Bikeways in Gaspésie

Here are some family-friendly bikeways that will get you moving while also discovering the spectacular scenery of Gaspésie!

La Mitis

Mont-Joli

A municipal bike path takes you through Mont-Joli, making it easy to get around the town. Take advantage of your ride to discover some 30 murals painted on the walls of downtown buildings.

• Parking: 1020, boulevard Jacques-Cartier

• Length of bikeway: about 5 km (one way)

• Type of bikeway: paved bike lane

• Free admission

La Matanie

Matane – parc des Îles

Departing from Parc des Îles, you can cycle along the Matane River to the St. Lawrence and see anglers fishing for salmon along the way. You can also ride in the opposite direction by crossing the park to a gravel bike trail that will take you through the woods. Matane also offers a network of bike lanes throughout the town. More info (and map)

• Parking: 230, avenue Saint-Jérôme

• Length of bikeways: about 10 km (one way)

• Types of bikeways: paved bike path, gravel trail, bike lanes

• Free admission

Saint-René-de-Matane, Matane Wildlife Reserve

This wildlife reserve offers kilometres of gravel roads that are ideal for adventurers who are not intimidated by hills. Fatbikes are available for rent. More info (Avenza map). See the Étang-à-la-Truite biking trail map

• Parking: 500, chemin de la Réserve-Faunique

• Length of bikeways: 4 and 11 km

• Type of bikeway: gravel roads

• Admission fee for adults

• Open from early June to early September

La Haute-Gaspésie

Matane Wildlife Reserve, Auberge de montagne des Chic-Chocs

Located at the heart of the Matane Wildlife Reserve, the Auberge de montagne des Chic-Chocs offers 4-star accommodations in a lodge perched at an altitude of 615 metres. With or without a guide, you can explore this wilderness area reserved exclusively for guests of the lodge by riding on forest roads on an electric-assist mountain bike. Bikes and helmets are provided. More info

• Parking: 90, boulevard Sainte-Anne Ouest, Sainte-Anne-des-Monts

• Length of bikeways: 3.3 km to 18 km (round trip)

• Type of bikeway: gravel roads Difference in elevation: 90 to 550 m

• Only accessible to guests of the lodge (via shuttle bus)

Saint-Octave-de-l’Avenir, Village Grande Nature Chic-Chocs

Located in the forest at the foot of a mountain nearly 20 km south of Cap-Chat, Village Grande-Nature Chic-Chocs will delight nature lovers. This resort offers a lodge, cabins, a dining room and a bar as well as a multitude of outdoor activities to enjoy. On site, you can rent mountain bikes and explore the surrounding area on trails and forest roads. More info (map)

• Parking: 951, route de Saint-Octave-de-l’Avenir

• Length of bikeways: not available

• Types of bikeways: gravel trails and roads

• Free admission

Sainte-Anne-des-Monts

Take advantage of the low level of traffic on 1re Avenue in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts to enjoy a magnificent ride along the St. Lawrence. 

• Parking: 1, rue du Quai

• Length of bikeway: 19 km (one way)

• Type of bikeway: paved shoulder

• Free admission

Saint-Maxime-du-Mont-Louis

Route 132, which goes through the village of Saint-Maxime-du-Mont-Louis, has a wide shoulder that allows you to ride along the bay. On the western side of town, turn onto Rue de la Rivière (which becomes Route de la Rivière Mont-Louis) and then onto Route de l’Église to loop back towards Route 132. To extend your ride, you can explore the network of dirt trails at La Vallée des Pins Blancs, about 4 km past the intersection of Route de la Rivière Mont-Louis and Route de l’Église. You can also keep cycling west on Route 132 towards the Réserve faunique des Chic-Chocs.

