Canada, Quebec: Bas-Saint-Laurent Bike Tour
Six nights; five days of cycling on shared roads and bike paths along the Navigator’s Route, following the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River. The route includes several of “The Most Beautiful Villages of Québec” and offers a gastronomically superb experience.
“Picnic lunches were unbelievable! The creativity, variety, complete use of local foods, and quantity were indescribable!” – Mimi M.
WHY THIS TRIP?
- Easy cycling terrain following the St. Lawrence River and Quebec’s Route Verte, with challenging options in the hills that parallel the river.
- Five of Quebec’s 25 “Most Beautiful Villages of Québec.”
- An interesting variety of comfy inns, with amazing sunsets. National Geographic calls them the most beautiful in the world.
- Reford Gardens – Les Jardins des Métis.
- Old-world charm in the old city of Québec.
- Learn about the Empress of Ireland – a marine disaster of Titanic scale. You can also board a docked 300-ft submarine and climb the lighthouse at Pointe-au-Père.
- Fromageries, boulangeries, chocolatiers, cider, mead, and beer, and generally excellent cuisine.
ROUTE EXPECTATIONS:
Click here to learn about our difficulty rating system.
This is a gentle ride on a mix of shared paved roadways (Route 132), unpaved roads, and bicycle pathways. While most of the route follows the shore of the St. Lawrence River, there are some hills, and van support will be abundant. Expect to ride on hard-packed gravel and dirt roads in some places, well-suited for hybrid bicycles or e-bikes.
Daily Distance:
- 1: Arrival and independent exploration of Québec City.
- 2: Berthier-sur-Mer to Saint-Jean-Port-Joli ~52km (+200m / -190m).
- 3: Saint-Jean-Port-Joli to Kamouraska ~67km (+350m / -350m).
- 4: Kamouraska Loop ~47km (+300m / -300m).
- 5: Trois-Pistoles to Le Bic ~55km (+570m / -590m).
- 6: Le Bic to Métis-sur-Mer, up to ~74km (+85m / -100m).
- 7: Transfer and farewells.
(Click image to enlarge)
Activity Levels
The easiest routes we offer, these are generally flat and cover relatively relaxed distances. You will be comfortable riding a hybrid bike, walking in sneakers, or paddling a light kayak, and will normally have time to take many photos and enjoy extended lunches.
This is primarily an easy route, but some days may fall into the moderate category. You can expect time to stop and smell the roses, but some of the rides may be on more hilly terrain.
Requiring moderate fitness levels, these cover terrain with hills and valleys, and tend to include distances of 50-80km (30-50mi.)/day cycling, or 3-6 hours of walking per day. Most Freewheeling Adventures fall into this category, and are suitable for most ability levels.
This is primarily a moderate route, suitable for most ability levels, but some days may be a little more challenging. You can expect some long distances, and/or some big climbs/descents.
The most challenging trips, these include longer distances, bigger hills, long hikes, exposed paddling, and full days of activity. We recommend a higher degree of fitness and training to make the most of the experience.
There is also a rare double black diamond, reserved for only the most difficult adventures.
Start: Québec City, Hotel Château Laurier, day one. You will meet your guides here or at another pre-determined location at 09:30 on the morning of day two. Please contact us to arrange alternative plans if necessary.
Finish: Québec City, 14:00, day seven. Please contact us to arrange alternate plans, if necessary.
To avoid the four-hour transfer to Québec City on day seven, consider flying out from Mont-Joli (YYY). The small airport is about 25 minutes' drive from your inn and operates daily flights to Montreal (Air Canada) and Québec City (Pascan Airlines). Please contact us to arrange alternate plans, if necessary.
Meal inclusions: Listed for guided trips only, please see dates & pricing section for accurate inclusions per support level.
Please contact us to arrange alternate meeting and departure plans, if necessary.
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 cafés of Old Québec. Other highlights include the Musée de la Civilisation, Le Château Frontenac, and La Citadelle de Québec (North America's largest fort). Dining options abound—check out foodiequebec.com for inspiration and current local favorites.
Hotel Château Laurier, Québec City.DAY 2:
Berthier-sur-Mer to Saint-Jean-Port-Joli ~52km (+200m / -190m).
Meet your guides this morning after breakfast. Transfer 45 minutes to the pastoral tranquility of the Saint Lawrence's southern bank. From Berthier-sur-Mer, the paved country roads of the Route Verte lead you between the Appalachians and the Saint Lawrence River, toward the seaside town of Saint-Jean-Port-Joli. Woodcarvers and musicians frequently gather here to display their art.
Meal Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
La Belle Époque, Saint-Jean-Port-Joli.DAY 3:
Saint-Jean-Port-Joli to Kamouraska ~67km (+350m / -350m).
Your ride through Saint-Jean-Port-Joli begins along a riverside road, passing artisan and sculptor galleries and museums toward La Pocatière. Ride through St-Pacôme, the first of several of Québec's "25 Most Beautiful Villages" you'll encounter this week. You will finish in 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!
Meal Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
La Maison Aux Coquillages, Kamouraska.DAY 4:
Kamouraska Loop ~47km (+300m / -300m).
