Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Touring
Reload this Page >

L Route des Bleuets, Trip Report

Notices
Touring Have a dream to ride a bike across your state, across the country, or around the world? Self-contained or fully supported? Trade ideas, adventures, and more in our bicycle touring forum.

L Route des Bleuets, Trip Report

Old 07-28-22, 01:42 PM
  #1  
Pratt
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 1,095
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 410 Post(s)
Liked 488 Times in 291 Posts
L Route des Bleuets, Trip Report

Here is a little trip report on a tour of the Blueberry Route in Canada. Leaving Burlington, VT, I rode north and crossed the border at Highgate/Noyan. It was easy, I had previously created a (mandatory) profile the ArriveCanada App on my phone. Crossing the border into Quebec two things happened immediately, everyone spoke French, and the terrain got flat as a pancake, or crêpe. Getting into Montreal was a little complicated. There are multiple bridges, and bikeways, but the bikeway maps tend not to have the regular roads on them, and the road atlases don't feature the "pistes cyclable" but it all worked out. The signage is excellent. Montreal is quite bike friendly, so much so that a lot of the natives want to keep your bike there. A secure lock up at night is a necessity. Velo Quebec publishes an atlas of the bike routes and also the "bike friendly resources along the route. After a couple of days in Montreal, I took the train to Lac St Jean, where La Route is located. There are abundant campgrounds, many with restaurants, also motels, hotels, etc. Although I took my stove, all I used it for was to make tea in the mornings. The campgrounds were all RV places, they are like little resort towns. The weather was pretty good, about a 30° F temp change during the day, low 50s at night to low 80s in mid afternoon. Lots of other cyclists, even the roadies waved. Took the train back and then rode back to Burlington. I would be happy to answer any specific questions people have.
Pratt is offline  
Old 07-28-22, 03:51 PM
  #2  
indyfabz
Senior Member
 
indyfabz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 39,063
Mentioned: 210 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18322 Post(s)
Liked 15,303 Times in 7,232 Posts
Nice. It’s as if someone drew a line at the border, ceding the flatlands to Canada. If you cross at Richford, VT then head east and cross back into North Troy you can avoid the long climb up Jay.
indyfabz is offline  
Old 07-28-22, 05:15 PM
  #3  
mtnbud
Senior Member
 
mtnbud's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Salem Oregon
Posts: 1,029

Bikes: 2019 Trek Stash 7, 1994 Specialized Epic 1986 Diamondback Ascent 1996 Klein Pulse Comp, 2006 Specialized Sequoia Elite

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 412 Post(s)
Liked 514 Times in 286 Posts
Sounds wonderful!
mtnbud is offline  
Old 07-28-22, 05:42 PM
  #4  
stardognine
Partially Sane.
 
stardognine's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Sunny Sacramento.
Posts: 3,562

Bikes: Soma Saga, pre-disc

Mentioned: 22 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 972 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 643 Times in 468 Posts
Those crazy French persons. They act like Canada's a whole 'nother country or somethin'. 😁

Yep, those temp drops at night take some getting used to, wherever you are. From 105-ish daytime to around 60(F) at night/early morning here in Sacramento, made me start putting on my winter gear awhile, in the mornings. 🙄 Pretty weird for summer, lol.
stardognine is offline  
Old 07-28-22, 06:43 PM
  #5  
axolotl
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,011
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 285 Post(s)
Liked 120 Times in 88 Posts
OP, what did you think of the Véloroute des Bleuets? I was at the south end of Lac St. Jean many years ago and found that the scenery was less interesting than I had expected.
axolotl is offline  
Old 07-29-22, 04:32 AM
  #6  
Pratt
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 1,095
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 410 Post(s)
Liked 488 Times in 291 Posts
Axo-
I went clockwise around it starting in Chambord which is at about 7 o'clock. Alma is the largest city on the lake and is at about 3 o'clock. Yes, from Alma, down around to about 6 o'clock it is more built up and less scenic, hillier too. Definitely worth doing, especially since there is a bike carrying train from Montreal which is worth a trip in itself. One kind of neat thing is that, since the land is so flat, and is was settled by Catholics, you can see the church spire of the next town miles before you get to it.
Pratt is offline  
Likes For Pratt:
Old 07-30-22, 09:41 PM
  #7  
djb
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Montreal Canada
Posts: 13,192
Mentioned: 33 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2732 Post(s)
Liked 955 Times in 785 Posts
Glad you enjoyed it. And glad that folks were friendly.
djb is offline  
Old 07-31-22, 08:17 PM
  #8  
Altair 4
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Along the Rivers of Pittsburgh
Posts: 1,255

Bikes: 2011 Novara Forza Hybrid, 2005 Trek 820, 1989 Cannondale SR500 Black Lightning, 1975 Mundo Cycles Caloi Racer

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 258 Post(s)
Liked 291 Times in 157 Posts
OP, can you give a little more detail about the train from Montreal? Price, bike accommodations, travel time? Thanks!
Altair 4 is offline  
Old 08-01-22, 02:45 PM
  #9  
Pratt
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 1,095
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 410 Post(s)
Liked 488 Times in 291 Posts
Sure, Altair-
The train left at about 3pm and arrived at Chambord at 12:45 am. I just walked the bike down a little dead end and cowboy camped in a field. If I were doing it again, I would call
Bernard Renauld, 418 580 0109 or 418-900-3535. He is renovating Auberge de la Gare in Chambord and might have room. A very nice and hospitable guy, say hello from me.
Coming back the train stopped in Chambord at 11:38pm and arrived in Montreal at 10:00am. The station is not open, but you can make the reservation by phone and they will send you alerts about the train being late, etc. The train had a baggage car. In Montreal, I checked the bike and each pannier separately, and they handed them down from the train in Chambord. Heading back, I handed the items up, no platform, and the conductor ladies brought me the baggage claims. In cooler weather the schedule changes to run during the day, I don't really understand why. Montreal station is very nice with a wide array of restaurants among which to choose.
Bon Voyage!
Pratt is offline  
Old 08-01-22, 07:49 PM
  #10  
indyfabz
Senior Member
 
indyfabz's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 39,063
Mentioned: 210 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18322 Post(s)
Liked 15,303 Times in 7,232 Posts
Originally Posted by Pratt
One kind of neat thing is that, since the land is so flat, and is was settled by Catholics, you can see the church spire of the next town miles before you get to it.
Reminds me of North Dakota. You often knew the next town was a few miles away when you could see some trees and a water tower. How far depended on whether the road was straight or had curves.
indyfabz is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.