Québec has one of the best cycle-route networks in the world -
La Route Verte or 'the Greenway'. The province has over 4,000 kilometres of designated cycle trails developed by
Vélo Québec. I'll make handy use of their ready-made and well signed scenic routes during my time in the province. I'm also looking forward to speaking french (inadequately) for a few days!
I'll start by navigating out of Montréal using the Route Verte 5 cycle path which will take me from downtown to the edge of the city. From there, I'll continue along the same 'green route', as far as Québec City, following the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River. (The St. Lawrence connects the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean).
A lot of this route through the Québécois countryside uses the course of the
Chemin-du-Roy or King's Highway. This historic road between Repentigny and Québec City was completed as early as 1737 and at that time was the longest road north of the
Rio Grande!
From Québec City, I'll cross over the St. Lawrence and continue up it's southern shore, this time on Route Verte 1, until I take a perpendicular road away and enter
New Brunswick. I'm now heading into the Canadian Maritimes, the region of Eastern Canada consisting of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.
After visiting Edmundston and Grand Falls, I'll make a remote and lonely looking crossing of the interior of New Brunswick and then ride down part of the east coast of the province, arriving at the spectacular bridge to
Prince Edward Island. The
Confederation Bridge is a long one at nearly 13 km and was only built in the 1990's. (There was a ferry crossing before that). Unfortunately, cyclists aren't allowed to ride across the bridge, so I'll have to take a shuttle bus to the other side. Shame.
Once on the island, I'll take the Trans-Canada Highway across it, visiting the provincial capital Charlottetown at the half-way pont. The process of
Canadian Confederation was started here at a conference in 1864. I'll continue on the Trans-Canada to the south-east corner of the island and take a short ferry ride back to the mainland, landing in my 9th province,
Nova Scotia.
Elevation Profile
| Placename or POI | Dir. | Road | Highway Name | Next POI | Total Km |
| MONTREAL | NE | RV5 | (Route Verte 5) | 32 | 5,911 |
| Repentigny | NE | #344 | Rue Notre Dame | 16 | 5,943 |
| L'Assomption | SE | #343 | (Route Verte 5) | 4 | 5,959 |
| Saint-Sulpice | NE | #138 | (Route Verte 5) | 36 | 5,963 |
| Berthierville |
|
|
| 64 | 5,999 |
| TROIS-RIVERES |
|
|
| 123 | 6,063 |
| QUEBEC CITY | S | #175 | Boulevard d'Laurier | 3 | 6,186 |
| NE | #132 | (Route Verte 1) | 66 | 6,189 |
| Montmagny |
|
|
| 113 | 6,255 |
| SE | #289 | Rue Principalé | 94 | 6,368 |
| Québec / New Brunswick Province Border |
| SE | #120 | Rue Centrale | 42 | 6,462 |
| EDMUNDSTON | SE | #144 |
| 59 | 6,504 |
| Grand Falls | SE | #108 |
| 39 | 6,563 |
| Plaster Rock |
|
|
| 138 | 6,602 |
| Renous | E | #118 |
| 16 | 6,740 |
| Kirkwood | E |
| S Barnaby Rd | 9 | 6,756 |
| Barnaby River | SE | #126 |
| 27 | 6,765 |
| E | #480 |
| 33 | 6,792 |
| SE | #134 |
| 45 | 6,825 |
| Bouctouche |
|
|
| 4 | 6,870 |
| NE | #535 |
| 19 | 6,874 |
| Cocagne | SE | #530 |
| 8 | 6,893 |
| Shediac Bridge | S | #134 |
| 8 | 6,901 |
| Shediac | E | #133 |
| 26 | 6,909 |
| SE | #15 |
| 12 | 6,935 |
| Mates Corner | E | #955 |
| 27 | 6,947 |
| Confederation Bridge | NE | #16 | (Bus, no cycling) | 15 | 6,974 |
| New Brunswick / Prince Edward Island Province Border |
| SE | #1 | Trans-Canada Hwy | 60 | 6,989 |
| CHARLOTTETOWN |
|
|
| 61 | 7,049 |
| Wood Islands |
|
|
|
| 7,110 |
| Ferry: Wood Islands to Caribou, NS (1¼ hrs) |
| Prince Edward Island / Nova Scotia Province Border |
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