May 2024 Quebec Trip (Day 2 of 3)

 

While everyone was enjoying their brat summer, I wound up exploring and went to quite a few different places in the process. Over Memorial Day Weekend in 2024, the destination for the long weekend was Quebec, which isn't a long haul from my home base in the Albany, New York area, but it's a place I haven't explored enough. On this second day of the trip, I started and ended my day in the suburbs of Quebec City, made my way up along the north shore of the St. Lawrence River to the very scenic Charlevoix region, where I spent a little time exploring the roads and hiking trails of the rugged mountains and coastline, then took a ferry over to Riviere-du-Loup before heading back to my hotel for the night. Plus there were some surprises along the way, which is typical for the types of multi-day road trips I take.

Here is a collection of photo highlights from the second day of that three-day adventure. 

Starting my day the A-20 way, or is that the QC 116 way.

I wound up taking the Pierre Laporte Bridge over the St. Lawrence River again, as I seem to recall the Quebec Bridge being closed due to some road construction. I may be wrong, however. A couple of weeks before my trip, the Canadian government bought the Quebec Bridge from CN for $1 with the promise of spending millions of dollars for rehabilitating the bridge.

I'm pretty sure the autoroute was named for a French king, Henri-IV (or Henry IV in English), who had a reign during the late 16th and early 17th Centuries. The famous comment of "Paris is well worth a mass" is attributed to him.

Following A-73 northbound for a bit. I prefer this style of guide sign with diagrams and arrows over the massive arrow per lane signs back in the States.

While I'll save Saguenay and Jacques Cartier National Park for another time, hopping on A-573 for a bit while wondering why Exit/Sortie 308 is closed.

My trip up A-573 wasn't long, as I had a planned detour to make.

Stopped at the Huron Wendake First Nations Reserve, where the stop signs are in French and the Huron Wendake languages.

I just dig the classic architecture of churches in Quebec.

This is supposed to be a fountain, but was not turned on for the day.

Don't tell TLC, but I have relapsed into my waterfall chasing ways. This is Kabir Kouba Falls, reached by a short path and stairs from the fountain above.

You can also find remains of an old mill at Kabir Kouba Falls, built in the 18th and 19th Centuries.

Back on the road, taking QC 369 through the Quebec City suburbs until I can link back up with A-73.

Decisions to make on A-73 southbound. In my case, I'm planning on going east, so A-40 it is.  

La Malbaie and Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré are both located along QC 138 and the St. Lawrence River. I'll get to visit both places before the day is done.

A-40 eastbound descends towards the St. Lawrence River northeast of downtown Quebec City. Taking A-440 will bring you back to the doorstep of the center city.

The Orleans Island Bridge, or the Île d'Orléans Bridge, known locally as the Pont de l'Île. Built in 1935, the suspension bridge connects Orleans Island over the north channel of the St. Lawrence River to mainland Quebec near Montmorency Falls. The suspension bridge is slated to be replaced in the coming years, as a cable stayed bridge is expected to be built to replace the Orleans Island Bridge around 2028.

Making a quick detour as A-40 ends and filters into QC 138.

Going to see the breathtaking Montmorency Falls, which is nearly 100 feet taller than Niagara Falls.

Montmorency Falls is part of a provincial park, or in Quebec parlance, a national park. You can also take a scenic train ride to Charlevoix from Montmorency Falls.

Montmorency Falls in all of its glory. There is also a lot of history involving Montmorency Falls, whether it be from the days of New France, Canada or even hydroelectricity.

Recreation is also big at Montmorency Falls. You can take a cable car to the top of the waterfall, and then zipline down.

Or hike to the top.

A model of the hydroelectric plans that once adorned the waterfall.

Orleans Island Bridge.

A-40 ends at the bridge over the Montmorency River. Fin.

But a fun drive up QC 138 begins. The highway stays close to the St. Lawrence River up to Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré.

There's another Quebec tourist route, the Route de la Nouvelle France, which follows the north shore of the St. Lawrence River from Quebec City, past Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré to Cap Tourmente. Around the corner is the Shrine of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre.

