Cross-Canada Cycle Journey 8:
Quebec
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I wheeled into Quebec riding high on euphoria, as after a never ending 2,647km I finally slayed that Ontario giant. I was awfully ready for a radical change, preferably in every single aspect of the experience. Clearly, with French Canada I received just that. Not only did the language change the very meter you drive into Quebecois territory, you are also instantly exposed to a sudden shift in architecture, cuisine, traditions, cultural patterns and somehow even landscapes. I must say that I fully comprehend the local sentiments of separatism, as quite frankly, we’re dealing with an entirely distinct nation… species even. It’s slightly remarkable how all francophone patches worldwide, be it in Belgium, Switzerland or here in Canada, are drenched in… marinating into their very Frenchness, without communicating to one another. If that’s a good or bad thing I leave in the middle. All I’ll mention is that it by default creates a friction within the national context they are located in, be it for the inflexibility with the bilingualist aspect (which, fair enough, in Canada goes both ways) or the unwillingness to give in to any cultural aspects of the actual homeland… both interpreted as arrogance. Their popularity within the rest of Canada is debatable, and I could have bundled the sheer amount of advance warnings, but I was set on embracing all that sets this land apart. On y va!
Day 60: Montreal – Trois Rivieres
Distance: 146.6km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: Bicycle strip / shoulder in most areas, but poor road conditions.
Views: City, countryside.
Water Situation: There are plenty of houses along the way where you could ask for water. You can buy water in shops en-route as well.
Food Situation: There are supermarkets and/or small shops all the way through until Lavaltrie. After that, the hubs with services are: Lanoraie, Berthierville, Maskinongé, Louiseville, Yamachiche and Trois Rivieres (the latter is a big town).
(Sunny, headwind)
Montreal was my first contact with Canada. I flew into a snowstorm in March, experiencing a 50 degrees Celsius temperature drop with my destination of origin Martinique. Now I cycled in during the oppressive heat of summer, seeing the city loosened up by some Vitamin D and lengthy daylight hours. I wasn’t here for the sightseeing, I knocked that out a few months back already, yet I was about to see the prettiest sight of all: Kendra, a girl who lights up every room she walks in with her positive attitude and bright energy. It’s been 12 years since I hosted her in my previous hometown Haarlem, via the travellers exchange network of Couchsurfing… and the fact that we’re still in touch after all these years, and I was more than welcome in the home she recently moved into with her brand-new hubby, highlights the strength of this community. Our limited time together did not restrain the quantity of local food she was about to expose my taste buds to. In non-specific order, I downed a: Tourtiere (meat pie), Montreal Bagel (boiled in honeyed water), Pouding Choumeur (cake with hot syrup), Cretons (pork spread), Beans with Maple Syrup and a home-baked Quiche. Well, if this is what French Canada is going to be like, I’m all for it. No offense, I adore the rest of Canada thoroughly, but dishes like Bannock (deep-fried bread) or Fish and Brewis (some weird cod biscuits) can’t really compete… it’s basically the British-inspired kitchen versus the French cuisine. A classic rivalry with a crystal clear outcome. Another positive observation: Wine is back in the supermarket. Where in other provinces you have to go to a liquor store for a simple bottle of red, carrying the stigma of a full-on alcoholic on your shoulders during the entire purchase process, here you can simply toss it into your shopping cart between the milk and potatoes. Thank you Quebec, for recognizing wine as a day-to-day grocery!
Day 60: Montreal – Trois Rivieres
Distance: 146.6km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: Bicycle strip / shoulder in most areas, but poor road conditions.
Views: City, countryside.
Water Situation: There are plenty of houses along the way where you could ask for water. You can buy water in shops en-route as well.
Food Situation: There are supermarkets and/or small shops all the way through until Lavaltrie. After that, the hubs with services are: Lanoraie, Berthierville, Maskinongé, Louiseville, Yamachiche and Trois Rivieres (the latter is a big town).
(Sunny, headwind)
Montreal was my first contact with Canada. I flew into a snowstorm in March, experiencing a 50 degrees Celsius temperature drop with my destination of origin Martinique. Now I cycled in during the oppressive heat of summer, seeing the city loosened up by some Vitamin D and lengthy daylight hours. I wasn’t here for the sightseeing, I knocked that out a few months back already, yet I was about to see the prettiest sight of all: Kendra, a girl who lights up every room she walks in with her positive attitude and bright energy. It’s been 12 years since I hosted her in my previous hometown Haarlem, via the travellers exchange network of Couchsurfing… and the fact that we’re still in touch after all these years, and I was more than welcome in the home she recently moved into with her brand-new hubby, highlights the strength of this community. Our limited time together did not restrain the quantity of local food she was about to expose my taste buds to. In non-specific order, I downed a: Tourtiere (meat pie), Montreal Bagel (boiled in honeyed water), Pouding Choumeur (cake with hot syrup), Cretons (pork spread), Beans with Maple Syrup and a home-baked Quiche. Well, if this is what French Canada is going to be like, I’m all for it. No offense, I adore the rest of Canada thoroughly, but dishes like Bannock (deep-fried bread) or Fish and Brewis (some weird cod biscuits) can’t really compete… it’s basically the British-inspired kitchen versus the French cuisine. A classic rivalry with a crystal clear outcome. Another positive observation: Wine is back in the supermarket. Where in other provinces you have to go to a liquor store for a simple bottle of red, carrying the stigma of a full-on alcoholic on your shoulders during the entire purchase process, here you can simply toss it into your shopping cart between the milk and potatoes. Thank you Quebec, for recognizing wine as a day-to-day grocery!
