Quebec is a city of drivers. Between the river, the Laurentian mountains, and the villages of Charlevoix, the region offers some of the most striking road landscapes on the continent. Here are our favorite routes departing from Quebec.

The Charlevoix route: the most spectacular

Taking Route 138 east from Quebec, the landscape quickly changes. Cliffs drop into the Saint Lawrence, villages cling to the mountainside, and the horizon widens as you approach Baie-Saint-Paul. It’s one of the most beautiful roads in Canada, and it starts just minutes from Old Quebec.

Île d'Orléans: the full tour in one day

Fifteen minutes from downtown, Île d'Orléans offers a 67 km loop that crosses six villages with ancestral houses and blooming orchards in spring. Stop at Domaine Steinbach for local products, and return with the sunset behind the bridge.

Côte-de-Beaupré: between waterfalls and forests

Route 138 to Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré runs along the river and passes at the foot of Montmorency Falls — taller than Niagara Falls. The Chemin du Roy, the first drivable road in North America, stretches between stone houses and century-old maple groves.

Before you leave: the Carrera Café stop

Every great road trip starts with a good coffee. Before setting off from Old Quebec, stop by Carrera Café in Petit-Champlain for a double espresso or a latte to go. It has become the departure ritual for many Quebec drivers.