I honestly thought this was a cycling arena from the time I took this photo until the time I wrote this article. This is the Cyclorama de Jerusalem, and it is the largest panorama in the Americas, providing visitors with the feel of being in Jerusalem following the Crucifixion.

The Shrine of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre.

Taking a short detour up QC 360 and past Mont-Sainte-Anne, which is a popular ski area.

Climbing up QC 360. There's Mont-Sainte-Anne ahead.

My detour was to hike to the incredible Chutes Jean Larose, one of the tallest waterfalls in Quebec. After a steep hike with plenty of steps, I can see a waterfall that is roughly 60 meters tall from top to bottom.

Back on the road, QC descends towards Beaupré. Orleans Island is visible in the distance.

Getting ready to resume travel on QC 138 eastbound.

And immediately starting an uphill climb once I get onto QC 138. 

Admiring the scenery from a scenic overlook off of QC 138 just before Saint-Tite-des-Caps.

The eastern end of QC 360, an inland alternative to QC 138 northeast of Quebec City.

QC 138 is a glorious drive through the Laurentian Mountains between Saint-Tite-des-Caps and Baie-Saint-Paul, with each new view as stunning as the last.

Still need to watch for moose amidst all of this scenery.

Somewhere in these mountains, or perhaps behind me, is Le Massif, which was proposed to be the site for downhill skiing in Quebec City's bid to host the Winter Olympics in previous years. However, it was determined that the mountain was not suitable for Olympic competition.

Starting the descent into Baie-Saint-Paul.

As well as Quebec's Charlevoix region. There are scenic roads to be traveled!

An aging QC 138 shield.

A runaway truck ramp with a checkerboard pattern during the descent into Baie-Saint-Paul.

QC 362 is a very scenic drive between Baie-Saint-Paul and La Malbaie. I'll visit this road later in the day.

Some scenic countryside past Baie-Saint-Paul. The valley that surrounds this area is the remains of the Charlevoix Impact Crater, formed roughly 400 million years ago when a meteor struck the Earth.

Heading up QC 381, which goes to Grands-Jardins National Park and the Saguenay region, while QC 138 takes the inland route to La Malbaie.

QC 381 in Saint-Urbain. QC 381 is part of the scenic Routes des Montagnes tourist route.

I can start to see the mountains of Grands-Jardins National Park in the distance.

The Laurentian Mountains are coming into fuller view.

Those are quite the mountains up ahead.

I appreciate the nice tree lined entrance to Grands-Jardins National Park. In the early 20th century, this area of Charlevoix was known for its fishing, and visitors were struck by the carpets of ground lichen and the exceptional Arctic vegetation at this latitude. The area was named Grands-Jardins, or the Great Gardens. It has the privilege of forming one of the core zones of the Charlevoix Biosphere Reserve, a status granted to the region by UNESCO in 1988.

QC 381 is the main road through the park. There's plenty of hikes to take, mountains to view, and lakes to see.

I had enough time on this trip to take one hike at Grands-Jardins, but I definitely want to come back sometime and explore the park further.

I picked the La Chouenne Trail (or "sentier" in French) out of the interest of time. The hike is about 4.4 kilometers round trip, but it definitely has great views at the top.

Sépaq, the agency that runs Quebec's provincial park system, has some rather interesting trail signs.

As a road enthusiast and a hiking enthusiast, I appreciate the kilometer markers along the La Chouenne Trail.

Some of the newer growth on the mountains are a result of trees growing after a forest fire in 1991.

Looking at the trail behind me. Wow!

Looking back towards Baie-Saint-Paul and the Charlevoix Impact Crater.

Quite the view from the summit of La Chouenne. That ribbon of pavement down below is the parking lot of this trailhead along with QC 381.

The surrounding mountains are rocky and steep.

One last look from the summit of La Chouenne.

Back on QC 381 and the Route des Montagnes, southbound this time around.

Which also means a steep descent.