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Montreal is incredibly cyclist-friendly. The standard thousand-and-one traffic lights aside, which seems to be standard for any Canadian city, you can expect an extended network of cycle paths all through the urban area and beyond. They even have a number of “bicycle streets” where cars are merely guests and of secondary importance, just like I’m used to back home. The downside is that the road quality, especially once you leave town, is questionable. At times it felt more like I was driving a horse instead of a bicycle, the potholes and cracks simply had me galloping down the streets. Unfortunately, this goes hand in hand with the “typical French driver.” It’s almost like they have a reputation to uphold. It’s truly astonishing. Where else in Canada can you witness someone driving onto a busy crossing or priority road while stubbornly looking only into one direction, just blindly blasting forward at the risk of their own lives and of others. Brave. Or what about driving out of a parking spot with 45km/h without wasting a single second to check if traffic might come out of any given direction? At least I know for sure now that my French vocabulary is still intact in the back of my brain somewhere, especially when it comes to swearing words.
Somehow I thought that after blasting out 645km in 4 days, when hauling ass from Toronto to Montreal, I kinda reached the crazy-distance-finish-line. I completely disregarded the 147km I still had to drive today, unknowingly continuing my streak (against the headwind). But I did it, I caught up with my cycle buddy at last. At times it’s pleasant to see a familiar face.
Somehow I thought that after blasting out 645km in 4 days, when hauling ass from Toronto to Montreal, I kinda reached the crazy-distance-finish-line. I completely disregarded the 147km I still had to drive today, unknowingly continuing my streak (against the headwind). But I did it, I caught up with my cycle buddy at last. At times it’s pleasant to see a familiar face.
Day 61: Trois Rivieres - Donnacona
Distance: 98.2km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: Bicycle strip / shoulder in most areas. The road quality is a bit better than yesterday.
Views: City, countryside, river.
Water Situation: There are plenty of houses along the way where you could ask for water. You can buy water in shops en-route as well.
Food Situation: Trois Rivieres is a big town. The next place up is Batiscan. After that, you can find shops and supermarkets in Sainte Anne de la Perade, Grondines, Deschambault, Portneuf, Cap Santé and Donnacona.
(Sunny, strong headwind)
Another night was spent at a Couchsurfing address, as the active Canadian community for sure extends into its French territory. As I had arrived rather late the day before, I stayed until noon to catch up on conversation and socializing. I slowly felt the tiredness of the past intense week creeping up on my body, but I knew there was still quite a way to go to today’s envisioned end goal: Quebec City. After 38km fiercely battling intense gusts of ongoing headwind, I pondered over a cup of coffee in the village of Batiscan how many more cups I should drink to bring this day to a successful completion. My thoughts were interrupted by a text from my cycle buddy who left a few hours earlier, stating that the wind broke both his physical readiness to continue as well as his enthusiasm. An Air BnB in Donnacona, about 100km in total, was all ours to enjoy. A relief was an understatement.
While trying to rush to Donnacona before the forecasted rainstorm would flush me away (I failed), the changed scenery of Quebec province slowly took a hold of my attention. This place looks so different from Ontario, how can this be so sharply divided by a simple man-drawn boundary? A shift in architecture, type of businesses and the social fibre of its people and day-to-day-interactions is explicable, but how is it possible that nature just flawlessly plays along? If I’d fall on the back on my head and have all recent memory erased, I’d swear I would be in the Provence. This entire patch of land breathes France. Rolling hills, seaside scenery, bustling harbours at salty shores… Freshly painted balconies embellished with geraniums and lilies, the scent of fresh bread and croissants and the ding-dong’s of a wooden church on the street corner. Mais ouiiii, c’est la vieeee.
Distance: 98.2km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: Bicycle strip / shoulder in most areas. The road quality is a bit better than yesterday.
Views: City, countryside, river.
Water Situation: There are plenty of houses along the way where you could ask for water. You can buy water in shops en-route as well.
Food Situation: Trois Rivieres is a big town. The next place up is Batiscan. After that, you can find shops and supermarkets in Sainte Anne de la Perade, Grondines, Deschambault, Portneuf, Cap Santé and Donnacona.
(Sunny, strong headwind)
Another night was spent at a Couchsurfing address, as the active Canadian community for sure extends into its French territory. As I had arrived rather late the day before, I stayed until noon to catch up on conversation and socializing. I slowly felt the tiredness of the past intense week creeping up on my body, but I knew there was still quite a way to go to today’s envisioned end goal: Quebec City. After 38km fiercely battling intense gusts of ongoing headwind, I pondered over a cup of coffee in the village of Batiscan how many more cups I should drink to bring this day to a successful completion. My thoughts were interrupted by a text from my cycle buddy who left a few hours earlier, stating that the wind broke both his physical readiness to continue as well as his enthusiasm. An Air BnB in Donnacona, about 100km in total, was all ours to enjoy. A relief was an understatement.
While trying to rush to Donnacona before the forecasted rainstorm would flush me away (I failed), the changed scenery of Quebec province slowly took a hold of my attention. This place looks so different from Ontario, how can this be so sharply divided by a simple man-drawn boundary? A shift in architecture, type of businesses and the social fibre of its people and day-to-day-interactions is explicable, but how is it possible that nature just flawlessly plays along? If I’d fall on the back on my head and have all recent memory erased, I’d swear I would be in the Provence. This entire patch of land breathes France. Rolling hills, seaside scenery, bustling harbours at salty shores… Freshly painted balconies embellished with geraniums and lilies, the scent of fresh bread and croissants and the ding-dong’s of a wooden church on the street corner. Mais ouiiii, c’est la vieeee.
Drenched I reached that night’s accommodation. Located next to the PFK. Scrapes throat: Le Pouleeeet Frwieeee Kentuckyyy (that’s right, we’re talking about the KFC, as god forbid anything would not be translated into their precious mother tongue). Leave it to the French to even make the mundane sound snobbish.
Day 62: Donnacona / Quebec – Saint Roch des Aulnaies
Distance: 49.7 + 115km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: Bicycle strip / shoulder in most areas, varying road quality.
