Traveler's Guide

For information about the daily schedule, activities offered at the Village, and services available to you, visit the information kiosk located in each Village.

At the tourist kiosk, you can get information about the stopover town and its attractions (beaches, parks, restaurants, museums, historic sites, outdoor activities, etc.). Be sure to stop by to find out about all the surprises and little touches our hosts have in store for you, and to sign up for any activities on offer.

During events, we work alongside a team of experienced mechanics. Every day at the Village, from 6:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. (7 a.m. to 10 a.m. at La Petite Aventure) and from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., they can fix minor problems (free of charge, except for parts) or major problems (charges for labor and parts). It is also possible to inflate your tires at the mechanical kiosk.

Le Déchaîné is the official digital newspaper of the Grand Tour, while Le Petit Déchaîné is published during the Petite Aventure. Published one week before your event and updated until departure, it includes the latest news about the route (changes or places not to be missed), activities, and the evening menu at the Village.

From 1 p.m. onwards, the Bistro becomes the meeting place for travelers. Here, they discuss the day's adventures and relax with a drink. The scene also comes alive in the evening to the sound of bands or DJs. In the dining room, you can enjoy the carefully selected products on offer at the wine counter every day.

There are clearly marked sections for early risers (before 7 a.m.) and late risers (after 7 a.m.). La Petite Aventure also has a "family" section.  Regardless of which section you camp in, quiet hours are from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Rental tents are set up and grouped together in one area of the campground.

We also reserve a small section of the campground for our employees, cycling coaches, and volunteers. Most of them go to bed late and get up at the crack of dawn. Finally, please note that recreational vehicles are not allowed on Village grounds.

You have access to showers and toilets at the establishments where the Village is located, as well as two Festidouches—shower trailers available every day on the Village site. Portable toilets are added to the camping areas.

As a road user, you are subject to the Highway Safety Code. You must:

• Obey traffic signs (traffic lights, stop signs, etc.)
• Drive on the right side of the road, in the direction of traffic.
• Drive in single file
• Equip your bike with the mandatory reflectors
• Have an active lighting system (white light at the front, red at the rear) if you plan to ride at night.

We have noticed that some cyclists take up a lot of space on the road, riding three or four abreast. This makes it difficult for our support vehicles to do their job and compromises everyone's safety. Not to mention that it does not put the police on our side. Please keep this in mind. Also, be careful of cyclists who are riding slower than you.

If you bring your children to La Petite Aventure, teach them the basics of bicycle safety and insist that they ride close to you.

Traffic signs

The route is marked so that you can easily find your way. Our signs indicate where you can stop for lunch. Some signs indicate where you can find restrooms and water sources. It is also worth mentioning that all support vehicles on the route always have water on board. Please feel free to flag them down if you need anything.

Last-minute detours may occur, particularly due to unexpected roadworks or poor road conditions. If this happens, we will inform you using signs marked DETOUR.

Optional courses

Every day, you have the opportunity to do more by following optional routes. These routes allow you to see magnificent sites or panoramas, but they involve a longer journey or a higher level of effort. They are therefore intended for cyclists who really want more. Please note that they are only marked at turns and that patrols are less frequent on these routes. However, using the maps in your hiking logbook or your route on theRide with GPS app, you should be able to find your way easily.

Every year, several municipalities and their residents welcome us along our routes with warmth and enthusiasm. To leave a good impression, we ask that you always be courteous and respectful on the road. A beautiful apple tree, a shady flower bed, or a garden hose may be tempting, but they undoubtedly belong to someone. Please respect private property.

Need help? Thumb down!

If you need assistance, give us a clear thumbs-down signal as we pass by. Vehicles identified with the organization and certified cycling marshals—recognizable by the red flag attached to their bikes—are present throughout the course. Our vehicles are connected by communication systems, and we can respond promptly to provide assistance.

If you are unable to finish the day, you can ride in a support vehicle with your bike. Don't hesitate to use this option in case of serious problems.

Children who give up along the way

In the event of abandonment on the course, children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by a parent in the support vehicle.

Vélo Québec's certified cycling guides are travelers selected for their recognized skills in first aid, bicycle mechanics, and road cycling guidance. Through their commitment, cycling guides combine a sense of mutual aid with the pleasure of traveling.

It is your responsibility to obtain adequate insurance coverage for your luggage, your bicycle, and cancellation insurance. Vélo Québec Voyages assumes no responsibility for loss, theft, or damage to your luggage and personal belongings (including your bicycle) during your trip, including the transportation of your bicycle by our services, if applicable. Please note that many home insurance companies cover property damaged or stolen outside the home. Check with your insurance company.