With scenic countryside as far as the eye can see.

QC 381 ends at QC 138, as I start to make my way back to Baie-Saint-Paul.

Now on QC 362, which is a coastal route along the St. Lawrence River between Baie-Saint-Paul and La Malbaie. In a day full of scenic driving around Charlevoix, this was my favorite stretch of highway.

Looking at the bay called Baie-Saint-Paul from an overlook.

Looking a little more inland from the same overlook on QC 362.

QC 362 has a fun mix of views of the St. Lawrence River along with the surrounding hills and countryside.

Including some views of the road that just seem to go on and on.

QC 362 passes by plenty of farms and a few villages along the way too.

Descending towards the town of Les Éboulements.

A little off QC 362 in Les Éboulements on Route du Port, this warning sign struck my eye. However, there is a real need for the warning, as there was a tragic tourist bus accident on this road in 1997 that killed 44 people, so basically there was a push to be very clear in signage about the potential dangers of that hill.

Looking behind me, there is a Route du Fleuve scenic touring route sign.

I drove down Route du Port to a lookout point. In the distance, you can see Isle-aux-Coudres, which requires a ferry ride from the bottom of this road to visit the island..

From the lookout point, you can look across the St. Lawrence River, which is several miles wide at this point.

Cyclists sharing in the fun of QC 362 in Les Éboulements.

Presbytere Des Eboulements. There were a few views from the church parking lot that I enjoyed.

That includes a view looking west at QC 362.

The other view is looking past the cemetery at the surrounding hills.

Starting the descent back down towards the St. Lawrence River. This mix of sea and hills makes me think that QC 362 is one of the more underrated scenic drives in eastern North America.

Fields of dandelion or canola?

Rounding the bend towards Saint-Irénée.

The views of the St. Lawrence are incredible here.

I made a quick stop at the jetty at Saint-Irénée. It was Memorial Day Weekend, so I think the expectation is that I needed to go to the beach at some point. It was brisk out, so my visit was short, but it was still good to stretch my legs.

Alongside the beach is the rail line for the Charlevoix train that I saw passengers boarding back at Montmorency

Back on the road as QC 362 crosses the Jean-Noël River in Saint-Irénée. After my trip, I discovered there was a nearby waterfall that I missed the opportunity to chase. TLC applauds my forgetfulness.

From what I can tell, the Charlevoix Airport is a general aviation airport. But around the roundabout I continue on QC 362 eastbound.

Past this QC 362 shield...

Along the St. Lawrence River...

Just to wind up in scenic La Malbaie. Home to Canada's first resort community and the third oldest golf course in North America at Murray Bay, La Malbaie was frequently visited in summertime by the 27th President of the United States of America, William Howard Taft.

Plus a steep descent towards the central business district of La Malbaie. 

QC 362 is a nice boulevard in downtown La Malbaie.

But our time on QC 362 is drawing to a close, 143 kilometers northeast of Quebec City.

Fin.

Continuing eastbound on QC 138. Tadoussac is directly across the Saguenay Fjord, reached by a ferry crossing on QC 138.

I'll be heading as far north and east as Saint-Siméon along QC 138, and the highway continues where QC 362 leaves off as far as great views of seas and summits.

A look back at La Malbaie.

Approaching Sainte-Fidèle, an outlying neighborhood in La Malbaie.

QC 138 has a few sweeping curves through Sainte-Fidèle.

On the way to Saint-Siméon, QC 138 goes along the St. Lawrence River again, and this time you may spot a freight vessel or a fog bank.

This is another excellent drive. As I am going through the photos and writing captions for this part of the trip, I realize that I need to go back and see quite a bit more of the Charlevoix area.

A ribbon of pavement accentuates the scenic landscape here.

Truck and bus warning sign on QC 138 eastbound approaching Saint-Siméon. "Quand les feux clignonent" roughly translates to "when the lights flash".  

