Input welcome: Gaspe Peninsula, Quebec, Montreal

Mtl >>> Gaspé

Hope I can help you here. August and September are good here as the construction vacation period ends at the end of the first week on August.

I know nothing about the Montréal area so maybe some oen else could pitch in.

OK. I imagine that you will be using the highway 20 or 40 to get to Québec. If using the 20 there are Walmarts at Charny (Exit 314 on the 20)and in Lévis Exit 325 I think it is. Over in Québec I cannot say for sure but there is a chance for overnights inthe parking areas near the ferry landing in Q-City. On the Lévis side you can park also at the ferry parking lot and take the boat over to visit.

As for things to see and all. Around the fery landing and taking the funicular up to the Château Frontenac is the main tourist route, plenty to see all over. A rainy day? The civilization Museum right near the ferry. Many other places around, send me a PM


Now depending on your time, you can take the Rt.132 instead of the #20 because on the 20 you do not see much at all. If you are not a big hurry I'd take the 132 from Beaumont, just east of Lévis or the 132 from Montmagny. This road runs parallel to the 20. All along that route you will find interesting things. There are campgrounds east of Montmagny, in St-Roch-de-sAulnaies just west of St-Jean-Port-Joli BUT on cool place is as you leave St-Roch, just a bit away you'll see a bird migration sign and a well kept dirt road which will bring you out to a point of observation. Portable toilets and benches are available and it is free. St-Roch is about 75 miles east of Québec. There are bicyle trails all along there and beautiful old homes and farms. At rivière-du-Loup there is a nice cg at the ferry landing. As you leave the toewn, you cross a bridge and the road curves to the right and climbs, at middle of the hill turn left, the cg is that way.
Trois-Pistoles isnext, cgs there too and then as you leave Trois-Pistoles the next village is St-Simon RESPECT THE SPEED LIMIT! from there to Rimouski. From the Québec Bridge om thr Hwy 20 Rimouski is a three hour drive at 60 mph Rimouski is a nice place but for campimnI highly recommend POINTE_AU_PÈRE which is just east of Rimouski and you turn on Rue Père-Nouvelle to the left, it wil be indicated. There is a lighthouse, a submarine and a museum there, free parking with tables and all. Showers and laundry facilities are at the Marina at Rimouski-Est (You'll see the marina as you pass by for P-A-P). From there you meander and you'll see sighns for Captain Homard, a terrific restaurant in an old barn with a cg on the premises and I assure you that the view is awesome. I'd reserve if it is in August or on a weekend. Métis-sur-Mer there is The Gardens of Métis and Camping Annie right near. Thos gardens are awesome. You'll then be into Matane, anytihngto see or do is on the 132, don't go into town, not much there. Now go Google Carpintieri or Carpenteri..It is a winery at St-Ulric which is just before Matane, beautiful place and there are eaolians all over the place in the back. As you go along from there there wil be many interesting stops to make.

There will be a fork after Ste-Anne-des-monts, eitheryou shortcut to Gaspé via St-Majorique or you continue around the ''shoulder''. There is Parc Forillon but I do not know if it is open.

Well you're in Gaspeé there is a camping in Haldimand right near there.

If you want me to ''bring you back'' to Québec City, let me know...my fingers are shot!

We prefer to travel around Gaspe counterclockwise which keeps us on the water side of the highway.

The aquarium at Quebec City was an unexpected but pleasant half day diversion for us. It's just over the bridge on the north side of the river.

Yeah, I forgot about the Aquarium.

Surprisingly one of our best trips to Percé was in early February via the 299, Parc de la Gaspésie out of Ste-Anne-des-Monts to New Richmond. Saved a lot of money, didn't but one T-Shirt ... LOL

Forillon National Park

:B

The Gaspe route is wonderful. We did it in September. Couple of things:

Some campgrounds and some attractions begin to close down after Labor Day. Not the main ones, and it's okay because places are less crowded. But be aware that not everywhere is open.

Route 132 (really, the only road!) is a long highway, and it's slower going than it looks on the map. Along the south part of Gaspe there is a lot of development, and speed limits and traffic keeps you from making time in an RV. Allow plenty of time. Road surfaces varied -- mostly good, a couple of messy construction zones.