Select your baggage item

Keep in mind that the ideal piece of luggage is lightweight and easy to handle, both for you and for our baggage handlers.

Tip: When choosing your luggage, weigh it to ensure you select the lightest models.

If you are staying in a tent, opt for a sports bag without wheels or a rigid frame, with a capacity of around 100 liters, equipped with sturdy handles that can support a maximum weight of 22 kg when full.

If you are staying at a hotel, choose a piece of luggage with wheels, weighing no more than 15 kg when full.

Identify and personalize your luggage

Please write your name, address, and phone number on it. And don't forget: we will only transport it if it has the "baggage" tag attached.

Keep your luggage dry

Due to the large volume of luggage and the space required to store it when we arrive at a stopover town, luggage is always stored outside, rain or shine. This is why it is important to place your clothes, personal belongings, sleeping bag, and tent in several waterproof plastic bags before putting them in your luggage.

Vélo Québec shares more tips and tricks in its Cycling Tourism Toolbox.

You will find:

• Checklist for packing your luggage
• Family and cycle touring
• Sleeping in a tent
• Driving in the rain

Tent number and baggage identification

Two weeks before the event, you will receive a luggage tag bearing the number of the tent assigned to you for the duration of your stay. Only luggage bearing this tag will be transported in the trucks assigned to the tent rental service.

Tent availability and luggage delivery

On each day of travel, tents are available at 1:00 PM. Your luggage will be placed inside your tent. On each day of travel to a new stopover city, you must vacate your tent by 9:30 AM at the latest. It will be available again from 1:00 PM, and your luggage will be inside. The rental tents are set up and grouped together in the same area of the campground. Please note that the tents are not designed to store your bike. Please lock it outside.

Daily luggage transport

At the departure site, drop off your luggage at one of the two cube trucks assigned to and identified by the tent rental service. On each day of travel, the tent rental service team is on site from 6:30 a.m. On days with good weather, you must leave your luggage outside your tent, in front of the door. Luggage is collected on site by the tent rental service team. On rainy days, you must leave your luggage inside the tent (door and mosquito net closed) and notify the tent rental service team on site when your luggage is ready to be picked up (mention your tent number).

(Package not available at La Petite Aventure)
When you check in on the first day of the event, you will receive a list and contact details for the hotels, as well as a personalized label with your name on it, indicating your hotel assignment for the week. This same label will be affixed to your luggage tag.

You will also receive full details about shuttle services to hotels, breakfasts, and bike storage at the Village, if applicable. All hotels booked by the Grand Tour will be indicated on the route maps included in the tour booklet you will receive two weeks before the event.

Accommodation

The Grand Tour Sous la Couette package offers accommodation, usually in a motel, hotel, inn, or guesthouse, which varies from one stopover town to another, depending on the regions visited. You will generally be staying a few kilometers from the Village. You can easily locate your hotel on the route maps in the hiking booklet and follow the signs that lead you there.

What about your bike? Your bike can be stored overnight in your room or in a secure area provided for this purpose. It is strongly recommended that you lock it at all times.

Luggage transport

We transport your luggage from one hotel to another. Your bag will be waiting for you in the lobby of your hotel. On mornings when we change cities, you leave it at the location indicated to you on site. Only luggage marked appropriately will be transported from one site or hotel to another.

Arrival at the hotel and departure

Rooms are generally available from 3 p.m., sometimes 4 p.m. Please check in at the hotel before 10 p.m., as some hotels do not offer reception or key delivery services after this time. When leaving the hotel, you must return your key to the reception desk and settle any charges for products and services purchased at the hotel (e.g., telephone calls, minibar, etc.).

Breakfast

When a hotel does not offer restaurant service, breakfast is served in a nearby restaurant and, in some cases, at the Village du Grand Tour. You will find the appropriate coupons in the envelope given to you at check-in. Breakfasts
taken at the hotel restaurant are usually served between 6:30 a.m. and 9 a.m.

Information board

An information board displayed at your hotel reception provides the following information:

• The place where you can collect your luggage;
• The place where you can leave your luggage when you depart;
• Where to store your bike;
• The place and time of breakfast;
• The schedule and details of the shuttles for the Grand Tour Village;
• Activities at the Grand Tour Village;
• Messages from the organization, if applicable.

Shuttle between the village and the hotel

Shuttles run daily between your hotel and the Village. In some cases, due to the distance between certain hotels and the Grand Tour Village, a bike storage facility may also be set up in the Village. You will be provided with further details when you check in. The complete schedule will also be posted on the information board at your hotel. Each municipality also has a taxi service, whose contact information is available at the information kiosk and at the hotel.