Saint-Siméon, a picturesque seaside town. I'm relatively convinced that the St. Lawrence is more oceanic than a very wide river at this point. However, the St. Lawrence is more of an estuary at this point with mixing fresh and salt water, not reaching full salinity until Tadoussac.

Taking a ferry across the St. Lawrence River for the second day in a row, this time crossing over to Rivière-du-Loup. I probably arrived at the ferry terminal a little earlier than I needed to, but there was something to explore while I waited to board the boat.

I was close to a beach, so why not take a few photos of the local scenery while I waited. For some reason, I find it enchanting when mountains meet the sea.

That bridge ahead is for the crossing of the Rivière Noire, or Black River. Just beyond that, QC 138 intersects with QC 170. While QC 138 continues along the St. Lawrence for quite a distance to Baie-Comeau, Sept-Iles and beyond, QC 170 makes a westward jaunt to the Saguenay region.

There's my ride. The ferry crossing takes about 70 minutes to complete. After I got on board and paid for my trip on the boat (there was no other option that I could find), I spent most of my time exploring the boat and admiring the scenery as I sailed on by.

Back to being a landlubber, I have arrived in Rivière-du-Loup, which translates to Wolf River. I decided to poke around a bit before having to start making my way back towards Quebec City.

While I need to see more of New Brunswick someday, and I was relatively close to, I'll save that for another trip. Maybe combine that with visiting Gaspé, which might get me through Rimouski too.

Exploring a bit of downtown Rivière-du-Loup.

Where I also discovered this waterfall, which I believe is called Chutes de Rivière-du-Loup.

QC 191 forms a bit of a long eastern bypass around Riviére-du-Loup. 

I hopped onto the northernmost/westernmost stretch of A-85, an autoroute that runs from Rivière-du-Loup to the Province of New Brunswick, and is also part of the Trans-Canada Highway. At the time this article was written (November 2024), A-85 is in the process of being built to full freeway standards, and will be the only such link within Canada between the Maritime provinces and Quebec.

After A-85 ended at A-20, I headed onto A-20 westbound, but not without a short detour or two. Not to Pohénégamook, however, which is where Quebec borders Estcourt Station at the northernmost point of Maine (and features an international footbridge). Daylight was beginning to become a precious commodity at that point of the day, so that will be on the agenda for a future trip.

Instead, I headed towards one of the Kamouraskas, Saint-André-de-Kamouraska.

Descending down Route de la Station into Saint-André-de-Kamouraska, I can see the St. Lawrence River and the mountains across the river in Charlevoix.

I thought that this stately manor in Saint-André-de-Kamouraska was a sight to be seen.

On QC 132 eastbound for a bit. QC 132 is a bit of yin to QC 138's yang, as they both start at rather non-descript points on the border with New York State, but both are among Quebec's longest highways.

My stop was at Le Petit Phare. It's not a lighthouse that's in service, but it's a great little place to stop along the St. Lawrence River.

With views that stretch to Charlevoix.

Back on A-20 westbound, which is also the Trans-Canada Highway at this point.

On the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, you can start to see some of the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. In Quebec, the Appalachians are most pronounced in the Gaspé Peninsula and are also known as the Notre Dame Mountains, running parallel between the St. Lawrence River and the border with Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. The Laurentian Mountains and the Adirondack Mountains are not geologically related to the Appalachians since they are part of the Canadian Shield.

Taking one final detour for the day before it gets too dark, just to QC 132 in La Pocatière.

I found an observation tower in hopes of catching some final daylight views, thanks to Google Maps. This is the Tour d'observation Sainte-Anne de La Pocatière, located a short walk off of QC 132.

The sun was already hiding behind the Laurentian Mountains across the St. Lawrence River. That ribbon of pavement on this side of the river is A-20.

Day is done, as the lights on the cars on QC 132 seem to indicate. This was an incredible day of exploration in a part of Quebec I had never ventured into before.

Sources and Links:
Quebec - Alpsroads.net
Quebec Trip (Day 2 of 3) / Full Album - Flickr
Quebec Trip (Day 1 of 3) - Gribblenation