• Parking: church in the middle of the village

• Length of bikeway: 6.2 km (loop), excluding the suggested extensions to this ride

• Types of bikeways: paved shoulder, dirt trails in the Vallée des Pins Blancs sector

• Free admission

La Côte-de-Gaspé

Grande-Vallée

Grande-Vallée offers a dirt trail through an evergreen forest (mountain bikes are recommended). You can also extend your ride for 12 km by cycling on a paved shoulder from Route 132 along Route de la Rivière to the parking lot. More info

• Parking: Route de la Rivière, 12 km from Route 132

• Length of bikeways: 5.7 km or 17.7 km (one way)

• Types of bikeways: dirt trail, paved shoulder

• Free admission

Gaspé, Forillon National Park

Forillon National Park offers several secondary roads you can explore by bike. Some hiking trails (mostly gravel) are also open to hybrid bikes. More info

• Parking: several parking lots in the park

• Length of bikeways: 4 km to 36.6 km

• Types of bikeways: depends on the trail

• Free admission, except the L’Anse-aux-Amérindiens sector (admission fee for adults)

Gaspé, Tour de la Baie

Starting from the centre of Gaspé, this ride will take you along a relatively flat bikeway surrounding the mouth of the York River. More info

• Parking: 8, rue de la Marina (intermodal station)

• Length of bikeway: 20 km (loop)

• Type of bikeway: paved shoulder

• Free admission

Gaspé, bike path

The bike path in Gaspé is multipurpose: it can also be used by hikers and inline skaters. It will take you to beautiful and sandy Haldimand Beach, along Gaspé Bay. More info

• Parking: 8, rue de la Marina (intermodal station)

• Length of bikeway: 21 km

• Type of bikeway: paved bike path

• Free admission

Le Rocher-Percé

Percé (Coin-du-Banc)

Time will stop as you ride along the bikeway in Coin-du-Banc, near Percé, a stone’s throw from one of the largest birding sites in the region. Note that a segment of this loop ride is along Route 132; both shoulders along the entire length of this road are designated bike lanes. Note that the bikeway is damaged along the beach. More info

• Parking: Rue de la Plage

• Length of bikeways: 6.2 km

• Types of bikeways: gravel trail, paved bike lane

• Free admission

Chandler, Sentier du Lac Vachon

Bordering Vachon Lake, this trail is ideal for hiking or a short bike ride. More info

• Parking: between 360 and 377, boulevard René-Lévesque Ouest

• Length of bikeway: 1.5 km

• Type of bikeway: dirt trail (with some tree roots)

• Free admission

Chandler, Circuit des Bâtisseurs

The Circuit des Bâtisseurs (Founders’ Trail) is a paved cycling and walking trail along the sea. The path begins at Atelier d’Art on Avenue du Plateau and ends at the interpretation centre in Espace NAPAGA. Enjoy cycling over the world’s longest aluminum bridge for pedestrians and cyclists, which will take you across the barachois in Grand-Pabos Bay. This path is also an open-air museum that recounts key moments in the history of this area. More info

• Parking: 35, rue Commerciale Ouest

• Length of bikeway: 3.5 km

• Type of bikeway: paved bike path

• Free admission

Chandler (Pabos Mills), Espace NAPAGA

The Pointe de Pabos trails in Espace NAPAGA allow cyclists and hikers to explore the enchanting scenery found in this park. See the map

• Parking: 75, chemin de la Plage

• Length of bikeway: 18 km

• Type of bikeway: dirt trail (with some tree roots)

• Free admission for cycling; fee for some activities offered on site

La Baie-des-Chaleurs

Bonaventure, multi-use path

A linear park by the sea, the multi-use path in Bonaventure will take you from Pointe de Beaubassin to the heart of the village via Avenue de Louisbourg and Rue Boishébert. Whether you cycle, walk or inline skate along this path, it’s a great place to soak up the sun and sea air. See the map

• Parking: Pointe de Beaubassin

• Length of bikeway: 5 km

• Type of bikeway: paved bike path

• Free admission

Bonaventure, Sentiers plein air

This network of trails offers two routes. Le Skitow (2 km) is an intermediate trail reserved for cyclists while Le Malin (4.5 km) is an easy trail accessible to cyclists, hikers and horseback riders. Map (in French only)

• Parking: Chemin Thivierge (across from the road leading to the airport from the north side) or Le Malin

• Length of bikeway: 9 km

• Type of bikeway: dirt trails

• Free admission

• Open June 1 to September 30

Saint-Alphonse, Domaine des chutes du Ruisseau Creux    

Two bike trails are available to explore the Domaine des Chutes du Ruisseau Creux: Le Pédaleux and La Belle Balade. Located in the forest, these trails will take you to the Relais de la Petite Belgique where you can admire a view of the Bonaventure River. More info and map (in French only)

