After 36 fabulous years Atlantic Canada Cycling is no longer doing tours. We are now spending our retirement years enjoying cycling and helping people make use of our knowledge of bicycle touring. If you wish to follow in the tracks of our tours fell free to ask us questions on this great cycling route.
Gaspe Bicycle Tour
National Geographic lists the Gaspé Peninsula as one of the top 20 worldwide destinations. Where the Appalachian Mountain range reaches the sea, Quebec’s Gaspé (Gaspésie) is a coastline of dizzying cliffs, small coves, rocky capes and fine sand beaches. An enormous territory where picturesque scenery reigns, it is one of the top bike touring routes in Canada.
For this tour we are taking on both sides of the Gaspé. This is a big tour at 719 kilometers (447 miles). We will begin our trip at Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, considered the start of the Gaspesie. We will cross the peninsula, through Gaspesie Park. We reach the Bay of Chaleur side and work our way eastward toward incredible ocean panoramas. At Percé we visit the famed summer town, nesting home of 250,000 birds and site of legendary Rocher-Percé, the haunting limestone arch that rises from the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Now we have reached the hills. We will face some serious cycling along the St. Lawrence River side of the Gaspe. Having about as much elevation climb as our comparable Cape Breton Island Bicycle Tour, the Gaspé hills will not be as high or steep, but more constant. While certainly a big challenge, moderate cyclists who realize what they will be in for will get through. As on all tours we will be offering the help of our support crew. After three days on the more rugged side of the Gaspe Peninsula we reach our end point back at Sainte-Anne-des-Monts.
Tour Outline
Monday, August 22, 2022 – Sainte-Anne-des-Monts to Parc Gaspesie
Tuesday, August 23, 2022 – Parc Gaspesie to New Richmond
Wednesday, August 24, 2022 – New Richmond to Pabos
Thursday, August 25, 2022 – Pabos to Percé
Friday, August 26, 2022 – Percé Activity Day
Saturday, August 27, 2022 – Percé to Haldimand Beach
Sunday, August 28, 2022 – Haldimand Beach to Forillon National Park
Monday, August 29, 2022 – Forillon National Park to Rivière-au-Renard
Tuesday, August 30, 2022 – Rivière-au-Renard to Grande-Vallée
Wednesday, August 31, 2022 – Grande-Valléee to Mont-Saint-Pierre
Thursday, September 1, 2022 – Mont-Saint-Pierre to Sainte-Anne-des-Monts
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Monday, August 22, 2022 – Sainte-Anne-des-Monts to Parc Gaspesie 42 km (26 mi.)
We have our tour meeting and reception breakfast at Sainte-Anne-des-Monts. We will start with a short day up into the interior of the Gaspe Peninsula to Parc Gaspesie. There are hikes and other activities available.
Tuesday, August 23, 2022 – Parc Gaspesie to New Richmond 106 km (66 mi.)
We complete our way across the peninsula, following an undeveloped region of forests and a long river valley. We end at the Bay of Chaleur at a shoreline camp at the town of New Richmond.
Wednesday, August 24, 2022 – New Richmond to Pabos 113 km (70 mi.)
The longest day of our tour, we will cover some ground today. There are usually tailwinds, let’s hope they are with us. We follow the southern side of the Gaspe, along the Bay of Chaleur stopping at the Pabos Camping, with its restaurant, displays, and evening light shows.
Thursday, August 25, 2022 – Pabos to Percé 46 km (29 mi.)
It begins to now start getting hillier We end at a camp with spectacular views at Percé. In is bay sits Percé Rock, the haunting limestone arch rising from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, one of the most recognizable of all Canada’s natural wonders.
Friday, August 26, 2022 – Percé Activity Day – The Percé area is ideal for hiking, bird watching, sea kayaking and many other outdoor activities. We will be be doing an option for an area tour for those wishing to cycle – it is short but a fair workout, with views out over the ocean. There are many good restaurants and interesting shops. An excursion to Bonaventure Island offers a chance to visit the most accessible northern gannet colony in the world. There are also seals and whales. Bonaventure Island also offers four hiking trails and a historic heritage trail that reflects the island’s prosperous past. We will also pick a gathering place in town for the evening.
