The Saguenay is a fjord, which makes it unique in North America. Cliffs that drop directly into dark, cold waters, a depth that defies understanding, a landscape that seems to belong to Norway or Scotland rather than Quebec. When you leave from there to head down to Quebec City, you cross one of the most spectacular routes in the province.

This guide is for those coming from Chicoutimi, Jonquière, or anywhere in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, who want to turn a 2h30 trip into a half-day of discoveries.

Departure from Saguenay: take the 170

Avoid Highway 70. Take Route 170 south, which runs along the Saguenay River to Chicoutimi then follows the road crossing the plateau towards Charlevoix. The extra distance is about 45 minutes. The difference in scenery is total.

Route 170 passes through villages that live to the rhythm of wood and water. Houses quickly become more spaced out. The forest takes over. And when you start descending towards the Côte-Nord and Charlevoix, the landscape changes again: the hills round out, the river appears in the distance.

Charlevoix stop: local products

Entering Charlevoix from the north, several farms and producers are right by the road. In season, stop by. Charlevoix lamb, goat cheeses, wild blueberries, jams. These are the products sometimes found on our boards at Carrera Café, and buying them directly at the source has a different quality.

Baie-Saint-Paul is halfway. A coffee, a gallery if you feel like it. Then the descent towards Quebec continues.

Arrival in Quebec: Petit Champlain as the final stop

Arrive directly in the Lower Town. Don’t go up to the Upper Town right away. Head down to Petit Champlain. After 3 to 4 hours of driving through landscapes that belong to another century, Quebec’s historic district feels comforting.

Stopping at Carrera Café is the natural endpoint of this journey. An espresso, or a drink depending on the time. The Charlevoix products you may have bought along the way can complete this last meal. It’s the full circuit: product at the source, journey through the landscape, tasting upon arrival.