• Parking: 27, rue Principale Est

• Length of bikeways: 3 or 5 km

• Types of bikeways: dirt trails in the forest and in mountainous terrain

• Free admission

New Richmond, Station touristique Pin Rouge

In addition to single-track mountain bike trails, the Pin Rouge resort offers 21 km of trails on relatively flat terrain and an additional 4 km along the banks of the Little Cascapédia River. If you’re in good shape, you can also ride up the resort’s no. 1 trail, which leads to the top of the mountain, 670 metres above sea level. An observation tower offers a panoramic view of the Chic-Chocs, Mont Saint-Joseph, the Little Cascapédia River and Chaleur Bay. More info

• Parking: 1250, chemin de Saint-Edgar

• Length of bikeways: 30 km

• Types of bikeways: dirt and gravel trails

• Free admission for most trails; admission fee for single track

Carleton-sur-Mer, network of bike paths around the barachois

Hop on your bike at Parc des Horizons in Carleton-sur-Mer and ride along the municipal beach on a gravel trail to Rue du Quai. To cycle around most of the barachois, you can continue your journey either south or east on paved bike paths that are also accessible to inline skaters. If you head south, you’ll follow a 1.3-km path along Rue du Quai that will take you behind the marina out towards the tip of the Carleton sandbar. If you ride east, you can cycle for 5 km along the Promenade des Acadiens, then turn right on Route 132 (Boulevard Perron) and right again on Avenue du Phare, which you can follow along the water all the way to Pointe Tracadigash and the Carleton Lighthouse. Map

• Parking: 499, boulevard Perron (Parc des Horizons)

• Length of bikeways: 12.6 km (round trips in both directions)

• Types of bikeways: gravel trail, paved bike paths, paved bike lanes

• Free admission

La Matapédia

Amqui, Parc régional du Lac-Matapédia

Located along the banks of Lake Matapédia, Parc régional du Lac-Matapédia offers a variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, water sports and mountain biking. More info

• Parking: depends on the trail

• Length of bikeways: 12 and 14.7 loops and over 47 km forest roads

• Types of bikeways: dirt and gravel trails

• Free admission

De Routhierville à Saint-Moïse, Véloroute Desjardins de La Matapédia

The Véloroute Desjardins de La Matapédia is a 110-km segment of the Route Verte cycling network. Clearly marked and designed to ensure the safety of cyclists, it’s mainly made up of paved shoulders as well as paved bike lanes and bike paths. You’ll find segments of the Véloroute at the following locations:

Causapscal, Parc de la Pointe

This park is located in the middle of Causapscal, at the confluence of the Matapédia and Causapscal rivers. More info

• Parking: 5, rue Saint-Jacques (then cross the pedestrian bridge over the river)

• Length of bikeway: 0.4 km

• Type of bikeway: paved bike path

• Free admission

Amqui, Parc Marcel-Rioux

This park has a footbridge that will take you across the Matapédia River. A short, paved bicycle path offers a loop ride through a wooded area.

• Parking: 20, Promenade Marcel-Rioux

• Length of bikeway: 1.3 km (loop)

• Type of bikeway: paved bike path

• Free admission

Amqui, Parc Pierre-et-Maurice-Gagné

Located in downtown Amqui along the Matapédia River, this park offers a paved bike path, a picnic area and washroom facilities. From the park, you can admire one of the many covered bridges in the area. You can also ride along the shoulder of Route 132 to access the next trail segment from here. More info

• Parking: 26, rue Pelletier

• Length of bikeway: 0.5 km

• Type of bikeway: paved bike lane

• Free admission

Amqui, Camping Amqui and parc Marcel Brochu

From the Amqui campground, you can ride a bike path through the forest and along Lake Matapédia to Parc Marcel-Brochu and the Anses-Saint-Jean covered bridge. More info

• Parking: 686, route 132 (Camping Amqui)

• Length of bikeway: 0.8 km

• Type of bikeway: paved bike path

• Free admission

Sayabec, Parc au Tournant-de-la-Rivière

Located along the Rivière Noire (Black River) near the old train station in Sayabec, this park offers a short bike path to explore. More info

• Parking: church on Rue de l’Église

• Length of bikeway: 0.2 km

• Type of bikeway: paved bike path

• Free admission

Want to discover the beauty of Gaspésie while enjoying a bike ride? You have so many options to get moving as a family!