After 36 fabulous years Atlantic Canada Cycling is no longer doing tours. We are now spending our retirement years enjoying cycling and helping people make use of our knowledge of bicycle touring. If you wish to follow in the tracks of our tours fell free to ask us questions on this great cycling route.
Laurentians – Petit Train du Nord
Route-Verte Bicycle Tour
The Laurentians, north of Montréal, Quebec, are a world-famous destination of mountain peaks, forests, lakes, and swiftly running rivers. Le Petit Train du Nord is a 223 kilometre long multi-use trail that winds among the hills. The longest linear park in Canada, the “P’tit Train du Nord” literally means the “Little Train of the North”. The trail is built on an old railway line, which used to bring thousands of people into the Laurentians for their summer vacations and winter skiing from the 1930s to the 1960s.
Being built on the old train line, the “Petit Train” is an easy-to-ride trail. There are a few long gradual uphill sections but overall it is gentle riding, impressive considering that it winds its way through the Laurentian Mountains. It has to rate as one of the very best bicycle trails in North America. This tour can easily be ridden on all types of bikes. We feel a hybrid to be a great choice for this relaxed-style trip, not just for the trail, but for other exploring around. 700 x 28 tires and above should be okay for this trip (25s might be okay, but may have issues in sections if any fresh stone dust has been put down.)
The old railway stations on the trail have been converted into cafés, restaurants, museums, tourist information points, and rest areas. The natural scenery of the Laurentians lets in a few charming small towns to linger in for breaks along the way.
While riding on cycling trails is great, we like to get off the pathways and do some exploring in the countryside. Giving us a full week of riding, we will alternate on a selected route between the Petit Train du Nord and selected road riding.
After transportation from Saint-Jérôme we will begin our tour with a short warm-up ride. Starting the trail, the northern portion (between Mont-Laurier & Labelle) has towns fewer and they are further apart. The scenery is more natural, and more rugged. Further southward, the rivers along the trail turn to lakes, with more villages and small towns along the way. We continue on until reaching our end point back at Saint-Jerome. Note that most days there are options for more cycling, for those who wish for more distance.
Tour Outline Laurentians – Petit Train du Nord
Route-Verte Bicycle Tour
Saturday, August 13, 2022 – Shuttle Saint-Jérôme to Lac-des-Îles\ Lac-des-Îles Day Tour
Sunday, August 14, 2022 – Lac-des-Îles to Nominique
Monday, August 15, 2022 – Nominique to Rivière-Rouge
Tuesday, August 16, 2022 – Rivière-Rouge to Brebouf
Wednesday, August 17, 2022 – Mont-Tremblant Area Day Tour
Thursday, August 18, 2022 – Brebouf to Sainte-Agathe
Friday, August 19, 2022 – Sainte-Agathe to Saint-Jérôme
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Following our shuttle, we will have a warm up ride with a day tour out of Lac-des-Îles. For anyone interested an extra route up and back down each side of the du Lièvre River can be extended up to 92 km.
Sunday, August 14, 2022 – Lac-des-Îles to Nominique 71 km (44 mi.)
We will do a long section of the Petit Train du Nord to the small town of Nominique. A beach is nearby or you can stay among the camp’s nice pine trees.
Monday, August 15, 2022 – Nominique to Rivière-Rouge 58 km (36 mi.)
After passing around Lac Nomininque, and a loop up and back to L’Ascension, we will camp along the Rivière-Rouge.
Tuesday, August 16, 2022 – Rivière-Rouge to Brebouf 58 km (36 mi.)
We take another long section of trial before heading into a region of forests and lakes. There are longer route options and a beach.
Wednesday, August 17, 2022 – Mont-Tremblant Area Day Tour 72 km (45 mi.)
We will stay in place and do some exploring on the many paths in the Mont-Tremblant area.
Thursday, August 18, 2022 – Brebouf to Sainte-Agathe 57 km (36 mi.)
The trail now alternates between paved and smooth stonedust surface. Our last night together is at a camp near Sainte-Agathe.
Our final day is mostly all downhill, the main reason people usually go from north to south on this great cycle route.