Gaspe Bicycle Tour

National Geographic lists the Gaspé Peninsula as one of the top 20 worldwide destinations. Where the Appalachian Mountain range reaches the sea, Quebec’s Gaspé (Gaspésie) Peninsula is a coastline of dizzying cliffs, small coves, rocky capes and fine sand beaches. An enormous territory where picturesque scenery reigns, it is one of the top bike touring routes in all Canada.

For this tour we have selected the best part of the Gaspé for bicycle touring.We will begin our trip by following eastward along the St. Lawrence River. Once we reach the hills we will face some serious cycling, experiencing incredible panoramas. Having about as much elevation climb as our comparable Cape Breton Island Bicycle Tour, the Gaspé hills will not be as high or steep, but more constant. While certainly a big challenge, moderate cyclists who realize what they will be in for will get through with the help of our support crew and vans.

With most of the major hills behind us, we will reward ourselves with several easy-going days exploring the sea, mountains, and forests of this colourful peninsula. We will take a day to discover Forillon National Park, linger for an afternoon and evening in the town of Gaspé, and ride a pleasant bicycle path to a beach.Our final day is a breath-taking ride into Percé, summer nesting home of 250,000 birds and site of legendary Rocher-Percé, the haunting limestone arch that rises from the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Friday, August 16 – Matane to Cap-Chat
Saturday, August 17 – Cap-Chat to Mont-Saint-Pierre
Sunday, August 18 – Mont-Saint-Pierre to Grande-Vallée
Monday, August 19 – Grande-Valléee to Rivière-au-Renard
Tuesday, August 20 – Rivière-au-Renard to Forillon National Park
Wednesday, August 21 – Forillon National Park to Gaspé
Thursday, August 22 – Gaspé to Saint-Georges-de-Malbaie
Friday, August 23 – Saint-Georges-de-Malbaie to Percé
Saturday, August 24 – Return Transportation to Matane

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Friday, August 16 – Matane to Cap-Chat 78 km (48 mi.)
Our tour begins with a rolling route through coastal villages. This being our longest day, some may wish to take in the nearby pub and restaurants once we reach Cap-Chat. Everything that there is to know about wind power may be learned at Cap-Chat’s Nordais wind farm, home of Éole, the world’s tallest vertical wind turbine.

Saturday, August 17 – Cap-Chat to Mont-Saint-Pierre 71 km (44 mi.)
We now reach the hills of the Gaspé Peninsula. There will be ups and downs. Mont-St. Pierre is our stopping point, a cozy village of under 200 people nestled in a tiny valley, with cliffs on either side.

Sunday, August 18 – Mont-Saint-Pierre to Grande-Vallée 63 km (39 mi.)
We will have a relatively easy ride until about 40 km (24 miles) in, at Rivière Madeleine. Once there, the following 23 km (13 miles) will offer what perhaps could perhaps be the hardest two hours of the tour. We end at Grande Vallée, overlooking the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Monday, August 19 – Grande-Vallée to Rivière-au-Renard 70 km (44 mi.)
Now well into the hills, this will be the most challenging day of our tour. We face fewer steep climbs than yesterday, but a lot of up and down over the day, creating a fair amount of elevation change. As usual, we will have our support team offering assistance. Rivière-au-Renard is the fishing capital of the Gaspe Peninsula. Fish and seafood of all kinds are landed, unloaded and processed here.

Tuesday, August 20 – Rivière-au-Renard to Forillon National Park 35 km (22 mi.)
We have just completed several hilly days of cycling – it is now time to reward ourselves with a day at Forillon National Park. A narrow, mountainous peninsula that extends into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Forillon National Park marks the eastern end of the Appalachian mountain chain. Among the mountains are meadows, filled with wildflowers. These create a habitat, perhaps more than most national parks, for black bears. There are also moose, deer, beaver, and other wildlife. In the park’s waters are seals and different whale species, such as fin whales, minke whales, and Atlantic white-sided dolphins. Important colonies of seabirds include the double-crested cormorant, the black-legged kittiwake gull, and the razorbill. There are also rare artic-alpine plants for this far south, which give this park its unique character.

