Tours Garden and covered bridge Circuit

Photo: Michel Julien

Flower and heritage wonders. Sainte-Flavie - Matane - Amqui - Sainte-Flavie. 202 km loop.

In the central town of Mont-Joli, located in the heart of the La Mitis Region, you will find the most important airport in Eastern Québec; on the longest karting track in Québec and enjoy yourself fully; then downtown, follow the mural tour, and go back in time. In Sainte-Flavie, a stop at the wharf promenade is a must. In front of the church, at the Place Flavie-Drapeau you can access the beach, a picnic area and a comfort station. Then, keep going east and discover 120 sculptures that emerge from the River. Ten kilometres, on the north side, walk through the magnificent Reford Gardens and discover their 3,000 species of native and exotic plants presented in 18 gardens. Visit the famous International Garden Festival. Healthy food and gourmet meals.

At this location, Route 234 leads you to the municipalities of Price (visit the Maison Bourgoin) and Saint-Octave-de-Métis. When you exit the Baie-des-Sables village, via Route 297, you have the option of taking an alternative circuit that will take you to the Base Plein air Saint-Damase. Further south, a local road leads you to Sayabec through Malcom Lake.

Coming back on Route 132, between Baie-des-Sables and Matane, you will see roadside rest areas where you can take a break and walk. Ride through a majestic and spectacular scenery of windmills in Saint-Ulric and appreciate their gigantic size compared to you! This village also offers the fabulous Blanche River, the Parc des Rives, the Vignoble Carpinteri (vineyard), the covered bridge and the Chutes à Ti-Mé (the Ti-Mé falls).

Just before arriving in Matane, at the junction of Route 195, follow the Jardins de Doris signs and discover this rock garden, fruit trees, shrubs and plants. Enjoy a sundial that is 30 feet in diameter and a giant chess game. Back on Route 132, in Matane, take a time out at the maritime lighthouse, home of the Tourist Welcome Bureau. At the port, ferry services are available between Matane, Baie-Comeau and Godbout. The river goes directly through downtown where salmon fishing enthusiasts can enjoy their favorite activity. From Matane, take Route 195 to get to the Matane Wildlife Reserve. This road also leads to the Saint-René-de-Matane covered bridges, dating back to 1940. Going further, at the crossroads of Route 132 and Route 195, Amqui offers two other covered bridges and the Parc Pierre-et-Maurice-Gagné. To complete this circuit, take Route 132 via Val-Brillant and the Matapédia Lake, Sayabec, Saint-Moïse, Sainte-Angèle-de-Mérici (visit the neobaroque-style church and rest at the roadside rest area of the Mitis River), Saint-Joseph-de-Lepage and Mont-Joli.

Visit: Vieux Moulin, Centre d'interprétation de la dîme, Centre d'art Marcel Gagnon, Murmures de la Ville, Parc de la rivière Mitis, Jardins de Métis, Maison Bourgouin,  Grotte des Fées, Jardins de Doris, Phare de Matane, Poste d'observation de la montée du saumon-Barrage Mathieu-D'Amours, Ancien magasin général A.G., Musée la Maison Horace-Bouffard and Église de Sainte-Angèle-de-Mérici.

Québec Covered bridges