Views: City, countryside, river.
Water Situation: There are plenty of houses along the way where you could ask for water. You can buy water in shops en-route as well.
Food Situation: Supermarkets or grocery stores all along the way. Of course Quebec City has all services, and after that you’ll pass many towns: Beaumont, Saint Michel de Bellechasse, Saint Vallier, Berthier sur Mer, Montmagny, L'Islet sur Mer, Saint Jean Port Joli and Saint Roch des Aulnaies.
(Sunny, tailwind)
I ended up with not one, but two rest days. The heavy rain and prolonged headwind caused us to spend one day chilling like a villain inside of the Donnacona Air BnB. Wine was involved. The second day we drove 50k towards Quebec City, where a thorough sightseeing-session was required. Moroccan-Canadian Couchsurfing host Aymane was thrilled to have us around. Even though I’m generally not too impressed by the recently-built cities of North America, as a self-proclaimed “history buff” and “culture vulture” (okay you may unfriend me now – I’ll understand), Quebec definitely caught my positive attention. Possibly because this is as close as it gets to Europe within Canadian context. Not coincidentally, it is indeed the oldest European settlement in the country and Canada’s second oldest city overall (only beaten by St. John’s, the end destination of the 9,500km cross-country trip). It was founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, who also founded Montreal, and many of the architecture therefore dates back several centuries. It truly is a beauty, with the Quartier (neighbourhood) Petit Champlain, the “Citadelle” and the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac as some of the most prominent sights.
Day 62: Donnacona / Quebec – Saint Roch des Aulnaies
Distance: 49.7 + 115km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: Bicycle strip / shoulder in most areas, varying road quality.
Views: City, countryside, river.
Water Situation: There are plenty of houses along the way where you could ask for water. You can buy water in shops en-route as well.
Food Situation: Supermarkets or grocery stores all along the way. Of course Quebec City has all services, and after that you’ll pass many towns: Beaumont, Saint Michel de Bellechasse, Saint Vallier, Berthier sur Mer, Montmagny, L'Islet sur Mer, Saint Jean Port Joli and Saint Roch des Aulnaies.
(Sunny, tailwind)
I ended up with not one, but two rest days. The heavy rain and prolonged headwind caused us to spend one day chilling like a villain inside of the Donnacona Air BnB. Wine was involved. The second day we drove 50k towards Quebec City, where a thorough sightseeing-session was required. Moroccan-Canadian Couchsurfing host Aymane was thrilled to have us around. Even though I’m generally not too impressed by the recently-built cities of North America, as a self-proclaimed “history buff” and “culture vulture” (okay you may unfriend me now – I’ll understand), Quebec definitely caught my positive attention. Possibly because this is as close as it gets to Europe within Canadian context. Not coincidentally, it is indeed the oldest European settlement in the country and Canada’s second oldest city overall (only beaten by St. John’s, the end destination of the 9,500km cross-country trip). It was founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, who also founded Montreal, and many of the architecture therefore dates back several centuries. It truly is a beauty, with the Quartier (neighbourhood) Petit Champlain, the “Citadelle” and the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac as some of the most prominent sights.
Cycling-wise, the city is a highlight as well. Without the obliged helmets and over-the-top cycling outfits, you could even imagine yourself in any Dutch city. The sheer density of the cyclist community is something I haven’t experienced before in Canada. Unfortunately, the overall adaptation of this mode of transport also translates into less brotherhood on the road all of a sudden. There’s no waving or even acknowledgement of one cyclist to the other, which might also correlate with the colder and more distant nature of the average Quebecois resident. I’m not complaining or scapegoating. They’re not doing anything particularly wrong, I haven’t received any necessarily unfriendly treatment or straight out rudeness (which definitely differs from their France-French counterparts), but there weren’t any interactions marked by this Canadian overwhelming kindness and helpfulness I’ve gotten used to either. They basically couldn’t care less if you’re there or not.
I am there though. And today I’m making my way to Saint Roch des Aulnaies, passing through villages with equally unpronounceable and pretentious names, following the calming shores of the St Lawrence River. One of them, l’Islet sur Mer, happened to host a sand sculpture festival, presented under the tunes of cover bands and kids screaming. A festive sunset. We continued onwards to the Saint Roch’s catholic church, where a patch of grass under the shadow of a preaching Jesus provided that day’s final resting place.
I am there though. And today I’m making my way to Saint Roch des Aulnaies, passing through villages with equally unpronounceable and pretentious names, following the calming shores of the St Lawrence River. One of them, l’Islet sur Mer, happened to host a sand sculpture festival, presented under the tunes of cover bands and kids screaming. A festive sunset. We continued onwards to the Saint Roch’s catholic church, where a patch of grass under the shadow of a preaching Jesus provided that day’s final resting place.
Day 63: Saint Roches des Aulnaies - Trois Pistoles
Distance: 132.4km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: Bicycle strip / shoulder in most areas, varying road quality.
Views: Countryside, river, villages.
Water Situation: There are plenty of houses along the way where you could ask for water. You can buy water in shops en-route as well.
Food Situation: Supermarkets or grocery store all along the way: Saint Roch des Aulnaies, La Pocatière, Rivière Ouelle, Saint Denis de la Bouteillerie, Kamouraska, Notre Dame du Portage, Rivière du Loup (big town), L'Isle Verte and Trois Pistoles.