Here at the end point of the Gaspé Peninsula we will have the day to explore. We can walk along the pebble beaches, and take photography of the steep cliffs overlooking the Gulf of St. Lawrence. A hike to the Mont Saint-Alban Tower at 283 metres high offers views to the Cap-des-Rosiers lighthouse, Canada’s tallest, as well as the Bay of Gaspé, the Forillon Peninsula and as far as Percé Rock.

Wednesday, August 21 – Forillon National Park to Gaspé 42/70 km (26/42 mi.)
Another day allowing room for exploring. An option is to go to the very end of the Gaspé Peninsula, the Cap-Gaspé. An historic farming and fishing area, Parks Canada has preserved some buildings from past times and has interesting interpretation areas. The Grande-Grave National Heritage Site outlines the way of life of the pioneering fishing families.
There is an optional 4 km walking trail out to a lighthouse overlooking a rocky cliff. There is a fair amount of wildlife in this area, including cormorants, gannets, eiders, seals, whales, and other marine animals.

Under the ground of a picnic rest-stop we find Fort Penouille, an interesting and explorable WW2 gun emplacement built to defend Gaspe from U-boats. Nearby, Presqu’ile de Penouille Peninsula offers interpretations of vegetation among the sand dunes. We should arrive at the town of Gaspé with plenty of time to explore. We plan to get everyone together at a great restaurant we like in the evening.

Thursday, August 22 – Gaspé to Saint-Georges-de-Malbaie 29/48 km (18/30 mi.)
Taking a paved cycling path from the town of Gaspé, Haldimand Beach is located 8 km (5 mi.) from town, in a fabulous setting, with Parc Forillon in the background. From there we go to Saint-Georges-de-Malbaie. There is an extra 20 km (12 miles) of cycling along our route, plus more about to keep riders busy.

Friday, August 23 – Saint-Georges-de-Malbaie to Percé 48 km (30 mi.)
Our last day includes four steep hills before reaching our ending point at Percé. There will be time for a few diversions, such as a visit to Bonaventure Island and the world’s largest gannet colony or Percé Rock, the haunting limestone arch rising from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, one of the most recognizable of all Canada’s natural wonders. There is also no shortage of touristy things; the small town will keep you amused. It has interesting shops and numerous good restaurants.

Saturday, August 24 – Return Transportation to Matane
We wind our way back to our starting point and our farewells.

Accommodation – Our trip will be a tent camping adventure. It is possible for non-campers to attend and stay indoors every night of our tour. A limited number of Bed and Breakfasts and motels are along our route. If indoor lodgings are off of our supported list, we will assist with the transport of their gear to and from our campsites. Due to the popularity of the area, early reservations are strongly recommended. Upon request, a listing of motels and Bed and Breakfasts will be sent with confirmation.

Meals – Each cyclist can have their own choice of dining. Some prepare meals at our campsites. Participants buy food daily at designated spots and we transport it to the end point. We have a large amount of cooking stoves, equipment, and cutlery – no need to bring any of that gear to our tour. Others prefer to enjoy as many restaurants as the route allows. We will provide a list each day of what you will find along our route.Baggage System – Each morning you will bring your baggage to our truck. You are then free to ride at your own pace. Your bags will be waiting for you upon your arrival at the next campground or indoor selection.

Tour Support – During the ride, our support vehicle will be at your service if you need a lift or other assistance. Maps and information materials will help guide you along the way.

Preparation and Equipment – We will carry whatever you feel you need to enjoy the tour. You must supply your own tent and sleeping bag. We will not subject your gear to weighing scales or bag limits. We ask, however, that you do not overdo things- (please – no TVs )