Best Quebec Road Trips

There’s nothing quite like a road trip to soothe the soul, is there? Complete with your favourite snacks, the ultimate playlist and your travel companions, road trips are some of the best times you can have. Road tripping in Quebec has made me some of my fondest memories, so here is my list of the best Quebec road trips you can plan for your next trip to Canada.

Road Trip from Montreal to Quebec City: Reliving the Tale of 3 Cities

The first road trip I recommend, especially if it’s your first time in Quebec province, will take you from Montreal to Quebec City with a stop in Trois-Rivières in-between. While a straight shot from point A to B would only take you about 3 hours, scenic drives through Quebec province make an extra stop worth it, especially is that stop is in Trois-Rivières!

Montreal

Spending a day in Montreal is easy! With plenty of good food and beautiful sites to explore, it’s the perfect city to start off a road trip in Quebec. Kick-off your time in Montreal by taking a ride on La Grande Roue de Montréal. This Ferris wheel is the tallest of its kind in Canada and offers stunning panoramic views of the city from 60 metres in the air. For a more low-key excursion, walk around the Montreal Botanical Garden—an oasis full of colourful exotic flowers, perfectly sculpted bushes and three cultural gardens. Hit up some neighbourhoods like Old Montreal, Mile End, Downtown and even maybe the more residential Villeray! 

Click here for more info on Montreal activities and places you MUST see.

Trois-Rivières, Mauricie region

And you’re off! This leg of your road trip will really highlight the St Lawrence River and take you an hour and a half north east of Montreal. While there is a lot to do in Trois-Rivières itself, so make sure to plan some time in the city, heading into La Mauricie National Park will make you realize why the stop in Trois-Rivières makes this one of the best road trips in the province of Quebec. 

Following route 155 northwest out of Trois-Rivières, you’ll join up with Chemin de Saint-Jean-des-Piles, which will carry you into the National Park. This road does a loop through the south half of the park and makes for a lovely drive. For a jaw-dropping view of the river, stop at Le Passage viewpoint then head back into Trois-Rivières for the evening and some great restaurants like my favourites, Le Buck Pub Gastronomique.

Quebec City

The last bit of your journey taking you from Montreal to Quebec City is an 80-mile stretch. Getting an early start after breakfast will allow you to spend the day sightseeing while still getting you into the city by midmorning. 

Once in Quebec City, the options for how you spend your time are endless. You can visit Notre-Dame-des-Victoires Church, a picturesque church at the southern end of the Place Royale, take in the views at the stunning Fairmont Le Château Frontenac or head to Jacques-Cartier National Park. 

But one thing’s for certain, if you’ve taken the time to road trip from Montreal to Quebec City, then you MUST go sightseeing in the UNESCO World Heritage Old Quebec AND eat some poutine at Asthon, a really different kind to what you’ll find elsewhere in the province! 

Admiring Landscapes of Charlevoix: Baie-Saint-Paul to La Malbaie

Get ready for one of the most beautiful and scenic drives through Quebec province. With the Laurentian Mountains to the north and the St. Lawrence River to the south, you’ll feel as though you’re driving in a dream in this iconic Charlevoix scenery. 

The road takes you up and down rolling hills, through picturesque villages and along the riverfront. Many will tell you going from Baie-Saint-Paul to La Malbaie is one of the best road trips in Quebec simply because of the awe-inspiring beauty. Along the way, there will be several opportunities for pictures that cannot be missed and you’ll quickly realize that you have arrived in paradise.

Chasing Whales From Tadoussac to Natashquan 

Start your road trip in Tadoussac, the entry to Quebec’s Côte-Nord region and set off along the northern St Lawrence coast to Natashquan. Not only will you spend from days seeing some of the best scenery, but you’ll see ecosystems change before your eyes as you head further and further north-east.

In Tadoussac or the surrounding region, start off your travels to Quebec with a whaling excursion) and visit the sites in town. The next morning head off for the ultimate journey from one village to another along this breathtaking itinerary until the end of the Route 138, which we call the “end of the word”.

Road Tripping Around the Gaspésie Peninsula Tour

This is truly one of the ultimate Quebec road trips you can take! Enjoy an epic 10-day adventure that starts in La Pocatière, a village full of neat architecture heavily influenced by shipbuilding and make your way to Rivière-du-Loup. Rivière-du-Loup is a coastal town through and through, offering visitors whale watching cruises along with other marine wildlife excursions and the chance to visit Île Verte (Green Island) and see Québec’s oldest lighthouse. 

From Rivière-du-Loup your trip will take you on some of the most scenic drives through Quebec province, visiting places like Rimouski, Sainte-Flavie, Matane, Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, Gaspé, Percé, Bonaventure, Carleton-sur-Mer, Amqui, New Richmond. 

Your 1270 km road trip will have you travelling on some of the most stunning seaside roads surrounded by beautiful contrasting landscapes where, if you’re like me, you’ll want to constantly stop and take photos of. 

Delving in the Fjord in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean

Unique unto itself the Saguenay fjord is inland and is home to some of Québec’s most beautiful villages. It’s here where you will find L’Anse-Saint-Jean village, the home base for your next road trip, or one of your first stops if you liking testing out multiple lodgings. 

In 3 to 6-day travel along the fjord, you’ll have a new adventure each day. Taste microbrews, savour local boreal produce, meet passionate artisans, pick some blueberries iconic to the region, go biking and even for a swim. No matter what you pick, you’ll love the experience along this region lesser visited by international tourists.

Have you chosen which one of these best Quebec road trips you want to head out on for your next travel to Canada’s francophone province? They are all amazing, and I enjoyed every single one, so it’s hard to pick, but whether you come for a few days or stay for a couple weeks, let me know what you enjoyed best!

Any questions about road tripping in Quebec?

These articles might also interest you to read further:

• Quebec Road Conditions – Everything You Need to Know to Drive Here
• How to Get to Quebec City from Ottawa: Bus, Train or Drive?
• Best Things to Do in Quebec City in Summer
• 10 Top Things to Do in Quebec Province
• 20 Must-See Quebec Attractions to Add to Your Province Bucket List
• Best Things to Do in Montreal in the Summer

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