Guide touristique et enseignant, Nicola Tour guide and teacher Nicola Zoghbi spends most of his spare time cycling. He has ridden through most regions of Québec as well as beyond.
On a brisk Friday morning, I prepared for a three-day bike trip across the northeastern countryside of Montérégie. I had heard that the Longueuil – Sorel-Tracy – Mont-Saint-Hilaire triangle is an excellent fall cycling route, and the forecast was calling for three beautiful, sunny days.
Day 1 – Longueuil to Sorel-Tracy
As the days are now shorter, I decided to take a bus (with a bike rack) directly from Longueuil to Varennes. I chose this alternative to reduce the number of kilometres I would have to ride to Sorel-Tracy on my first day. And so I began my journey at La Riveraine, a stunning bike path that runs along the St. Lawrence River. It was set to be a sunny day with much to discover.
My backdrop to the right was the sunrise low on the horizon, where I could also make out mont Saint-Hilaire. In Verchères, like with most of this route, there are many ancestral homes to admire. The parks in each municipality along the route are perfect spots to relax and watch the boats on the water.
In Contrecoeur, I satiated my hunger at the restaurant Au Gueuleton, where I could enjoy a view of the river. I then rode along a less enjoyable section of road where the asphalt needs resurfacing, but fortunately this wasn’t for long. I stopped at parc régional des Grèves in Contrecoeur where I took a short stroll along part of the network of hiking paths. With a pine forest, a peatland and 80 species of bird, the park has astonishingly rich ecosystems. It’s worth a visit!
La Route Verte then brought me to rivière Richelieu, the largest waterway south of the St. Lawrence. In the late afternoon, I arrived in Sorel-Tracy, where I visited the Biophare, a museum dedicated to the islands of lac Saint-Pierre. Biophare highlights the heritage of Sorel-Tracy and unique natural characteristics of the Lac Saint-Pierre Biosphere Reserve, a site recognized by UNESCO. I was surprised to learn that one of the most well-known heronries in North America is right here in the Sorel-Tracy region.
Steakhouse & Bar 
O Spa Nordique
After this rewarding experience, I was happy to set down my bags at l’Hôtel de la Rive. The hotel surpassed all my expectations. In my room, I enjoyed an unobstructed view over the marina and St. Lawrence River. As the hotel has Bienvenue cyclistes! certification, there was a indoor space waiting for me where I could safely store my bicycle. For those looking to unwind after a day of cycling, the hotel’s offering includes the spa O Spa Nordique. A range of outdoor facilities, including six hot baths, a cold bath below a Nordic waterfall, a hammam and a Finnish sauna provide an ideal way to relax your sore calves. Body treatments and massotherapy are also available. My wife was able to join me for dinner at the hotel’s Steakhouse & Bar where we enjoyed a fantastic meal.
Day 2 – La Sauvagine and the Des Patriotes circuit
After an excellent night’s rest, I rediscovered part of La Sauvagine, a bike path that heads eastward from Sorel. The path is bordered by alternating walls of corn and rows of trees, making the path a perfect early-morning route for taking in nature.
La Sauvagine
After a quick detour along this path and back, I continued my southward journey on the Des Patriots circuit. A number of charming villages run along the Richelieu between Sorel and Mont-Saint-Hilaire. Most are connected by a cable ferry and I had fun taking each one. History buffs will appreciate the many interpretive signs that provide the details of the region’s various battles during the Patriots’ War. They’re worth a stop!
If you have never taken a boat through a lock, the Saint-Ours Canal National Historic Site is on your route. The lockage schedule is available on-site. You can even cross the Richelieu by bicycle, by taking the Saint-Ours dam. If you’ve worked up an appetite from your long journey, there is a café opposite the lock offering a sandwich menu and other fare.
A highlight of my day was visiting Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu, ranked as one of Québec’s most beautiful villages. Head to the Maison nationale des Patriotes for a guided tour of the village. On the 45-minute “Au bourg des Patriotes” tour, we followed the footsteps of the Patriots themselves, discovering historic sites that hold an important place in the history of the village and of Québec. My guide knew the subject like the back of her hand and was able to answer all of my questions. There is also currently a temporary exhibit Entre deux rives at the museum, showcasing artists from the Route des Arts et Saveurs du Richelieu circuit.
When I got to Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu, I thought I was hallucinating when I saw BIXI bicycles! To my great surprise there was a self-serve electric bicycle station! This offers a useful solution for those who want to take a little ride with an electrically assisted bicycle but don’t have their own.
Je poursuis ma route vers le sud. La circulation s’intensifie tranquillement I continued my journey south. The traffic slowly picked up as I approached Mont-Saint-Hilaire where the shoulder narrowed. Fortunately this inconvenience is not a long one, and was completely forgotten when I arrived at the Manoir Rouville-Campbell, a unique, 4-star hotel. The delicious four-course meal and refreshing sleep was what I needed to recharge for the last day of my journey.
Day 3 – Tour of mont Saint-Hilaire
Located on the edge of rivière Richelieu, this Tudor-style manor will enchant any visitor. The architecture of the Manoir Rouville-Campbell and warm welcome from the staff were truly impressive. One of the region’s can’t-miss stops, the hotel also has Bienvenue cyclistes! certification, a bonus for bicycle tourists who stop over on their journey.
On the schedule Sunday morning was a visit to mont Saint-Hilaire. I had been lucky enough to scale Montérégie’s tallest hill multiple times in the past, but was yet to circle it by bicycle. I figured that a little tour of the mountain was in order to admire the foliage that was beginning to change colour.
The Benoît and De la Montagne trails are not very bicycle-friendly, but there is a hidden treasure on the southeastern slope between them. Fans of gravel cycling will enjoy the Noiseux trail, a part of which is purely course gravel. This path offers a fun challenge for avid cyclists on hybrid bikes. It was a major change of scenery for me, and I was happy to discover the “hidden face” of the mountain. However, I do not recommend trying this path with a road bike.
Beginning at the entrance from the Centre de la Nature Mont Saint-Hilaire is a succession of orchards, giving passing cyclists the well-deserved chance to buy local products like pies, jams, juice and jellies.
D’ici jusqu’à Montréal, les haltes cyclistes sont nombreuses. Il est donc facile de s’approvisionner en eau potable. Jusqu’à Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville, je passe par le sentier Oka – Mont-Saint-Hilaire. Je rejoins There are many cyclist rest stops between here and Montréal, making it easy to fill up on drinking water. I took the Oka – Mont-Saint-Hilaire trail until Saint-Bruno-de-Montarville. I then continued onto the Montée du Fort-Chambly until Saint-Lambert. I returned home along the charming streets of Saint-Lambert, the lock walkway and then the Concord Bridge.
Quoique j’ai fait ce parcours en 3 jours, il y a de nombreuses parties du Although my journey was 3 days, there are a number of parts of the route that could be cycled in a few hours or even done as a loop.
I strongly recommend this route as it combines the beauty of colourful fall landscapes with the rich historical and cultural heritage of the region. Have a good trip!
