GETAWAYS & RESORTS · BIKE-GASTRONOMY
Charlevoix by Bike
The Flavor Road, from Quebec City to Baie-Saint-Paul
Charlevoix is a region that rewards effort. The roads climb, the views are breathtaking, and local producers are among the best in Quebec. Doing this route by bike is to experience it at the right pace: slow enough to savor the ice cider, taste the aged cheese, and watch the river change color along the kilometers.
Plan your tripIn this article
The Route
From Quebec City to Baie-Saint-Paul
A circuit that can be done in one long day or over two days depending on your level and your appetite for gastronomic stops.
The Charlevoix Flavor Road is a marked route connecting artisanal producers: cheese factories, cider houses, breweries, market gardeners, bakers. It passes through landscapes that alternate between dense forests, cliffs plunging into the river, and brightly painted wooden villages.
Quebec City — Baie-Saint-Paul (80 km)
From Old Quebec, follow the Côte-de-Beaupré bike path eastward, then gradually ascend towards Charlevoix. Baie-Saint-Paul, with its art galleries, restaurants, and local producers, is the ideal destination for an overnight stay before returning.
Quebec City — Saint-Tite-des-Caps (40 km)
For a more accessible version, the circuit to Saint-Tite-des-Caps already offers spectacular views and several producers to visit. Return by bus or carpooling for the less athletic.
The Flavors
Producers worth stopping for
What makes this route rich is the concentration of exceptional producers within a small perimeter.
Charlevoix cheeses
Charlevoix is one of Quebec's most renowned cheese-making regions. The artisanal cheese factories in the region produce soft, semi-hard, and aged cheeses that are among the best in the country. Some are distributed to Carrera Café in Petit-Champlain.
Quebec ice cider
Ice cider is a Quebec invention that exists nowhere else in the world at the same level of quality. Charlevoix produces several variants, from the driest to the sweetest. By bike, you stop to taste, not to buy entire cases.
Regional craft beers
Charlevoix's brewing scene has been booming for a decade. Craft breweries offer ales and lagers inspired by local terroirs, with regional hops and surprising adjuncts like wild blueberries or spruce.
Charlevoix Organic Cured Meats
The Charlevoix organic cured meats you find on the Carrera Café platters come from this region. A way to bring a piece of the circuit to your table, even without having cycled the 80 km.
Practical Info
Everything you need to know
A demanding circuit that requires preparation, but remains accessible with the right logistics.
Bike rental in Quebec City
Several shops in the Quebec City region offer road and gravel bike rentals for one or more day excursions. It is recommended to book in advance during the summer season and to choose a bike suitable for Charlevoix's elevation changes.
Transport and return
A cycling shuttle service connects Quebec City and Baie-Saint-Paul during the season, allowing you to do the circuit one way without worrying about the return. The regional bus also transports bikes with prior reservation.
The Perfect Start
Start with the right fuel
Before 80 km of cycling in Charlevoix, morning coffee is not a luxury, it's a necessity.
At Carrera Café before departure
A double espresso and a Borderon et Fils focaccia at Carrera Café: the breakfast of a cyclist who knows what they're doing. Settle in for five minutes, check the route on the map, and set off with a full tank and the desire to see the river from the heights of Charlevoix.
The journey starts here
Coffee before you go, Charlevoix flavors when you arrive. Carrera Café is your ideal starting point in Petit-Champlain.
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