trails, bike paths, and quiet country roads.

The Laurentian Mountains north of Montréal provide a gorgeous scenic backdrop for a ride through valleys and forests, past fresh water lakes and pristine rivers. On this ride, you can savour the scenery without having to challenge the big hills! Le P’tit Train du Nord is a restored rail bed converted into a bike path that cuts through the heart of the Laurentians. It reaches north from Montréal through Mont Tremblant and well into rural Quebéc, from where you will descend toward Ottawa, enjoying the delightful bike paths through La Vallée-de-la-Gatineau and the splendour of Gatineau Park. This ride takes you through many picturesque villages, and includes many opportunities to swim in gorgeous lakes and refreshing rivers as you cycle from one unique inn to the next. It finishes by following the delightfully traffic-free bike routes into the capital’s core, where you can visit the Canadian Mint, Parliament Buildings, the Museum of Civilization, the War Museum, or the National Gallery. We recommend planning extra time in Ottawa at the end of your adventure to take in some of the capital’s world-class museums, galleries, festivals, restaurants, and performances. This ride in Canada’s heartland connects two vibrant cities with a week of riding in bucolic beauty, with stops in very charming villages. We look forward to sharing both the peace and the excitement with you.

Day 1:  55km/33 miles
Meet your guides at 09:00 in Montréal, ready to ride. Transfer about 45 minutes north to Blainville where you will warm up your legs on the Basses-Laurentides bike path. At St. Jerome, you will start following Le P’tit Train du Nord. First stop is Val-David, where you can visit galleries of renowned local and international artists. You will cycle through lush forests and may swim often in the many lakes and rivers alongside the bike path. Tonight you will be treated to authentic Québécois cuisine. LD (Meal inclusions provided for guided trips; self-guided trips include breakfast only unless otherwise noted) (Tonight’s dinner is also included on self-guided trips).
Auberge Prema Shanti; or
La Maison de Bavière; or
Gîte Café Plumard, Val-David

Day 2: 53km/32 miles
Ride through the villages of Saint-Agathe-des-Monts, Saint-Foustin-Lac-Carré, and Saint Jovite before arriving at the pedestrian village of old Mont Tremblant. In the winter, it is a famous ski resort, but in summer Tremblant blooms with award winning municipal gardens and plenty of activities to help keep your energy high. This afternoon you can explore some optional activities such as golfing on one of six fantastic courses (pre-booking often required), hiking on one of many trails of varying degrees of difficulty, taking a gondola ride the summit of Tremblant where you can admire the panoramic view from 2871 feet, sliding down the mountain on the alpine luge, or visiting Lac Tremblant where you can swim, paddle or just lounge on the beach. From Tremblant, you can continue riding (or take a ride in the van) to La Conception and your cozy lodging in a beautiful garden setting. Your meal tonight will be prepared from local ingredients collected from the areas plentiful farms. BL
Le Pimbina; or
Auberge le Voyageur, Mont-Tremblant

Day 3: 49km/30 miles
Today’s leisurely ride follows the paved trail along a lake and toward Haute-Laurentides and Nominingue. This village of 2500 is surrounded by lakes and rivers, and is adjacent to the wild beauty of the Rouge-Matawin and Papineau-Labelle Wildlife Reserves. The “feel” is beautiful. Local artists exhibit their work to cyclists every summer at the Canadian Pacific Railway station, and more locally prepared cuisine is your delicious reward for the day. BD
Le Provincialart; or
Auberge Chez Ignace, Nominingue 

Day 4: 55km/33 miles
Cycle to the terminus of le P’tit Train du Nord at Mont-Laurier, then transfer ~40km/24 miles to Ferme-Neuve, and a luxurious and picturesque resort on the remote shores of the Baskatong Reservoir. Energetic cyclists may choose to ride from Mont-Laurier into the wild of the Laurentians. Your resort is next to and the midst of Mont Diable, your playground for the next two nights.  BLD
Le Village Windigo, Ferme-Neuve

Day 5: Up to 125km/75 miles
Spend the day cycling or hiking on up to 125km of well marked and maintained trails surrounding Montagne du Diable and the Baskatong Reservoir. Your guide will lead you on a day trip from Le Windigo, or you can choose to spend the day independently. Other alternative activities include, beach time, paddling and various water sports, yoga, pétanque, or simply relaxing by the lake with a good book and a cool drink. BD
Same lodging

Day 6: 76km/46 miles from Maniwaki to Low, and 20 minute transfer to Wakefield.
Start your day with an early transfer from Ferme-Neuve (~80km) to Maniwaki, then cycle along the scenic Gatineau Valley paved bike path to Low. From there, it’s a short 20 minute transfer into Wakefield. You may have the unique chance to enjoy evening music performances at the infamously popular Black Sheep Inn (to see who is playing when you’ll be visiting, check out: www.theblacksheepinn.com). BLD (Tonight’s dinner is also included on self-guided trips).
The Wakefield Mill Spa & Inn; or
Le Grange Country Inn, Wakefield

Day 7: Champlain Lookout to Ottawa
First stop of the day is Champlain Lookout in Gatineau Park, from where the views of Ottawa River are simply splendid. Ride down to the river, savouring the unusual beauty of the park. Follow the river on paved bike paths along side local commuters and visitors from around the world. Cross Champlain Bridge into downtown Ottawa and continue past the Canadian Mint, Parliament Buildings, and Museum of Civilization. Finish with a lunch at the National Gallery. You can choose to stay on and explore the nation’s capital independently, or take the optional transfer to Montréal, arriving by 17:00. BL

Start:	Montréal, 09:00, day one at Hotel Gault. Earlier pickups elsewhere in Montréal can be arranged with prior notification.
Finish:	Ottawa, 14:00, day seven at the National Gallery. Optional free transfer to Montréal’s Trudeau airport by 17:00.
Guided Cost:	$2795 (per person, includes 7 days, 6 nights, 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners, luggage handling, maps and route notes, van and full-time guide)
Self-Guided Cost:	$2595 (includes 7 days, 6 nights, 6 breakfasts, luggage transfers, maps and route notes, essential transfers, and emergency support)
Single Occupancy:	$745
Bicycle Rental:	Hybrid: $145
2013 Guided Dates:	Jun 23-29; Jul 7-13; Jul 21-27; Aug 4-10 (FULL); Aug 18-24; Sep 1-7; Sep 15-21; Oct 13-19. Add your own dates (learn more)
Self-Guided Dates:	You choose! We confirm within 48 hours.
Extend your stay:	Both Montréal and Ottawa warrant extra time; the attractions of each city are too numerous to list here. In Montréal, we recommend a visit to the Jean-Talon Market to collect supplies for a picnic at Mont Royal where there are often concerts and festivals taking place. In Ottawa, we like the Musuem of Civilization and the Canadian War Musuem. You can try to coordinate your visit with one of the many summer festivals. Ottawa also has many cycling trails.

All details and pricing are subject to change without notice.  5% sales tax applies, but a 50% refund will be applied for non-Canadians.