Planning your stay
That's it, you have decided to go on a bicycle tour with Vélo Québec Voyages! The first step, if it is not already done, is to choose your destination. You have a soft spot for France? We have many itineraries to suggest. If you prefer to stay in Canada, no problem, we have plenty of options for you!
Choose your destination
Whether you have several cycling trips under your belt or you are a first-time cyclist, we have a vacation for you that corresponds to your tastes, your interests, your budget and the degree of effort you're looking for. For us, the selection of the itinerary must be done around three main criteria:
- The destination: the most important thing is to choose a destination that you want to explore! Cycling is about the road and the effort, but it's also about discovering landscapes and heritage with every kilometer, as well as the pleasures of the table that await you at the end of each day. Be sure to choose a destination whose culture, history, gastronomy and climate suits your desires and tastes!
- The difficulty of the route: cycling trips are accessible to everyone, but it is important to choose a trip whose difficulty suits both your desires and your abilities. If you are just starting your cycling career, it is probably better for you to discover this way of travelling on a rolling and pleasant route rather than going to face the Alps during your first trip!
- Your travel objective: for some cyclotourists, the goal is to ride all day and to reproduce a cycling experience similar to the professional grand tours. For others, the objective is more epicurean, and is based on the discovery of a region, or even a country, by traveling on a human scale, taking the time to stop and enjoy when they feel like it. This is why we offer several formulas that can be adapted to your desires and those of the members of your group. Free days, optional itineraries, extension of your stay... everything is possible!
Thus, each of our trips includes a ranking from 1 to 6, which denotes the difficulty of the route on a daily basis, allowing you to prepare well for the hardest days, or even to avoid them. Weather conditions (sun, rain, wind direction, temperature) and altitude can also influence the degree of effort required on any given day. In order to choose the right itinerary for you, reach out to our consultants!
1 | easy and flat circuit: few difficulties; from 30 to 60km. |
2 | rather easy circuit: includes some valleys; from 40 to 70km. |
3 | circuit of medium difficulty: hilly, sometimes mountainous; from 50 to 80km. |
4 | fairly difficult circuit: hilly and mountainous, relatively important differences in altitude; from 50 to 90km. |
5 | difficult circuit: very hilly and mountainous, requiring important and repeated efforts; from 60 to 110km. |
6 | very difficult circuit: requiring constant efforts, repeated climbs (passes) and a high degree of training; from 70 to 165km. |
The proposed rating and mileage are provided as a guide only.
Prepare your departure
Once you have chosen and booked your trip, it's time to plan! You will receive the GPX files of the route by email, which will allow you to review each day's cycling to identify major difficulties, possible stopping points, bicycle stores and other places of interest along the route.
With the route in hand, you can also identify the cultural, historical and natural places of interest you want to visit. This will allow you to choose cycling days and rest days, when possible. For tourists with multiple interests, we offer trips built around stopover cities that allow for rest days if needed, with the only mandatory cycling days being those between two stopover cities.
If you use your own bicycle and have to fly, be sure to check out our page on packing a bike.
In any case, prepare the necessary items to guarantee your autonomy on the road: a bicycle repair kit, a few patches, energy bars, clothing suitable for the climate of your trip. Also identify the objects or products that could be difficult to find at your destination. For example, your favorite energy bars or gels, or the painkiller of your choice for those days when your legs hurt from yesterday's ride.
Covid-19
Please be aware that detailed procedures are in place should a customer develop symptoms or test positive for COVID-19. If you have any questions, you can ask the staff of the company where you are staying.
To keep up to date with the health measures and restrictions in force at your destination, you can consult the Sherpa website, which is updated daily to display the latest information on travel restrictions around the world.