(Sunny, tail- and sidewind)
Nobody bothered us during our night behind the church. I feel that the presence of a bicycle right next to the tent establishes certain privileges. After a breakfast on the windy rivershore we were ready for yet another typical day across the French countryside. Sloping lavender fields, sleepy dockside villages, seagulls in the summer breeze… the works. Just like all the previous riverside days, I followed the slightly swirlier and therefore longer 132, mostly left to the Trans-Canada, as to avoid heavy traffic and bland vistas. It also includes more towns, listening to poetic names such as La Pocatière, Rivière Ouelle and Saint Denis de la Bouteillerie, offering more opportunities to break up the distance in digestible chunks. My first stop, however, was in the village of Kamouraska, which was one Google reviewer’s most favorite place on earth, apparently. I wondered why that one specifically, and not Riviere du Loup further down the road, which has a bunch of waterfalls right inside of its downtown. Out of curiosity I googled the origins of its Greek-sounding name, which actually appears to come from the indigenous Algonquian language, meaning "rushes at the water's edge". I guess that’s accurate.
Only today I started to realize how little hills I had to endure since I crossed the Quebecois border, just in time before the flatness would disappear forever, starting tomorrow. Especially with today’s tailwind, which makes the whole day significantly more leisurely. I continued on alongside the St Lawrence River, which long served as one of the key indigenous transportation routes and further along the history timeline forming the backbone of the St Lawrence Seaway: A channel, lock and canal system connecting the Atlantic with the Great Lakes System (all the way to Lake Superior). Where in the Prairies the railway system triggered the establishment and growth of the little villages alongside it, here the same can be said of the townships on the riverside. But instead of Gem, Cadillac and Limerick, they’re here called Notre Dame du Portage and or L'Isle Verte. Fancy.
We ended the day in Trois Pistoles, Canada’s third oldest city, which despite its aggressive name is as sleepy and carefree as its counterparts (in fact: the name refers to a legend, recounting the loss of a silver goblet in the river, which was worth three golden coins, called “pistoles” in French). Another good Samaritan from the Couchsurfing network had granted us a complimentary night in her Air BnB, without even being there herself. The world is a friendly place, if you care to find out!
Distance: 132.4km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: Bicycle strip / shoulder in most areas, varying road quality.
Views: Countryside, river, villages.
Water Situation: There are plenty of houses along the way where you could ask for water. You can buy water in shops en-route as well.
Food Situation: Supermarkets or grocery store all along the way: Saint Roch des Aulnaies, La Pocatière, Rivière Ouelle, Saint Denis de la Bouteillerie, Kamouraska, Notre Dame du Portage, Rivière du Loup (big town), L'Isle Verte and Trois Pistoles.
(Sunny, tail- and sidewind)
Nobody bothered us during our night behind the church. I feel that the presence of a bicycle right next to the tent establishes certain privileges. After a breakfast on the windy rivershore we were ready for yet another typical day across the French countryside. Sloping lavender fields, sleepy dockside villages, seagulls in the summer breeze… the works. Just like all the previous riverside days, I followed the slightly swirlier and therefore longer 132, mostly left to the Trans-Canada, as to avoid heavy traffic and bland vistas. It also includes more towns, listening to poetic names such as La Pocatière, Rivière Ouelle and Saint Denis de la Bouteillerie, offering more opportunities to break up the distance in digestible chunks. My first stop, however, was in the village of Kamouraska, which was one Google reviewer’s most favorite place on earth, apparently. I wondered why that one specifically, and not Riviere du Loup further down the road, which has a bunch of waterfalls right inside of its downtown. Out of curiosity I googled the origins of its Greek-sounding name, which actually appears to come from the indigenous Algonquian language, meaning "rushes at the water's edge". I guess that’s accurate.
Only today I started to realize how little hills I had to endure since I crossed the Quebecois border, just in time before the flatness would disappear forever, starting tomorrow. Especially with today’s tailwind, which makes the whole day significantly more leisurely. I continued on alongside the St Lawrence River, which long served as one of the key indigenous transportation routes and further along the history timeline forming the backbone of the St Lawrence Seaway: A channel, lock and canal system connecting the Atlantic with the Great Lakes System (all the way to Lake Superior). Where in the Prairies the railway system triggered the establishment and growth of the little villages alongside it, here the same can be said of the townships on the riverside. But instead of Gem, Cadillac and Limerick, they’re here called Notre Dame du Portage and or L'Isle Verte. Fancy.
We ended the day in Trois Pistoles, Canada’s third oldest city, which despite its aggressive name is as sleepy and carefree as its counterparts (in fact: the name refers to a legend, recounting the loss of a silver goblet in the river, which was worth three golden coins, called “pistoles” in French). Another good Samaritan from the Couchsurfing network had granted us a complimentary night in her Air BnB, without even being there herself. The world is a friendly place, if you care to find out!
Day 64: Trois Pistoles – Mont Joli
Distance: 103.8km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: Bicycle strip / shoulder in most areas, varying road quality. Some stretches get extremely bad though!
Views: Countryside, river, villages.
Water Situation: There are plenty of houses along the way where you could ask for water. You can buy water in shops en-route as well.
Food Situation: Supermarkets or grocery store all along the way: Trois Pistoles, Saint Fabien, Le Bic, Rimouski, Sainte Flavie, and Mont Joli. You’ll also find small shops in the middle.
(Sunny, wind from all sides)
Last day alongside the St Lawrence River, Quebec’s lifeline, last day of flat terrain! I could have kept following the river all the way until the end, until it discharges into the Gulf of St Lawrence. A popular route, touring around the Gaspesie National Park and Peninsula. That said, with already 7000km behind me and still 4 provinces ahead of me, I for the first time in this trip decided not to take the detour. I had done huge diversions into Northern BC, zigzagging up and down the Prairies, the Canadian Shield circuit, the massive Toronto loop… for once I’ll take the shortcut, from Mont Joli straight to Campbellton (which is already New Brunswick). But before I go ahead of my plans, today’s mission is reaching Mont Joli. Capital of historic murals, apparently.