By now, you will have noticed the conical granite peaks rising incongruously from the farmland. Today's ride meanders between these 'monadnocks,' which inspire some adventurers to leave the saddle and scramble up for a view. Your route returns you to Kamouraska, where a waterfall hike and optional sea kayaking might ensure that you appreciate the comforts of this village by day's end.
Meal Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch.
Same lodging.DAY 5:
Trois-Pistoles to Le Bic ~55km (+570m / -590m).
Start with a morning transfer to Trois-Pistoles, marked by the tall steeple of the enormous church of Notre-Dame-des-Neiges. Stop at the fromagerie and at the government wharf to take in the view of Île aux Basques, where fishermen rendered whale fat long before Jacques Cartier arrived. The ride from Trois-Pistoles to Le Bic takes you through the Basque Highlands, where you can stop to stock up on local specialties such as maple-based drinks. Enjoy the spectacular lookout outside Saint-Fabien, home to wild falcons frequently seen flying from the cliffs, then cycle to the village of Bic via the trails of Le Bic Provincial Park.
Meal Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Le Mange-Grenouille, Le Bic.DAY 6:
Le Bic to Métis-sur-Mer, up to ~74km (+85m / -100m).
Ride along the waterfront through Rimouski, stopping at the lighthouse and Pointe-au-Père Maritime Museum to learn about the RMS Empress of Ireland's fate – Canada's biggest peacetime disaster, on the scale of the Titanic's, two years earlier. Continue through Sainte-Luce-sur-Mer toward another real and perhaps more peaceful highlight of the day: Les Jardins de Métis/Reford Gardens. The gardens are truly spectacular, fusing traditional garden serenity with unusual and contemporary artistic themes. You can choose to finish your cycling at the gardens or continue another 15 km beyond to your Auberge.
Meal Inclusions: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
L'Auberge du Grand Fleuve, Métis-sur-Mer.DAY 7:
Transfer and farewells.
The return transfer to Québec City takes approximately 4 hours. It departs after breakfast and will arrive in Québec City in the early afternoon. If you prefer not to transfer by van, consider flying from Mont-Joli (YYY) to either Québec City or Montreal. The small airport at Mont-Joli is about 25 minutes from your inn and operates daily flights to Montreal (Air Canada) and Québec City (Pascan Airlines).
Meal Inclusions: Breakfast.
All details and pricing are subject to change without notice.
SELECT A DATE BELOW TO RESERVE, OR START A NEW DATE
2026 DATES:
2027 DATES:
Don't see what you want?
(Inclusions & pricing are listed below)
PRICING
Our tour costs are ALL IN, including fees & taxes.
Guided: C 5995 (per person, double occupancy)
Includes 7 days, 6 nights, 6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 4 dinners, luggage handling, full-time guide and van support, maps, route instructions, hybrid bicycle rental, taxes.
Small groups or private tours, fully supported with drivers/guides and vehicles, all lodging and most meals included. Choose from existing dates or request new departures. Read more on our “What to Expect” page.
Self-Guided: C 5595 (per person, double occupancy)
Includes 7 days, 6 nights, 6 breakfasts, inn to inn luggage transfers, essential transfers as outlined in the itinerary, maps, route instructions, on-call emergency support, hybrid bicycle rental, sales tax.
Semi-supported, independent tours including welcome briefing, lodging, luggage transfers and necessary vehicle transfers. Choose from existing dates or request new departures. Read more on our “What to Expect” page.
Single Occupancy: Add C 995
Tour cost excludes airfare and travel to and from the starting point, costs for activities listed as optional, bar and beverage bills, meals not shown as included, gratuities for your driver and/or guides.
Bike Rentals:
Hybrid: Included
Flat bars. Trek FX 3 or similar, with rear rack/trunk bag. Lowstep frames available by request.
Change to Road/Gravel: C 150
Drop bars. Trek Domane AL 5 Disc, or similar, with rear rack/trunk bag.
Change to E-bike: C 300
Flat bars. Trek Verve+ 2 or similar, with rear rack/trunk bag. Lowstep frames available by request.
All details and pricing are subject to change without notice.
Please see above for accurate pricing and inclusions, unless we have proposed a customized trip for you and those details are provided in your custom proposal.
1. Choose an advertised date to join a small group, or see our Join a Group page to see where groups are already forming.
2. Pick your own dates. We will confirm quickly and are happy to talk with you as you make your choice. If you would like a private guided departure, this usually involves a surcharge depending on the details. Those who prefer to travel self-guided typically need only two participants to initiate a new date at the advertised price, and we can sometimes offer reduced rates for larger groups. Please get in touch for more information.
BEST TIMES
The best time to enjoy this tour is mid-June to October.
- Spring daytimes warm up to 10 to 20 °C (50 to 70 °F) by mid June. Note that seasonal businesses may still be closed, or on off-season hours, until late June.
- Summer, mid June to mid September, is normally 20 to 25 °C (70 to 80 °F). Freshwater and saltwater swimming is encouraged.
- Autumn, mid September to October, daytimes 10 to 20 °C range (50 to 70 °F). Nights can be chilly, but rarely down to freezing.
