We begin this tour with a mid-afternoon convening and guided, narrated tour of Old Quebec, followed by dinner in the private cellar room of an authentic French restaurant. In the morning, get coffee/breakfast from one of the au plein air cafes on the Grande Alle, then we'll check out and load up the van & trailer for the drive up to Lac Saint Jean, located 2.5 hours north, for a lovely 4-day ride in Quebec's blueberry country. Biking from village to village around Lac-Saint-Jean is an opportunity to discover a region of undeniable charm and rare beauty. Covering an area of 1,000 sq. km, this vast body of water leaves quite an impression. From Alma, you will follow a section of the famous Véloroute des Bleuets, crown jewel of the Route verte. While admiring the lake from every angle, you will be able to appreciate its extraordinary natural setting, especially in Pointe-Taillon Park. You will also have time to enjoy the many local attractions and delicacies, such as the Saint-Félicien Wild Zoo, the famous Perron cheese in Saint-Prime - and of course blueberries of every variation! 

We meet riders at our hotel in Old Quebec and have an introductory meeting at 5:00 p.m. Then we'll enjoy a guided walking tour narrated by an in-character historical figure through the streets of the charming Old City, featuring cobblestones, gas lamps, and hanging flower baskets everywhere, culminating with dinner in the private cellar dining room of an authentic French restaurant.

20 miles. Check out the hotel and go get your coffee/breakfast at one of the au plein air cafe's along the Grande Alle adjacent to the hotel. Before we leave the city we'll pick up sandwiches to take with us in the van for our 2.5 ride northward to our accommodations in Alma, on the shore of Lac St. Jean.  Those who drove to Quebec City may want to drive their own vehicles up to the lake, leaving them at a lakeside beach parking lot where we'll conclude our circumnavigation of the lake on Friday. We'll unload all the bikes there and start our week of cycling by following a lakeside path along the southeast part of the lake and then inland along the Saguenay River to the town of Alma and our night's accommodations.

35 miles. After breakfast we'll check out of the hotel and load up in the van to avoid the traffic & hills on the way out of town, disembarking 4 km east of the entrance to Parc National de Pointe-Taillon, through which we'll cycle on a beautiful lakefront path. We'll take the small ferry across the riviere to Peribonka, then cycle inland past farms and forestland to arrive at our hotel overlooking Les Chutes des Pere (Falls of the Father)

18.5 miles. We'll cycle further west, still away from the lake through more picturesque farmland, before loading into the van for a drive down to St. Felicien. This town on the shore of a river leading to Lac St. Jean is home to a unique zoo showcasing both native and exotic animals in an incredible setting -- they are in expansive (as in acres) natural areas, which guests travel through in a protected tram and on elevated walkways. See wolves, elk, lynx, grizzly bears(!), buffalo, musk ox, red pandas (the cutest animal EVER!), polar bears, and much more.

23 miles. We bike south from the village of St. Felicien to Roberval, stopping for lunch at a lovely waterfront marina & park, and then cycling along the lakeshore to the "ghost" historical village of Val-Jalbert, where a "company town" was built in 1901 around a pulp mill powered by the huge waterfall above the lake. We'll take the fascinating tour (a combination of a narrated tram ride, gondola ride and optional boardwalk to the top of the thunderous waterfall and along the scenic gorge that brings the river to it. Then we'll ride a couple of miles further to our luxurious accommodations for the final two nights, the lakeside Chalets-et-Spa Lac St. Jean.

Today you may relax and luxuriate at the Spa and/or by the lake, enjoying a swim in the lovely shallow beach area, either after or instead of the optional 37 mile loop ride which climbs 650 feet away from the lake for a spectacular view and then returns to the shore, following a gorgeous off-road path back to the Chalet et Spa. Tonight we will enjoy one of the most delicious meals you've ever had, a dinner prepared by the 5-star husband-wife team who run the Chalet's on-site restaurant, Bistro Boulot-Blanc.

15 miles. We'll ride from the Chalets et Spa along the lake to La Plage Rigolet at Metabetchouan, where we left our cars at the beginning of the week. Those who flew to Quebec City will be returned there via the van, those who drove up to Lac St. Jean may take a more picturesque, if not much shorter, route south toward Trois Rivieres and Montreal.