West of Chicoutimi, the huge, glacial Lac Saint-Jean is fed by most of the rivers of northeastern Québec and – unusually for an area of the rocky Canadian Shield – is bordered by sandy beaches and a lush, green terrain that has been farmed for over a century. It’s a relatively untouched area with tranquil lakeshore villages linked by Hwy-169, the circular route that offers a unique zoo at Saint-Félicien, the strange sight of Val-Jalbert, Québec’s most accessible ghost town and the picturesque shorelines of Parc national de la Pointe-Taillon.
Better still, the Véloroute des Bleuets connects the lake’s towns and is an increasingly popular option for cyclists from Montréal or Québec who pop their bikes on the train or bus for a three- to five-day tour of the lake. Many come as well for the local cuisine, especially the delicious coarse meat pie called a tourtière and the thick blueberry pie. The itinerary outlined below begins at Alma and heads west around the lake.
Book through Rough Guides’ trusted travel partners
In-depth, easy-to-use guides filled with expert advice.
The latest articles, galleries, quizzes and videos.
The Yukon Quest, a 1,000-mile dog-sled race between the Yukon (one of our destinations to visit in 2019) and Alaska, is renowned for being the toughest of its…
The town of Churchill, Manitoba, is attempting to answer an age-old question: how do you stay safe living in the polar bear capital of the world? Georgia Steph…
The booming city of Vancouver on the west coast of Canada is British Columbia’s biggest attraction. Each year over 10 million people visit the city, but far f…