Saturday, August 27, 2022 – Percé to Haldimand Beach 72 km (45 mi.)
After the steep hill getting out of Percé we can relax at Haldimand Beach, located from town, in a fabulous setting, with Parc Forillon in the background.
Sunday, August 28, 2022 – Haldimand Beach to Forillon National Park 56/76 km (35/47 mi.)
After an optional return tot he beach, we begin on a long paved cycling path. It takes us into the town of Gaspé. There are several good coffee shops and places to rest for lunch. Under the ground of a picnic rest-stop we find Fort Penouille, an interesting and explorable WW2 gun emplacement built to defend Gaspe from U-boats. Nearby, Presqu’ile de Penouille Peninsula offers interpretations of vegetation among the sand dunes. An option is to go to the very end of the Gaspé Peninsula, the Cap-Gaspé. An historic farming and fishing area, Parks Canada has preserved some buildings from past times and has interesting interpretation areas. The Grande-Grave National Heritage Site outlines the way of life of the pioneering fishing families. There is an optional 4 km walking trail out to a lighthouse overlooking a rocky cliff. There is a fair amount of wildlife in this area, including cormorants, gannets, eiders, seals, whales, and other marine animals.
A narrow, mountainous peninsula that extends into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Forillon National Park marks the eastern end of the Appalachian mountain chain. Among the mountains are meadows, filled with wildflowers. These create a habitat, perhaps more than most national parks, for black bears. There are also moose, deer, beaver, and other wildlife. In the park’s waters are seals and different whale species, such as fin whales, minke whales, and Atlantic white-sided dolphins. Important colonies of seabirds include the double-crested cormorant, the black-legged kittiwake gull, and the razorbill. There are also rare artic-alpine plants for this far south, which give this park its unique character. Here at the end point of the Gaspé Peninsula we will have the rest of the day to explore. We can walk along the pebble beaches, and take photography of the steep cliffs overlooking the Gulf of St. Lawrence. A hike to the Mont Saint-Alban Tower at 283 metres high offers views to the Cap-des-Rosiers lighthouse, Canada’s tallest, as well as the Bay of Gaspé, the Forillon Peninsula and as far as Percé Rock.
Monday, August 29, 2022 – Forillon National Park to Rivière-au-Renard 35 km (22 mi.)
An easy day, we will have time to do some exploring before leaving Forillon National Park. We can visit Cap-des-Rosiers lighthouse, Canada’s tallest. Rivière-au-Renard is the fishing capital of the Gaspe Peninsula. Fish and seafood of all kinds are landed, unloaded and processed here. Riders can explore around taking photos. With the day’s lower distance tonight will be perfect for our tour’s picnic social.
Tuesday, August 30, 2022 – Rivière-au-Renard to Grande-Vallée 68 km (42 mi.)
This will be the most challenging day of our tour, with 1,100 metres of climbing. There are not a lot of overly steep climbs, but a lot of up and down over As usual, we will have our support team offering assistance. We end at Grande Vallée, overlooking the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Wednesday, August 31, 2022 – Grande Vallée to Mont-Saint-Pierre 63 km (39 mi.)
Still in the hills, we will have a couple of big climbs before they level off at Rivière Madeleine. Mont-St. Pierre is our stopping point, a cozy village of under 200 people nestled in a tiny valley, with cliffs on either side.
Thursday, September 1, 2022 – Mont-Saint-Pierre to Sainte-Anne-des-Monts 64 km (40 mi.)
Our last day of cycling offers rolling terrain along the Saint Lawrence River to where we all met at Sainte-Anne-des-Monts.
More About the Gaspe Bicycle Tour
| Route Outline | Gaspe Tour Route Outline |
| Photos | Gaspe Tour Photo Album |
| Comments | Gaspe Tour Comments |
| Experiences | Henry Currie – Gaspé Bicycle Tour |
| Tourism Links | Be in the Loop – Tourisme Gaspésie |
|---|---|
| Quebec By The Sea | |
| Biking The Gaspe | |
| Tourism Quebec | |
| Perce Quebec |