The day is shortly deprived from its laidbackness once the normally tranquil countryside road 132 merges with the main highway 20, between Trois Pistoles and Rimouski, which is compensated for with Bic National Park in that same section. Otherwise, it passes through the standard supply of tranquil fishing villages, offering laidback breaks at the two pillars of French Canadian streetfood culture: Casse-Croûts and Laitiers, deep-fried snackbars and ice cream parlors. The first one predominantly serving “poutine”, the absolute rock-bottom of the otherwise mouthwatering local cuisine, consisting of fries robbed from their vital crunchiness and bite by smothering them in gravy. Quelle catastrophe! It’s popular though, for reasons beyond my comprehension. I don’t know how all of them Frenchies maintain their lean postures, when downing the amount of grease and sugar that I’ve witnessed them doing en masse in these type of establishments, but alas.
Still full of energy and with plenty of daylight on our hands we arrived in Mont Joli, after knocking out the first climb of the week (it’s called MONT Joli for a reason). Once again we could count on the uttermost hospitality of complete strangers, a connection established on the Warm Showers website. Fellow cyclist Remi, who completed the cross-Canada with his dog in a little carriage behind him, had a patch of backyard left for our two tents. Allez ‘up!
Distance: 103.8km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: Bicycle strip / shoulder in most areas, varying road quality. Some stretches get extremely bad though!
Views: Countryside, river, villages.
Water Situation: There are plenty of houses along the way where you could ask for water. You can buy water in shops en-route as well.
Food Situation: Supermarkets or grocery store all along the way: Trois Pistoles, Saint Fabien, Le Bic, Rimouski, Sainte Flavie, and Mont Joli. You’ll also find small shops in the middle.
(Sunny, wind from all sides)
Last day alongside the St Lawrence River, Quebec’s lifeline, last day of flat terrain! I could have kept following the river all the way until the end, until it discharges into the Gulf of St Lawrence. A popular route, touring around the Gaspesie National Park and Peninsula. That said, with already 7000km behind me and still 4 provinces ahead of me, I for the first time in this trip decided not to take the detour. I had done huge diversions into Northern BC, zigzagging up and down the Prairies, the Canadian Shield circuit, the massive Toronto loop… for once I’ll take the shortcut, from Mont Joli straight to Campbellton (which is already New Brunswick). But before I go ahead of my plans, today’s mission is reaching Mont Joli. Capital of historic murals, apparently.
The day is shortly deprived from its laidbackness once the normally tranquil countryside road 132 merges with the main highway 20, between Trois Pistoles and Rimouski, which is compensated for with Bic National Park in that same section. Otherwise, it passes through the standard supply of tranquil fishing villages, offering laidback breaks at the two pillars of French Canadian streetfood culture: Casse-Croûts and Laitiers, deep-fried snackbars and ice cream parlors. The first one predominantly serving “poutine”, the absolute rock-bottom of the otherwise mouthwatering local cuisine, consisting of fries robbed from their vital crunchiness and bite by smothering them in gravy. Quelle catastrophe! It’s popular though, for reasons beyond my comprehension. I don’t know how all of them Frenchies maintain their lean postures, when downing the amount of grease and sugar that I’ve witnessed them doing en masse in these type of establishments, but alas.
Still full of energy and with plenty of daylight on our hands we arrived in Mont Joli, after knocking out the first climb of the week (it’s called MONT Joli for a reason). Once again we could count on the uttermost hospitality of complete strangers, a connection established on the Warm Showers website. Fellow cyclist Remi, who completed the cross-Canada with his dog in a little carriage behind him, had a patch of backyard left for our two tents. Allez ‘up!
Day 65: Mont Joli - Sainte Florence
Distance: 111.1km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: Bicycle strip / shoulder in most areas, varying road quality.
Views: Countryside, forest, villages.
Water Situation: There are some houses along the way where you could ask for water. You can buy water in a few shops en-route as well.
Food Situation: Supermarkets or grocery stores in Mont Joli, Sainte Angèle de Mérici, Sayabec, Amqui and Causapscal.
(Cloudy, rain, headwind)
Due to the intense heat, I left the cover off my tent entirely and simply slept out in the open under a mosquito net. It was the only sensible approach to allow a gentle breeze to cool me down in the intense Canadian summer heat. The alarm drilled us out early, as rain, cockblocker of all outdoor fun, was predicted at 2PM. Might as well dodge that obstacle whenever possible. More obstacles came our way in the shape of steep ‘n spicy hills and of course our daily portion of heavy headwind, an indispensable factor of the Cross-Canada Cycling Endeavour, despite all odds. In return we received an upgrade of the environment. The long coastal stretch was easy on the eyes, but it are the mountains that make me go wild. It makes me wonder if I made a mistake by shortcutting my way through the Gaspesie Peninsula… if this is the kind of views we’re treated on while just rubbing the southside of it, imagine the sequence of heavenly scenery when biting off the entire chunk.
Black clouds were looming above our heads the whole way through, triggering us to overpay for a furnished RV to spend the night in, as being washed away in a little trekker’s tent sounded less than attractive. It didn’t plunge down until 5PM, but it was very comforting to be inside when it full-heartedly did. Plus, the campsite was home to the world’s biggest fishing rod. If that isn’t worth 90 bucks, I don’t know what is.
Distance: 111.1km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: Bicycle strip / shoulder in most areas, varying road quality.
Views: Countryside, forest, villages.
Water Situation: There are some houses along the way where you could ask for water. You can buy water in a few shops en-route as well.
Food Situation: Supermarkets or grocery stores in Mont Joli, Sainte Angèle de Mérici, Sayabec, Amqui and Causapscal.