GET TO THE START
We suggest you plan to spend one or two nights in Québec City before or after your Freewheeling Adventure. Québec City is an UNESCO World Heritage Site, with many worthwhile attractions, restaurants, and shopping opportunities. More information about Québec.
You may also want to coordinate your trip with some of the following festivals:
Québec City Summer Festival : Québec City’s 11-day international music festival in July.
Grands Feux Loto-Québec : Pyromusical firework festival in August.
If you are arriving by air, we recommend you fly in to Québec City Jean Lesage International Airport YQB www.aeroportdequebec.com/en/. You can take a taxi to the first inn (~$35). If you are staying in a Québec City hotel before your trip begins, you may want to ask if they offer a shuttle to and from the airport. Other options include:
- Taxi Coop Québec; 418-525-5191
- Taxi Coop Sainte-Foy ; 418-653-7777
- Taxi Laurier; 418-651-2727
Another option is Montreal Pierre Elliot Trudeau International Airport YUL , but that is two+ hours’ drive from the start city of Quebec.
If you drive: Meet at your first inn. You can arrive at your convenience, and your room will be waiting. Your guides will meet you the morning of day two. It is 800km from New York, and 800km from Toronto. You can arrange parking at the inn for the week.
AFTER THE FINISH
Cycling finishes at the end of day six, at your inn near the gardens. Unless you choose to fly out from Mont-Joli airport, we transfer you back to Quebec City on the morning of day seven. The small airport at Mont-Joli is about 25 minutes from your inn and operates daily flights to Montreal (Air Canada) and Québec City (Pascan Airlines).
BEFORE AND AFTER
If you have one day:
Explore Quebec City.
See the recommendation in the “Getting to the Start” section, and call us for more detail. There is good hiking and sightseeing, for example, within half an hour at the Chutes de Montmorency. There is also an excellent one-day loop ride around Ile d-Orleans just north of Quebec city, but the bridge to the island is not bike-friendly.
Visit the Grosse Île and Irish Memorial National Historic Site.
Located 35 minutes from Quebec City, Grosse-Île is a must-see national historic site. Visiting this former quarantine station means following in the footsteps of tens of thousands of immigrants who arrived in Canada between 1832 and 1937. Accompanied by Parks Canada guides, meet period characters who will tell you about their daily lives. Grosse-Île is, without a doubt, Quebec's best-kept secret.
For more info : Grosse Île and the Irish Memorial National Historic Site
To get to Grosse-Île, you will need to take the Croisières Lachance boat in Berthier-sur-Mer or the plane from Montmagny (Air Montmagny). The schedule and duration of the visits vary depending on the carriers' packages. To find out the departure times, contact the carriers directly.
By boat:
From Berthier-sur-Mer, a private boatman, Les Croisières Lachance , will take you to Grosse-Île for a fee.
Book online:
www.croisiereslachance.com
Telephone : 418 259-2140 Toll free: 1 888 476-7734
To get to Berthier-sur-Mer from Quebec, you must take the Pierre-Laporte bridge, heading south and follow the signs for the Jean-Lesage highway (20) east towards Rivière-du-Loup. Take exit 364, towards Berthier-sur-Mer. Follow the signs for the marina.
By plane:
Air Montmagny is also authorized to transport visitors to Grosse-Île from Montmagny airport, for a fee.
www.airmontmagny.com
Telephone : 418 248-3545
To get to Montmagny from Quebec City, you must take the Pierre-Laporte Bridge, heading south and follow the signs for Highway 20 East towards Rivière-du-Loup. Take exit 378, towards Montmagny. Follow the signs for the airport.
If you have several days:
Extend your trip without leaving Quebec. You can link this tour with our Saguenay & Charlevoix Bike or Hike.
MORE READING
This adventure follows easy cycling terrain through a viscerally French, historic area known as the Navigator’s Route. Most of the roads are now paved and well-signposted as part of La Route Verte for cyclsts, but you will follow the same path as the first explorers, Jacques Cartier and Samuel de Champlain. The gently rolling, quiet country roads on the southern shore of the mighty Saint Lawrence River take you to quaint Québécois villages, including five of the ‘25 Most Beautiful Villages in the Province’, and a progression of gastronomic pleasures. As you ride your bike along the St. Lawrence River’s banks, observing the shorebirds and wildlife, admiring the waterfront homes reminiscent of turn-of-the-century seaside resorts, and marvelling 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 National Geographic as one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world. This tour includes a visit to the spectacular Les Jardins des Métis/Reford Gardens, an amazing experience even for non-gardeners!
Trip History
Freewheeling directors Cathy and Philip are involved with a bicycle advocacy board, whose mission leads it to follow the excellent example made by Quebec’s bicycle network - la Route Verte. Studying la Route Verte led to the discovery of some wonderful routes, perfectly suited to Freewheeling’s week-long holidays. Some of our past guides came from Quebec and helped us discover the little things that make a trip outstanding. We now frequently travel to Quebec for biking and skiing, and having become familiar with some fine inns and cuisine in rural Quebec, have developed five unique itineraries in superbly scenic and fascinating regions.