Why this ride
A 213 km one-way ride from near Québec, about 2 h 58 of riding. It suits an unhurried touring pace.
CURVESCOUT / MOTORCYCLE RIDE
Route des Navigateurs: Quebec City to Riviere du Loup
Plan this ride
- Recorded distance
- 213 km
- Riding-time estimate
- 2 h 58
- Journey
- One way; return travel is separate
Distance and timing basis
Ordered leg totals agree within rounding. Stop distances are approximate sums of rounded legs. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: producer-declared routed record.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distance and riding time are measured on the routed road. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
Scenic road chapters
Charlevoix River Route
Expect company on a summer weekend. Early is better than fast. For about 29 km this is Charlevoix River Route, a road with a name of its own and a reason for it.
Chapter facts
- Length
- 29 km
- Named road
- Charlevoix River Route
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Quebec City
Quebec City is the only walled city north of Mexico, and the old town, perched on a rock above the St Lawrence, still has the feel of a French provincial capital transplanted to North America. The city was founded by Samuel de Champlain in 1608, and the narrow cobbled lanes, stone houses and steep stairs of the lower town retain the layout of the first settlement. The Château Frontenac, the grand hotel with its copper roofs that dominates the skyline, was built in 1893 and is among the most photographed hotels in the world.
Read the complete Quebec City write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Quebec City is where the day begins. Next is Levis.
2. Lévis
Lévis sits on the south bank of the St. Lawrence, directly across the river from Quebec City, and the first thing to know is that the best view of the old capital is from here. The Château Frontenac rises on its cliff over the water, the walls of the old town spread along the ridge, and the river, narrow at this point, flows between with ferries and freighters passing. The two cities are close enough to wave at, and a small ferry, one of the oldest in the country, crosses between them in about fifteen minutes, with the skyline growing larger with each minute.
Read the complete Levis write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Lévis comes up about 29 km into the recorded legs. Next is Riviere du Loup.
3. Riviere du Loup
Rivière-du-Loup, the River of the Wolf, takes its name from the sea wolves, which is what the early French called the seals that basked on the rocks at the river mouth. The town of nearly nineteen thousand sits on the south shore of the St. Lawrence at the point where the estuary has widened so much that the opposite bank, the mountains of Charlevoix, is a blue line twenty-five kilometres away. It is the end of this ride, and it is a good place to arrive, with a harbour, a waterfall in the middle of town and several decent restaurants.
Read the complete Riviere du Loup write-up.
Recorded stop-planning note
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
The route ends here after 213 km.
Leg by leg
Quebec City to Levis
Quebec City → Levis is 29 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Lévis to Riviere du Loup
Lévis → Riviere du Loup is 184 km of getting across. Ride it tidily and keep the enthusiasm for what comes after.
More motorcycle rides nearby
- Charlevoix River and Mountain Route · 145 km
- Charlevoix River Route from Québec · 219 km
- Route des Navigateurs · 325 km