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Departure
Saint-Urbain

19.7 km

ROUTE DESCRIPTION

A pleasant walk along a country road with a unique feature.

Millions of years ago, a meteorite struck this region, centered around Mont Des Éboulements. The force of the impact pushed back the surrounding land and mountains, creating a vast circular crater. Already visible on the descent from the hamlet of Grands-Fonds toward La Malbaie, the valley we discover there is part of this formation and continues northward, becoming clearly visible from the road leading from Rang Saint-Antoine to Saint-Urbain, which we traveled the day before: the mountains known as “du Séminaire” in the distance are among those pushed back by this geodetic shock. Thus, as we follow the Gouffre River and travel along Rang Saint-Laurent, we can now see that we are at the bottom of this valley—a space that separates what remains of the meteorite on the left from the displaced land and mountains on the right.

Start

900 Saint-Édouard Street, Saint-Urbain de Charlevoix, Quebec G0W 2K0
View on Google Maps

Finish

105 Route 362, Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec G3Z 1R4
View on Google Maps

Distance

19.7 KM

Route duration

DAY 1

Difficulty level


AL CONSTRAINTS ON CERTAIN
ROAD SEGMENTS

Elevation gain

12 M

Itinerary

From Saint-Urbain to Baie-Saint-Paul

  • As you leave the Saint-Urbain Church, turn left toward the southeast onto Rue Saint-Édouard / QC-381 South. Cross the street and take the sidewalk on the right.
  • Walk along the sidewalk to the end. (2.3 km)
  • Continue along the right side of the road on the shoulder until you reach Charcuterie Charlevoisienne. In front of the shop, there is a sign indicating that you should cross the road. (0.7 km)
  • Follow the trail (which is also a bike path) as it approaches the Du Gouffre River; cross the river via the bridge and head up the Cap Martin trail. (1 km)
  • Turn right and walk along the Cap Martin trail, which becomes a dirt road, until you reach the intersection with Route QC-138. (3.5 km)
  • CAUTION: To cross QC-138, there is a TUNNEL ON THE LEFT.
    Traffic on 138 is heavy and moves quickly: always use the tunnel at the base of the long hill known as “À Matou.”
  • At the tunnel exit, turn left onto Chemin Saint-Laurent. Walk on the left side of the road; at number 674, you’ll see the Marie-Noëlle Beaulieu Farm (sign: fresh eggs daily, as well as fruit). RESTROOMS and farm products for sale. Picnic tables are available in the nearby white-fenced park (various farm animals on site). (2.3 km)
  • Further on, you’ll come to a bike path. Follow the bike path to the village of Baie-Saint-Paul. (9 km)
  • When Chemin Saint-Laurent turns to the right, stay to the left and take Chemin Saint-Pamphile all the way to the end, where it becomes Rue Des Saules. (0.4 km)
  • Turn right, pass the post office boxes, and continue to Route QC-362 East. (220 m)
  • On QC-362, turn left; stay in the left lane untilNo. 105 (130 m.) (Sign: Atelier A.-M. Bourbeau – enter through the side door).
  • Drive into the town of Baie-Saint-Paul to run some errands, then get back on Route 362, which becomes Rue Leclerc.

Practical Tips

Plan for today's drive

  • Water, snack
  • Lunch

Planning for the Road Ahead

  • There are 3 possible routes for the upcoming trip (description below). Please make reservations and bring your own food.
  • Trips 1-2-3: water, snack, lunch

Confirmation/Reservation required for the next tour

Route 1: For Athletes

HIKERS taking the Sentiers des Caps trail (4 days) must first travel to Petite-Rivière-Saint-François on Day 1, which will serve as their base for climbing the Caps on the following days. (30 km)

CALL Coop L’Affluent (Tel. 418-632-5653), the only lodging option in Petite-Rivière-Saint-François, to book a room ($).

CALL the Sentier des Caps de Charlevoix office (1-866-823-1117)

  • Register ($) to use the trails for three (3) days of hiking, including access to the Cap-Tourmente National Wildlife Area ($);
  • Reserve the Anse-aux-vaches and La Faille mountain huts for the next two nights ($).

Route 2: For Casual Athletes

Casual athletes will first travel by bus to the Auberge du sportif in Saint-Tite-des-Caps (youth) and will then walk via Cap Tourmente to Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré (25 km).

CALL the Auberge du sportif in Saint-Tite-des-Caps (youth hostel) at (418) 901-0505 to secure a reservation for one night ($) the following night. The hostel, the only place to stay in Saint-Tite, is near the bus terminal and next to the Sentier des Caps office.