(Cloudy, rain, headwind)
Due to the intense heat, I left the cover off my tent entirely and simply slept out in the open under a mosquito net. It was the only sensible approach to allow a gentle breeze to cool me down in the intense Canadian summer heat. The alarm drilled us out early, as rain, cockblocker of all outdoor fun, was predicted at 2PM. Might as well dodge that obstacle whenever possible. More obstacles came our way in the shape of steep ‘n spicy hills and of course our daily portion of heavy headwind, an indispensable factor of the Cross-Canada Cycling Endeavour, despite all odds. In return we received an upgrade of the environment. The long coastal stretch was easy on the eyes, but it are the mountains that make me go wild. It makes me wonder if I made a mistake by shortcutting my way through the Gaspesie Peninsula… if this is the kind of views we’re treated on while just rubbing the southside of it, imagine the sequence of heavenly scenery when biting off the entire chunk.
Black clouds were looming above our heads the whole way through, triggering us to overpay for a furnished RV to spend the night in, as being washed away in a little trekker’s tent sounded less than attractive. It didn’t plunge down until 5PM, but it was very comforting to be inside when it full-heartedly did. Plus, the campsite was home to the world’s biggest fishing rod. If that isn’t worth 90 bucks, I don’t know what is.
Day 66: Sainte Florence - Black Point
Distance: 128.8km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: Bicycle strip / shoulder in most areas, varying road quality.
Views: Forest, hills.
Water Situation: There are some houses along the way where you could ask for water. You can buy water in a few shops en-route as well. The river contains salt water in this area of it.
Food Situation: Not so much out there in the beginning. Matapedia is the first town with all services. Campbellton is a big city. Then comes Dalhousie and Charlo. After that just small gas stations and convenience stores.
(Cloudy, headwind)
Last day on French Canadian territory! Well, technically. In New Brunswick I would cycle across a dense display of what turned out to be Acadian flags, the descendants of the French settlers, also known as Cajuns (also prominent in my cycle buddy’s homebase: Louisiana). Outside of Quebec they seem to clench even tighter onto their French identity, surrounded by their English-speaking neighbours. But definitely the last day in Quebec… and what a goodbye! The landscapes were… otherworldly. Hands down the most phenomenal stretch of what I got to see of the entire province. This place would make the Garden of Eden blush. It made me not want to leave, although the bill of my watery coffee made me reconsider that thought: A 2.75 coffee with the Quebecois tax and a non-optional tip about doubles the price. Quebec has the highest tax in the country, which is a fact. Not necessarily the best option for a low budget backpacker.
You start slowly driving back into civilization (and regain cell phone service) at around Matapedia, named after the Matapedia Valley this slice of paradise you just cycled through is called. You can pop into New Brunswick via the bridge right after, or continue on through Quebec a little longer and cross a second bridge into Campbellton. I chose the first option, hoping for an improvement in Quebec’s poor road quality. I was just snapping some selfies at the “Welcome to New Brunswick” sign when I saw an unusual animal crossing the road. It stopped in the middle of the road to look at me and then calmly disappeared into the bushes. It was brown and fluffy. A bear? No, too skinny, and its legs were too long. A wolve? Too large. It’s face was rather round and he had pointy ears… almost like a cat. It took me an entire afternoon of frustrated googling before I figured it out: I saw a lynx! An actual Canada Lynx! A formerly endangered species that’s incredibly rare to spot. And I just did. I still can’t believe it.
After wild black bears, a grizzly bear, antelopes, coyotes, moose, red foxes, bighorn sheep, deer, beavers, woodpeckers, skunks, prairie dogs, raccoons, wild turkeys, wild horses, marmots, ravens, eagles, pronghorns… now also a lynx. And that’s how I conclude Quebec, a generous goodbye.
After Quebec: 66 days, 7509.1km
Distance: 128.8km
GPS: All Trails
Terrain: Bicycle strip / shoulder in most areas, varying road quality.
Views: Forest, hills.
Water Situation: There are some houses along the way where you could ask for water. You can buy water in a few shops en-route as well. The river contains salt water in this area of it.
Food Situation: Not so much out there in the beginning. Matapedia is the first town with all services. Campbellton is a big city. Then comes Dalhousie and Charlo. After that just small gas stations and convenience stores.
(Cloudy, headwind)
Last day on French Canadian territory! Well, technically. In New Brunswick I would cycle across a dense display of what turned out to be Acadian flags, the descendants of the French settlers, also known as Cajuns (also prominent in my cycle buddy’s homebase: Louisiana). Outside of Quebec they seem to clench even tighter onto their French identity, surrounded by their English-speaking neighbours. But definitely the last day in Quebec… and what a goodbye! The landscapes were… otherworldly. Hands down the most phenomenal stretch of what I got to see of the entire province. This place would make the Garden of Eden blush. It made me not want to leave, although the bill of my watery coffee made me reconsider that thought: A 2.75 coffee with the Quebecois tax and a non-optional tip about doubles the price. Quebec has the highest tax in the country, which is a fact. Not necessarily the best option for a low budget backpacker.
You start slowly driving back into civilization (and regain cell phone service) at around Matapedia, named after the Matapedia Valley this slice of paradise you just cycled through is called. You can pop into New Brunswick via the bridge right after, or continue on through Quebec a little longer and cross a second bridge into Campbellton. I chose the first option, hoping for an improvement in Quebec’s poor road quality. I was just snapping some selfies at the “Welcome to New Brunswick” sign when I saw an unusual animal crossing the road. It stopped in the middle of the road to look at me and then calmly disappeared into the bushes. It was brown and fluffy. A bear? No, too skinny, and its legs were too long. A wolve? Too large. It’s face was rather round and he had pointy ears… almost like a cat. It took me an entire afternoon of frustrated googling before I figured it out: I saw a lynx! An actual Canada Lynx! A formerly endangered species that’s incredibly rare to spot. And I just did. I still can’t believe it.
After wild black bears, a grizzly bear, antelopes, coyotes, moose, red foxes, bighorn sheep, deer, beavers, woodpeckers, skunks, prairie dogs, raccoons, wild turkeys, wild horses, marmots, ravens, eagles, pronghorns… now also a lynx. And that’s how I conclude Quebec, a generous goodbye.
