This week-long cycling route begins in Montreal and is built around Le P'Tit Train du Nord, a 200 km (120 mile) bicycle path that originates just north of Montreal and continues to Mont Laurier in the Laurentian Mountains (referred to as the Laurentides in French) . The loop continues south from there to Ottawa, and then along the Ottawa River before returning to the start location. We have selected the evening stop locations for optimal use of inns that are part of the "Bienvenue Cyclistes" network, and showing campground options. The total distance for this tour is approximately 600 km (370 miles.

Check out the bicycle camping version for the option to start at Voyageurs Provincial Park in Ottawa and bypass Montreal. Our day to day itinerary has two very full 70-80 mile days to reach the end of the P'tit Train du Nord in Mont-Laurier from our starting point in Montreal, but we also include an option here for taking three days. We recommend purchasing the 6th edition of Cycling in Quebec, a guide to Quebec's 4000 km Route Verte published by Velo Quebec. You may follow a reverse version of this tour from Ottawa in this You Tube video made by Alan Metcalf of his fall 2009 tour of the Laurentians . We also provide a camping version of this tour.

Maps: Cue sheets and maps for all our tours (including this tour are available online and on disk . We recommend purchasing the 6th edition of Cycling in Quebec, a guide to Quebec's 4000 km Route Verte published by Velo Quebec. Video: View a reverse direction version of this tour from Ottawa in this You Tube video made by Alan Metcalf of his fall 2009 tour of the Laurentines .
Inns: Two large inns in Montreal participate in the "Bienvenue cyclists" network: Hotel Pomerol 819 boul. de Maisonneuve Est, (800)361-6896 ; and Hotel St-Dennis 1254, RUE ST-DENIS, (800) 291-5927 .Both inns charge approximately $15 /night for leaving your automobile for the week.

In the morning we depart the hotel, taking la Route Verte 1 paved bike path approximately 12 km through Montreal, crossing to Laval at Pont Ile Perry. La Route Verte becomes a stone dust trail next to train tracks through Laval for 17 km. Cross the Riviere des Mille Isles on Route Verte 1 to Lorraine, taking unmarked roads for one km through Rosemere to Sainte Therese, where we join the Lower Laurentians Linear Park (mostly paved). This trail becomes the P'tit Train du Nord Linear Park in Lafontaine just north of Saint Jerome. We continue to St-Faustin for a total of 70 miles,
Distance: 70 miles cue sheet map
Inns (Two day option to Saint-Faustin ) :
La Caravelle in Sainte Agathe-des-Mnts (bienvenue cyclistes)
Gite Montagne Nirvana B&B‎ in St. Faustin (bienvenue cyclistes)
Continuing on le Route Verte , we pass outside of Sainte-Jovite and reach the community of Mont-Tremblant (named after the nearby resort mountain and park) in about 14 miles. At mile 23 in Labelle, le Route Verte becomes paved the rest of the way to Mont-Laurier, and the towns become farther apart. The path turns south of Lac Nominique, passing through the town by the same name. Our ride continues through Laurentian wilderness for a total of 80 miles before reaching Mont-Laurier.
Distance: 80 miles. cue sheet map
Inns: La Maison de la Rive, 415 du Portage, Mont Laurier. (bienvenue cyclists), . The Comfort Inn (bienvenue cyclists) (800) 345-6465, 700 Blvd. Paquette Mont-Laurier
Camping options: Camping a La Clairiere is 5 miles south of Mont-Laurier on Chemin Du Tour de Lac Camping Parc Joan is 2 miles east of Mont Laurier just off Rt. 117.
Extra ride options: In Mont-Laurier, you may choose to add one of their recommended cycling routes or take time to visit this popular town. A 47 km (30 km) ride is up and back down the other side of the North River from Mont-Laurier to Mont-Sainte-Michael. Or ride the 50 km loop south to Notre-Dame-du-Pontman and back.