  • Transportation by INTERCAR: 909 Monseigneur-de-Laval Boulevard. Baie-Saint-Paul. You can contact them at (418) 435-0101 for reservations and tickets, or at 1-800-806-2167 (toll-free in Canada and the U.S.; international calls are subject to charges).
    Bus Schedule

Route 3: For families and other hikers

Families and other hikers can take the road from Baie-Saint-Paul and…

  1. or take a bus directly to Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré;
  2. Or go to the intersection of Route QC-138 and Route Des Carrières (Saint-Joachim-de-Beaupré) and walk to Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré (13 km). Take a taxi (42 km).
  • Transportation provided by INTERCAR: 909 Monseigneur-de-Laval Boulevard. Baie-Saint-Paul. You can contact them at 418-435-0101 for reservations and tickets, or at 1-800-806-2167 (toll-free in Canada and the U.S.; international calls are subject to charges).
    Bus Schedule

Restaurants / Food

G.H. Ménard Convenience Store

46 Leclerc Street
Baie-Saint-Paul (Quebec) G3Z 2K5

5-minute walk

Maxi

30 Racine Street
Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec G3Z 2R1

Cross the Leclerc Bridge and you’ll arrive in front of the Church of Saints Peter and Paul. Turn right onto Rue Saint-Jean-Baptiste. It’s two blocks to the left on Rue Saint-Jean-Baptiste (a 20-minute walk).

IGA

1020 Mgr. de Laval Boulevard
Baie-Saint-Paul (Quebec) G3Z 2W6

Walk along Saint-Jean-Baptiste Street until you reach Boulevard Mgr de Laval. The IGA is on your right (a 30-minute walk)

Restaurants

Saint-Jean-Baptiste Street, which begins across from the church on the right as you exit the bridge on Leclerc Street, takes you right into the heart of Baie-Saint-Paul. There are many different restaurants and snack bars along the street.

Accommodations

Pilgrims’ Inn

105 Route 362
Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec
Tel. (418) 435-3367

Amenities: dormitory, restrooms (toilets and shower), washer and dryer, kitchenette, indoor and outdoor dining tables (with umbrellas), small lounge.

Access to the Notre-Dame des Écoles Garden, an oasis of greenery, tranquility, and peace. DONATIONS WELCOME.

Youth Hostel

The Balconies
63 Ambroise-Fafard Street (Quebec) G3Z 2J7

Things to Do in Baie-Saint-Paul

HERITAGE AND CULTURE

Tour of the Church in Baie-Saint-Paul

You can visit the church across from the Leclerc Bridge. Check the opening hours.

EXPLORING THE CITY

The Street of Art Galleries and Shops

Saint-Jean-Baptiste Street, which begins across from the church on the right as you exit the bridge on Leclerc Street, takes you right into the heart of Baie-Saint-Paul, a town renowned for its artistic scene.

NATURE AND THE OUTDOORS

Saint-François Garden

A lovely, peaceful garden located in front of the Le Germain hotel.

29 Rue de la Ferme
, Baie-Saint-Paul, Quebec G3Z 0G2

NATURE AND THE OUTDOORS

Baie-Saint-Paul Wharf

A stroll along the waterfront via Sainte-Anne Street, which begins to the left as you exit the Leclerc Bridge and leads directly there.

Picnic tables, view of L’Île-aux-Coudres, visitor center, restrooms. (2.1 km from the church).

A must-see!

HERITAGE AND CULTURE

“Little Franciscans of Mary” Museum Tour

Museum Tour of the Little Franciscan Sisters of Mary: a museum chronicling the history, work, and legacy of the congregation through exhibits, artifacts, a historic chapel, and an immersive educational and spiritual tour.

Website

A Brief History of the Stopover Town

Baie-Saint-Paul

The bay is mentioned on maps of the St. Lawrence River as early as 1550. However, settlers did not arrive until a century later, drawn by logging and agriculture. These were the Bouchard, Simard, and Tremblay families. Life gradually centered around the bell tower of the Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul parish church, built in 1714. Almost immediately afterward, a seigneurial manor house (1718) was built, along with a communal mill.

Now a major regional commercial hub, Baie-Saint-Paul still preserves a heritage of 85 century-old Quebec-style houses and boasts an enviable cultural scene thanks to its many workshops and attractive art galleries—not to mention the magnificent landscape between the sea and the mountains that inspires the dreams of many. Among other notable events, the early 1980s saw the first steps of Cirque du Soleil—which has since become internationally famous—followed a few years later by its designation as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve (1988) to highlight and encourage the local population’s commitment to the conservation and promotion of nature.

 

Photo: Gilles Messian from Paris, France, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Next step: Departure from Baie-Saint-Paul via Petite-Rivière-Saint-François (Option 1), via Saint-Tite-des-Caps (Option 2), or via Saint-Joachim (Option 3)

VIEW DETAILS (OPTION 1)

VIEW DETAILS (OPTION 2)

VIEW DETAILS (OPTION 3)