After Quebec: 66 days, 7509.1km
Quick Budget Fact Overview
Canada Facts
Short History Recap
Ice Age: First humans migrate from Asia. 11th century: Norse establish first known European settlement on Newfoundland island. 1583: Newfoundland England's first overseas colony. 1701: 38 indigenous groups sign peace treaty with France. ’56: Seven Years' War between New France and larger / economically-stronger British colonies. ’63: Treaty of Paris → England acquires all French colonies east of the Mississippi incl. New France (becomes Quebec). ‘74: Quebec Act recognises French language & Roman Catholic religion. ‘76 onwards: Refugees from American War of Independence settle in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec & Ontario. 1800s: Immigration from UK. ’37-38: Armed rebellions, dissatisfaction with ruling elites, poverty and social divisions. ’67: British North America Act → unites Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in Dominion of Canada. ’85: Canadian Pacific railroad. 1914: WWI → Canada fights on side of England and France. ’39: WWII → Canadian forces in Europe and Atlantic. ’49: Founder member of Nato. ’50: Canada/UN participates in War in Korea. ’65: New flag. ’70: Front de Liberation du Quebec kidnap an English trade official and murder a Quebec minister. ’82: England transfers final legal powers over to Canada. New constitution. ’91: Canadian forces participate in Gulf War. ’92: Canada, US & Mexico finalise North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta). ’95: Referendum in Quebec rejects independence by a margin of 1%. ’99: Territory of Nunavut created in northern Canada (self-governing region with majority of indigenous population). 2002: Troops in Afghanistan. ’10: Winter Olympics. ’14: Mission to map Arctic seabed, in support of bid to extend territory up to North Pole. ’16: Free trade agreement with EU. ’17: Promised compensation to indigenous people who were kidnapped to be brought up by primarily white middle-class families. New trade deal replacing Nafta.
Canada Facts
- Capital: Ottawa
- Language: English, French
- Population: ± 39 mln (Ottawa: 1.76mln)
- Sq km: ± 9.985 (Montreal: 365)
- Currency: Canadian Dollar ($ - CAD)
- Electricity Outlet: A + B / 120 V / 60 Hz. Check here.
- Country Code Phone: +1
- Emergency Phone: 911
- Visa: Some countries need to apply for a visa, which can be done here or here.The ones that don’t need to apply for a visa waiver, called an ETA, which is a very cheap and fast process.
- Vaccinations: None.
- Climate: The country is so huge, that we’re dealing with several climate zones. The far north has a Tundra Climate (ET). Below that a zone of Subarctic Climate (Dfc), with patches of Dwc and Dsc. The southern stretch along the US border is mainly Humid Continental (Dfb), with patches of Temperate Oceanic (Cfb).
- High season: June-September. Summer is most pleasant due to the harsh climates in the colder seasons.
Short History Recap
Ice Age: First humans migrate from Asia. 11th century: Norse establish first known European settlement on Newfoundland island. 1583: Newfoundland England's first overseas colony. 1701: 38 indigenous groups sign peace treaty with France. ’56: Seven Years' War between New France and larger / economically-stronger British colonies. ’63: Treaty of Paris → England acquires all French colonies east of the Mississippi incl. New France (becomes Quebec). ‘74: Quebec Act recognises French language & Roman Catholic religion. ‘76 onwards: Refugees from American War of Independence settle in Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Quebec & Ontario. 1800s: Immigration from UK. ’37-38: Armed rebellions, dissatisfaction with ruling elites, poverty and social divisions. ’67: British North America Act → unites Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in Dominion of Canada. ’85: Canadian Pacific railroad. 1914: WWI → Canada fights on side of England and France. ’39: WWII → Canadian forces in Europe and Atlantic. ’49: Founder member of Nato. ’50: Canada/UN participates in War in Korea. ’65: New flag. ’70: Front de Liberation du Quebec kidnap an English trade official and murder a Quebec minister. ’82: England transfers final legal powers over to Canada. New constitution. ’91: Canadian forces participate in Gulf War. ’92: Canada, US & Mexico finalise North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta). ’95: Referendum in Quebec rejects independence by a margin of 1%. ’99: Territory of Nunavut created in northern Canada (self-governing region with majority of indigenous population). 2002: Troops in Afghanistan. ’10: Winter Olympics. ’14: Mission to map Arctic seabed, in support of bid to extend territory up to North Pole. ’16: Free trade agreement with EU. ’17: Promised compensation to indigenous people who were kidnapped to be brought up by primarily white middle-class families. New trade deal replacing Nafta.
Budget Bites
Sleep Cheap
- Main Supermarket Chains Canada: Sobeys, Metro, Walmart, No Frills, Foodland, Maxi, Your Independent Grocer, Real Canadian Superstore, Safeway.
- Local Dishes: Poutine (fries with cheese curds and gravy), Tourtiere (meat pie), Wild Pacific Salmon, Pate Chinois (layered ground beef, cream corn and mashed potato), Alberta Beef, Rappie Pie (grated potatoes pattie with pork fat, sea food and ground meat), Hodge Podge (vegetable/potato stew), Yukon Reindeer, Caraquets (oysters), Nova Scotia / Newfoundland Lobster, Fish and Brewis (hard biscuits mixed with cod or pork), Pealmeal Bacon (broiled lean pork loin), Split Pea Soup (incl. pork), Jiggs Dinner (beef, greens and split pea pudding), Fiddle Heads (cooked rolled fern leaves), Bannock (typical bread), Beavertails (deepfried bread with sweet toppings / Canadian donut), Montreal Bagel (boiled in honeyed water), Trempettes (crispy sweet pancakes), Touton (thick pancake), Cipaille (meat pie), Maple Taffy / Tire d’Erable (maple syrup frozen over snow), Butter Tarts (pastry), Saskatoon Berry Pie, Nanaimo Bars (crumb-custard-chocolate cake), Pouding Chomeur (cake with hot syrup), Cretons (pork spread), Oreilles de Crisses (deepfried pork rinds).