Three Day option, Montreal to Mont-Laurier Montreal to St-Adelle Sainte-Adèle inns: Auberge du P'tit Train du Nord, (Bienvenue Cyclistes) 3065, rue Rolland, Auberge La Bruyere , Auberge Champetre, Rt. 117 Sainte-Adele Campgrounds: : Camping Laurentian (Bienvenue Cyclistes) in Val-David. Distance: Montreal to St-Adelle 75 km (45 miles); Montreal to Val David 85 km (53 miles St-Adelle to Nominique Inns: Several inns in Nominique: Gite le Coup de Coeur, 2088 Chemin des Geais Bleus Nominique , Accueil du Peti Lac Maisons des Jeunes, and L'Auberge le Ville De Nominique, Camping in L'annonciation: Camping Le Fou de Roi, adjacent to the P'Tit Train du Nord. Distances: . Val-David to Nomininque 100 km. 85 km to L'annonciation. Sainte-Adele to Nominique 110 km. 95 km to L'annonciation Nominique to Mont-Laurier Distances: L-Annonciation to Mont-Laurier, 73 km (45 miles) Lac-Nominique to Mont-Laurier, 55 km (34 miles)

We leave le P'tit Train du Nord today, taking Rt. 117 west, continuing past Rt. 107 and take Route 105 from Grand-Remous south to Maniwaki, then continuing to Gracefield . A stone dust/gravel alternative bike route from Maniwakee is the Vallée-de-la-Gatineau Bike Trail which goes along Blue Sea lake, 57 km south to Gracefield.
Inns: Auberge L'Entre-Deux-Mondes‎ in Gracefield ($60/ night) (Messines population 1600, Gracefield population 600). Hotel Chénier‎unstarred , 258 ch du Lac Cayamant, Wright (8 km west of Gracefield) (819) 463-2331
Cabin and camping option: Le Bivouac d' La Ancien camping Gracefield
Camping options: Camping Pioneer, Rt. 105 in Gracefield,
Other camping 70 km from Mont Laurier: Camping Petit Lac, Messines, QC , 70 km from Mont Laurier.
Distance: 105 km (65 miles) Mont-Laurier to Gracefield cue sheet map
We ride 64 km south on Rt. 105 or take the gravel Veloroute des Draveurs to Low, then continue south on Rt. 105. In Wakefield, River Road gives you a break from the highway. You'll rejoin rt. 105 for 5 miles to Chealsea, where the route turns to follow park roads and bike paths through Park Gattineau, then crossing at the Portage or Alexandra bridges to downtown . Distance: 100 km Gracefield to Ottawa.
Inns: The Byward Blue Inn in the popular Byward Market area of downtown Ottawa is at157 Clarence Street, just 3 blocks after bridge. .After crossing the Alexandra bridge, bear right along MacKenzie Drive. In four blocks, turn left on Rideau St., where you will find many inns to choose from . Turn right on Cumberland St. a few blocks after turning onto Rideau to the Gasthaus Switzerland , which we enjoyed on our tour . The Hi-Ottawa Jailhouse Hostel offers private or shared rooms for one of the lowest prices in town. There are also several chain inns along or near Rideau St. in downtown Ottawa. cue sheet and map

Cycling in Ottawa: While in Ottawa, don't miss riding on the Rideau Canal Bikeway, a 16 mile loop on both sides of the canal. Or, ride south on the western side of the canal, which starts just a few blocks from the Alexandra bridge, and then return north into Ottawa on the Rideau River bike path.

Take Rideau St. through Ottawa, cross the bridge over the Rideau River and take the Rideau River bike path to Sussex St. In a few blocks you will join the Ottawa River Parkway. Near
the end of the parkway, there is an option to take the ferry across the Ottawa River to the Quebec side. Our route continues in Ottawa, taking local roads near the river to Hawkesbury.
Distance: approximately 70 miles from downtown Ottawa to Hawkesbury . The ride is several km longer if taking La Route Verte 1 full distance from Ottawa to Carillon.
Inns : in Hawkesbury at the Best Western L'Heritage Inn. (110 km from Ottawa)., or the Cranberry House bed and breakfast south of town Or you may ride to attractive Van Kleek Hill (a few miles south of Hawkesbury), staying at the Top of the Morning B&B . An option is to cross the river to Quebec and continue for an 80 mile ride to Carillon, staying at Maison Desormeaux cue sheet map

For our last day of riding, we cross the bridge in Hawkesbury back to the Quebec side of the Ottawa river, and continue east the entire way on La Route Verte 1 along Rt. 344 to Parc national d'Oka . From there, ride 60 km to St. Jerome, taking La Vagabonde (La Route Verte 1 paved trail) to Deux Montagnes. Here we cross the bridge to Laval and ride along the south side of the lake to the Laval bike path. Take Boulevard Ste-Rose east and then an unpaved bike path south through Laval. Crossing again into Montreal, signs for La Route Verte take you on bike lanes south through city streets to the Dennis St. hotel where we left our cars.
Distance from Hawkesbury: 73 miles cue sheet map