La Malbaie is where the summer people used to come. The town of nine thousand lies at the mouth of the Malbaie river on the north shore of the St. Lawrence, about a hundred and fifty kilometres downstream from Quebec City, where the river widens and turns salty, and it has been a resort since the nineteenth century, when wealthy Canadians and Americans began to build summer houses along the shore at Pointe-au-Pic. William Howard Taft, later president of the United States, was one of them, and spent his summers here for many years. The Manoir Richelieu, a grand turreted hotel that overlooks the river, was built in the early twentieth century and still dominates the skyline.
The name means bad bay in French, and it is said to have been given by Samuel de Champlain in 1608 after his ship ran aground on a sandbar at the mouth of the river. Whatever the truth, the bay today is a pleasant place, with a promenade, restaurants, and views across the river to the south shore, nearly twenty kilometres away, visible as a blue line on clear days. The tides rise and fall noticeably, as the river here is still an estuary.
The riding in Charlevoix is some of the best in eastern Canada. Route 138 follows the shore, rising over headlands and dropping to river mouths with steep gradients and curves, with the farmland spread over the slopes and the village churches standing at the water. Surfaces are good, though frost heaves can damage them in spring. Inland, the Malbaie river runs through a deep glacial valley in the Hautes-Gorges national park, where cliffs rise nearly eight hundred metres, but the park is reached by a long, partly unpaved road, so check conditions.
East of La Malbaie, the road continues to Saint-Siméon, where a ferry crosses the river to Rivière-du-Loup, an hour or so on the water, and a good way to make a loop of the trip. Check the schedule and reserve for a motorcycle in summer, since the crossings fill. La Malbaie has fuel stations, supermarkets and a full range of services, and the stretch beyond has fewer, so fill the tank. Late June to October is the best time, though the autumn colours in late September are famous and draw crowds. On a clear evening, the light on the river is gold and rose.