- The Veg Situation: Going veg is not so complicated in Canada, as vegetarianism and veganism is widely accepted. Most supermarkets contain veg products, be it very processed at times. Veg restaurants can be found here.
- National Drink: Ceasar Cocktail (Canadian bloody mary, sometimes with food hanging off of it), beer, wine.
Sleep Cheap
- Hostels / Hotels / Guesthouses: You probably knew already, before even booking your trip, that visiting Canada isn’t cheap. This goes for accommodation as well. Without being paid to say so, I love Booking.com: They have the biggest selection, are transparent about the final price and have an efficient search engine tailored to your specific needs (cheapest first!). If you use it often enough, Genius-discounts are applied. Air BnB is not what it used to be, price-wise, but in Canada they usually offer cheaper stays than in hotels or even hostels. Be mindful of the additional booking and cleaning costs though, as they can really add up. Writer’s Choice: In Quebec I found hosts via the online networks of Warm Showers and Couchsurfing. Many times I also wild-camped, which is legal on crown land.
- Couchsurfing: allows you to stay with locals. Nowadays it has a moderate sign-up cost (unless you put a third-world country as homebase), but paying extra for verification is unnecessary: Positive reviews are way more important. Once active, there are no costs for staying at someone’s house. In order to get accepted, make sure to write an elaborate review explaining why you applied to this specific profile and think you and your host are a good match (copy-pastes tend to be ignored). The Couchsurfing community in Canada definitely is a rather active one, incl. events organized in most of the cities. If your’re biketouring you can also look into Warm Showers, which is a bikepacking community focussing primarily on 1-night stays.
- Wild Camping: is officially legal in Canada. You can pitch your tent anywhere on crown land and you’ll even be abe to find free camping spots. The WikiCamps App Canada is extremely useful for finding these, with community reviews. If public land is scarce, you can ask permission to camp on someone’s private land. Canadians are very kind and hospitable and will likely allow you to do so. In national and provincial parks camping is only allowed on designated campsites or with a permit, and you’ll have to pay a nightly fee (wild camping in these areas is heavily fined).
Mama Said
Transport
Next?
- Safety: Canada is a very safe country with a low crime rate. Outside of the main cities, I met people who don’t lock their houses or cars. In nature, there are several wide animals to take into account, including black bears, grizzly bears, rattle snakes, coyotes, lynxes and cougars.
- Tap Water: is safe to drink.
- The best credit/debit card for traveling is Wise, as they use the live conversion rates with minimal exchange fees. Wise also has the lowest fees for sending money to foreign accounts. That said, I do find their customer service rather questionable. Revolut is comparable, but they have higher exchange fees in the weekend and less wallet-options. Also, you can only wire money to Revolut in the currency you opened the account with, whereas Wise has IBAN’s from a wide variety of currencies, so you don’t have to pay a double exchange fee. Both Revolut and Wise have the option to open a Canadian Dollar wallet. Most Canadian ATMs charge a fee for cash outs, but card payments are accepted everywhere.
- Simcard: Data is known to be incredibly expensive in Canada, with one of the highest rate-per-gb in the world. Prices are even higher if you buy your SIM at the airport. Therefore, either go to the flagship stores to buy a sim (yes, you also pay seperately for the sim, without anything on it), or simply buy one in supermarkets, post offices, gas stations and even in the Dollarama. You can then add credit or a bundle online or via the app. The brands with the cheapest deals are known to be Lucky Mobile, Chatr, Koodo Mobile and Fido (although still terrible money-worth compared to basically everywhere else in the world). The best network coverage is known to be by Telus, Bell and Rogers. If your phone supports eSims, this might be worth looking into, as it’s in most cases more affordable. I used Lucky Mobile which had the cheapest data packages (sim bought in Dollarama), and noticed I had a similar coverage compared to any of the more expensive brands.
Transport
- Walking: Montreal is a pedestrian friendly city. Yet, as it’s rather big, alternative transport from neighbourhood to neighbourhood might be recommended.
- Cycling: Montreal has 1065km of bicycle lanes. Find a map here. There’s a bikesharing system called BIXI, which charges an unlocking fee and a rate-per-minute.
- Public Transport: Montreal has buses and an efficient metro system. You can pay per ride (incl. 1 transfer to bus) or 2 rides, or get a 3-day, unlimited evening, unlimited weekend or week ticket. Oddly enough, the week ticket runs from Monday to Sunday, so if you buy it on a Sunday it only works one day. The weekend ticket starts Friday 4PM. You can pay at the ticket machines, at the metro desks or get an Opus Card. Buses also sell tickets. Children travel free.
- Taxi / Uber: Canada has taxi apps such as Uber, Lyft and Zoomzoom. Car2Go is a car sharing app.
- Train: Canada has a train network operated by Via Rail, but this is a notoriously expensive option (generally double the bus prices, which are also not cheap). Book as early as possible and buy tickets on Tuesday to save some money. There’s a train line to the suburbs as well, called Exo.
- Car Rental: This is not a cheap endeavour in Canada. However, the best deals can generally be found when the car is picked up from an airport.
- Airport: Montreal Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. Reached by Bus 747 (special ticket needed) runs 24/7.
- Hitchhiking: is relatively safe and easy in Canada, but definitively not common. Don’t bother with the ride-share websites or Facebook groups, as people dare to ask more than the bus and even train tickets. More info on hitchhiking in and out of Montreal can be found on Hitchwiki.
Next?
- In Canada: Manitoba.
- International Destinations Close By: United States, Greenland.
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