Contrary to my preconceived notions and my unilingualism, I found folks very friendly, and encountered few if any language problems.

Agree with a big star for Forillon National Park. The whole route, IMHO, was wonderful.

There's no easy way through Montreal, but I think the tunnel on the East is better than the bridges to the West.

Thanks to all who answered with such great, helpful info. I appreciate it very much!

Any additional thoughts are welcome if they come to mind.

I have been to all the Atlantic Provinces including a trip to Newfoundland, where we are going back to this year. In my opinion the other provinces are just as, or more, picturesque and very welcoming to tourist. We had several instances in the Gaspe where we were denied service and/or rudely treated because of not speaking French.

Hubby and I are planning a future trip to Gaspe' area.

We toured Newfoundland and came back via Labrador/Quebec 389...taking us down the opposite side of the saint Lawrence on Quebec route 138.
It was quite quaint and a farming area, way more hilly in spots that I thought it would be...some day we would like to visit that side more slowly.

Okay, my point here is this...bring a phrase book with you and please make an attempt to speak French even if it is just a key word. Example: we wanted to get breakfast at a very small but crowded breakfast place. So the menu was all in French (of course)...there was no English menu. This was going to be fun, interesting, and an experience. I've passed through France in my young travel years and had only a few words of long forgotten French. The waitress of course knew no English (more fun). I didn't begin talking to her in English assuming she knew English. I asked her politey in French if she spoke English. No. I then proceeded to point to things on the menu that I could make out (I knew my pronunciation would be way off).
We "talked" back and forth and I got my order in. Hubby? He wimped out and held up two fingers. He never orders the same as me! We ate
we had tea. WE enjoyed ourselves and she came over and asked "Good?"
"Wi". We tipped her well for her efforts and patience.

Make the effort to speak and they will be more than willing to work with you. Meet them on their ground. Anyone we talked to was helpful
and pleasant. I will most definetly bring a phrase book when we travel through there and I look forward to it.

Oh, La Remy (on route 138) has a wonderful mill/bakery with fresh breads (Fromag bread was WONDERFUL..hubby didn't get but a slice of it) if you ever go to the north side of st. Lawrence. It is near BAie St. Paul. Boulangerie/Bakery and Mill of St. Remy.Boulangerie de la Remy

Make the effort to speak and they will be more than willing to work with you. Meet them on their ground. Anyone we talked to was helpful
and pleasant. I will most definetly bring a phrase book when we travel through there and I look forward to it.



I like this! Very much.

Another thing which really helps is,

''Excuse me, but do you speak English?''
or

''Excuse me please, I do not speak French''

Don't want to start anything here, just mentioning it.

If you drive 5-6 mile past Percé you'll find l'Anse-à-Beau-Fils and you can stay next to the marine, near the big white building across from the marina. There are also shower and laundry facilities, a restaurant and a bit further on is a grocery store OR you can spend the night in the rest area at Cap d'Éspoir just past the store where there are picnic tables and roof covered right onthe waterside. Have done bothe over the years and it sure beats paying $$ for a cg in Percé. In Percé you can catch a boat to Bonaventure Island which is noted for its huge amount of Northern Gannets.

As you head back make note that everything happens onthe piers and docks. Paspébiac has a real nice Fishery Museum. A great blues festival in New Carlisle, check the dates because the cg will be filled, it is in late August

Matapedia Valley is a nice run. Take a break at Causapscal as there are a lot of salmon fishermen there right in back ofthe Tourist Office ( where you could probably spend the night) A cg at Val-Brillant too

Have a good trip and remember:

Bonjour

Merci

Those two words will open a lot of doors

dcason............you hit my favourite bakery in Baie-St-Paul.

Here is a Plan B for your return..

When you arrive at Rivière-du-Loup take the ferry over to St-Siméon and see Charlevoix. Like Vermont, it is a great place to get lost. I can give you alternate routes and places only local tourists visit that are awesome, including an 18% hill.

If interested let me know