Canada, Québec: Saguenay & Charlevoix Bike Tour

DAY 1:

Arrival and independent exploration of Québec City.

Arrive at Québec City at your leisure. Your pre-arranged room awaits, and your guide(s) will meet you early tomorrow morning to begin cycling. You can enjoy the art shops, galleries, historical quarters, and cafes of Old Québec. Other highlights include the Musée de la Civilisation, Le Château Frontenac and La Citadelle de Québec (North America’s largest fort).

DAY 2:

Québec City to Isle-aux-Coudres and Baie-Saint-Paul. ~45km.

Meet in Quebec City this morning for a 90-minute transfer to Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive, and the 11:30 ferry to Isle-aux-Coudres. This quiet island boasts 23km of cycling paradise. You can visit a windmill museum, or an award-winning orchard to taste their rare ice cider. Have lunch at the bistro, then take the 15-minute ferry back to Saint- Joseph, and ride the 20km to Baie-Saint-Paul and its charms.

Meal Inclusions: Dinner.

DAY 3:

Baie-Saint-Paul to La Malbaie. ~55km.

450 million years ago, an asteroid 2km in diameter crashed into earth, leaving concentric rings as an impact structure here. Although it is shallow and barely discernible today without looking at topo maps, your ride does take you along and through the central crater to the seaside town of La Malbaie, known as “the first vacation spot in Canada”, from where you will bike around the interior of a 54 km diameter meteor crater formed 350 million years ago. Enjoy true 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!

Meal Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

DAY 4:

La Malbaie to the Saguenay Fjord. ~109km.

A nice long ride today takes you along the coast, first through Cap-a-l’Aigle - one of the prettiest villages in Quebec, then along the coast as far as Saint Simeon before turning inland for a ride through delightfully rural Quebec and along the Petite Saguenay River to the real one in the Saguenay Fjord.

Meal Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

DAY 5:

L’Anse-Saint-Jean to La Baie. ~73km.

Your first stop today will be at the Saguenay Fjord National park, where picnic tables on the water make a pleasant viewpoint over the fjord from beneath its walls. The ride continues to your inn, also looking over the fjord near the town of Saguenay.

Meal Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

DAY 6:

Saguenay to Sainte-Rose-du-Nord, continue cycling to Tadoussac, ~97km.

A leisurely start this morning - a short ride to the ferry that will take you across the fjord to Sainte-Rose-du-Nord, giving you some great views of the steep mountains on either side. There is a steep climb out of Sainte-Rose, but it's rewarded by a picnic lunch and a long, gently-rolling road, predominantly downhill, to Tadoussac, where your exceptional hotel awaits.

Meal Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch.

DAY 7:

Hiking ~8km; with optional afternoon activities available.

Guided groups will be led on the intermediate 8km hike from Tadoussac up a steady climb to the Adéla-Lessard mountain lookout and back. The broad sloping rock slabs are a wonderful spot to rest and take in the view of the mouth of the fjord. Energetic hikers can continue from the lookout a further 9km on the hilly trail to Cap de la Boule (a transfer will be arranged for your return to Tadoussac). An earlier return to Tadoussac will allow time for optional activities like sea kayaking, whale watching, zodiac excursions, a short ride (14km) to see the amazing riverside Sand Dunes of Tadoussac, or just to linger in the village.

Meal Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

DAY 8:

Return to Quebec City, ~12km.

Following breakfast, you will be transferred to Boischatel, where you can walk the suspension bridge, take a cable car, a zipline, or a via ferrata to view the Montmorency Falls. There are 487 steps on the staircase to the top, where the views of the 270-foot falls are amazing. Have lunch at one of the bistros there, then cycle the last 12km into the heart of Old Quebec City where your adventure concludes mid-afternoon.

Meal Inclusions: Breakfast.