First Nations had named it the “river that walks”. The St. Lawrence River, major waterway that ranks among the most majestic in the world, has always played a fundamental role in the history of Canada and Québec. Samuel de Champlain officially assigned the St. Lawrence name to the river, and founded what was to be the future Québec colony in 1608. From the 17th Century, the launch of the fur trade marked a turning point in the history of North America. During the course of numerous expeditions along its waters, the French advanced into the St. Lawrence Valley seeking new trading partners and new settlements to establish. This exploration resulted in the creation of Québec City, Trois-Rivières, and Ville-Marie (Montréal). This progression resulted in the deep penetration of the land and sedentary occupation of the territory. From that point on, the native American way of life would change completely.
The starting point of the Tour,(named after Samuel de Champlain), Québec City, has, played key roles over several centuries of history: fur trading post; settlement hub; port-of-call for ocean traffic; fortress for the St. Lawrence Valley;
and last but not least, the capital of Nouvelle France and later on, of modern-day Québec.
The Champlain Tour you will take you in the footsteps of explorers who, like Champlain in 1603, embarked on many expeditions in their quest to find the passage to the riches of the east. It will take you to Chemin du Roy and lead you to discover some of the most beautiful villages in Québec. It will also take you into the ‘pays des Patriotes’, with its rich heritage.
Daily itinerary for the Tour
- Saturday - Arrival at the Port of Québec and warm-up ride (approximately 10 km);
- Sunday - Québec – Portneuf via Promenade Champlain (65 km)
- Monday - Portneuf – Trois-Rivières (75 km);
- Tuesday - Trois-Rivières – Sorel (76 km);
- Wednesday - Sorel – Verchères (66 km);
- Thursday - Verchères – Montréal (45 km);
- Friday - Departure from Montréal
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