Québec is Canada’s French-speaking province, renowned for its mix of European beauty and Québecois heritage, for the architecture of Quebec City and the hustle of Montreal (the second largest French-speaking city in the world). To lovers of the outdoors, Québec is “la belle province” - the beautiful province - home to mountains, forests, rolling hills and waterways. It's said that there around a million lakes in Québec, and miles of coastline.
All of the above makes Québec an adventurer’s dream, as route-designer and round-the-world cyclist Markus Stitz found out in his latest outing. Stitz’s latest short film showcases an 838-mile (1,350km) ride around the province, and showcases the intense beauty of this varied place. His movie was entirely with cameras carried by bike, and features remarkable drone footage.
Stitz’s route was inspired by the La Transgaspésie route and La Route verte du Québec from Vélo Québec. The journey saw Markus ride from Matane to Gaspé, the birthday place of Canada, via (amongst other places) the National Park Du Bic, the St. Lawrence River, the Notre Dame Mountains, the Gaspésie National Park, the Forillon National Park and a whole lot of coastline.
“This trip reminded me of my round-the-world trip in 2015/16, when I didn’t set off with a fixed itinerary, but instead changed my route to adapt to the circumstances I faced,” said Markus of his journey through Québec. “I just went where the nice weather was and the interesting places were. Gaspésie allows for that, and I really enjoyed this more spontaneous approach.”
Markus uploaded his route in 10 stages, which range from 62.6 miles (100km) to 101 miles (162km) in length.
“Bikepacking trips offer me the opportunity to experience places at my own speed without leaving a trace,” Stitz says. “Gravel cycling allows me to get to most places, stop more often and be more flexible, to experience Gaspésie and Bas-Saint-Laurent in all its facets."
The name Gaspé is thought to originate with the Mi'kmaq - an indigenous group of the Northeastern Woodlands, native to Canada's Atlantic Provinces. The word means "land’s end".
It was here, on the Gaspé Peninsula, that Jacques Cartier planted a cross and claimed the land for France in 1534.
Bikepacking trips offer me the opportunity to experience places at my own speed without leaving a trace...
By 1608, Samuel de Champlain had founded Quebec City, a settlement that would grow into the beating heart of what was then known as New France. Unlike the English colonies to the south, Quebec remained deeply tethered to its European origins, its people adapting to the cold winters with a stubborn pride that very persists today. Even after the British conquest in 1763, the province refused to shed its French identity, cultivating a fierce independence that still defines it.
The first villages on the coast of Gaspésie were accessible only by boat. In 1876, the Intercolonial Railway Line was completed, bringing visitors to the region.
The construction of the coastal road was then completed in 1929 and made it possible to explore Gaspésie by car. Grab your bicycle and you can get a whole lot closer to the striking beauty of the province - be that the wide St. Lawrence River, the rugged beauty of the Parc National du Bic or the rolling forests beyond.
Markus rode the route on a Tout Terrain Scrambler, and also teamed up with Klickfix (who provide accessories for bikepacking) for the journey.
Inspired? Check out our full range of cycling adventure holidays now!