Biking in Quebec City?

My family will be in Quebec City for a few days next week. My wife and
I have been there before, spending most of our time within the walls.
As I remember it, the topography is pretty extreme, not ideal for
out-of-shape and out-of-practice cyclists.

But our daughter (11 years old) really likes biking and I'm wondering
if there's someplace else around the city that might be a good place
to ride. It would have to be someplace where we could rent bikes
nearby. It would be especially nice if it was also an interesting area
to see. We'll have our car, so we could drive to the location.

Ideas?

Greg Guarino

Greg Guarino ) writes:

My family will be in Quebec City for a few days next week. My wife
and I have been there before, spending most of our time within the
walls. As I remember it, the topography is pretty extreme, not
ideal for out-of-shape and out-of-practice cyclists.

True, and the narrowness of the street and amount of traffic are
not very attractive for that sort of cyclist, either.

But our daughter (11 years old) really likes biking and I'm wondering
if there's someplace else around the city that might be a good place
to ride. It would have to be someplace where we could rent bikes
nearby. It would be especially nice if it was also an interesting
area to see. We'll have our car, so we could drive to the location.

There's a very nice paved bicycle path along the south shore of
the St. Lawrence River in Lévis, opposite downtown Quebec. It's
on an abandoned railway right of way, so the grades are very
gentle. It's about 15 km long.

Don't drive there; take the ferry from Quebec to Lévis. This is
well worth doing even if you're not going cycling. You get a
great view of the city from the ferry.

The ferry terminal on the Lévis side of the river is in the former
railway station. The last time I was there, two or three years ago,
there was a bike rental shop in the station. I can't say for sure
if this shop is still in operation.

Tom Box or
Toronto, ON, Canada

On Sun, 20 Aug 2006, Greg Guarino wrote:

As I remember it, the topography is pretty extreme,

Does "the topography is pretty extreme" mean that "it's steep"?

--
Yves Bellefeuille
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On Sun, 20 Aug 2006 20:54:35 -0400, Yves Bellefeuille
wrote:

On Sun, 20 Aug 2006, Greg Guarino wrote:

As I remember it, the topography is pretty extreme,

Does "the topography is pretty extreme" mean that "it's steep"?

Yes.

Greg Guarino

Greg Guarino schrieb:

My family will be in Quebec City for a few days next week. My wife and
I have been there before, spending most of our time within the walls.
As I remember it, the topography is pretty extreme, not ideal for
out-of-shape and out-of-practice cyclists.

But our daughter (11 years old) really likes biking and I'm wondering
if there's someplace else around the city that might be a good place
to ride. It would have to be someplace where we could rent bikes
nearby. It would be especially nice if it was also an interesting area
to see. We'll have our car, so we could drive to the location.

As a tourist from Europe visiting Quebec (and Quebec-City)
for now more than 25 years once a year (average at least),
I have still not found bicycle paths I would like to use in
Quebec-City. There are some more or less (mostly less)
coherent attempts to improve the situation, but mostly
just short sections. One is [was] along St.Lawrence shore
between the port area and the bridges - disappointingly short
(was situation 3 years ago; last visit was last Winter, weather
not really for bicycling)

Most bicycle leisure tours are outside the city, some
information including maps at
http://www.passionvelo.ca/passion-ve....htm#altquébec
and
http://www.ville.quebec.qc.ca/fr/ma_ville/velo.shtml

At more than an hour driving (plus the [free] ferry)
Ile-aux-Coudres is an other place for bicycle tours
(all of the island, or "cut" next to the ferry port for
just a half island tour) - but to my knowlede no bicyle
renting on the Island (other than the hotels for their
customers; might be worth checking with one of
those hotels ?)
The Island is on the North shore of St.Lawrence
gulf, near Baie St-Paul.
Unfortunately here too, no separate bicycle path, or
just short sections, but mostly flat road and little
car traffic

If in addition to bicycling your daugther likes in-line
skating: there is a 1.3 km ring on Plaines d'Abraham
(next to Quebec Museum), easy access by car and
parking, separate ring for joggers and no bicycles allowed ..... .
http://www.telegraphe.com/activites/...e/indexen.html
http://www.csdm.qc.ca/baril/Sixieme/...ec/plaines.htm
I Iike both in-line skating and bicycling, and liked the
ring for not having to share it with bicyles ..... .

Enjoy your trip!

Greg Guarino wrote:

On Sun, 20 Aug 2006 20:54:35 -0400, Yves Bellefeuille
wrote:

On Sun, 20 Aug 2006, Greg Guarino wrote:

As I remember it, the topography is pretty extreme,

Does "the topography is pretty extreme" mean that "it's steep"?

Yes.

It is fairly flat at the bottom of the hill. Get up to the top and it
is flat again. that is not extreme topography. It is just a big hill.

schrieb:

Greg Guarino schrieb:

My family will be in Quebec City for a few days next week. My wife and
I have been there before, spending most of our time within the walls.
As I remember it, the topography is pretty extreme, not ideal for
out-of-shape and out-of-practice cyclists.

But our daughter (11 years old) really likes biking and I'm wondering
if there's someplace else around the city that might be a good place
to ride. It would have to be someplace where we could rent bikes
nearby. It would be especially nice if it was also an interesting area
to see. We'll have our car, so we could drive to the location.

For Ile-aux-Coudres I found
http://www.hotelcapauxpierres.com/en...inair.velo.asp
and
http://www.traversiers.gouv.qc.ca/tr...r/horaires.asp
but also
http://www.travel-wise.com/destinati...c/quebec1.html

In the past, I used a hotels bicycle for touring the island -
so sorry, no first-hand info on renting bicycles

Touring the island is easy, just use the car from the wharft
for the main hill to start the bicycle tour up there .....

wrote:

schrieb:


Greg Guarino schrieb:


My family will be in Quebec City for a few days next week. My wife and
I have been there before, spending most of our time within the walls.
As I remember it, the topography is pretty extreme, not ideal for
out-of-shape and out-of-practice cyclists.

But our daughter (11 years old) really likes biking and I'm wondering
if there's someplace else around the city that might be a good place
to ride. It would have to be someplace where we could rent bikes
nearby. It would be especially nice if it was also an interesting area
to see. We'll have our car, so we could drive to the location.


For Ile-aux-Coudres I found
http://www.hotelcapauxpierres.com/en...inair.velo.asp
and
http://www.traversiers.gouv.qc.ca/tr...r/horaires.asp
but also
http://www.travel-wise.com/destinati...c/quebec1.html

In the past, I used a hotels bicycle for touring the island -
so sorry, no first-hand info on renting bicycles

Touring the island is easy, just use the car from the wharft
for the main hill to start the bicycle tour up there .....


There are a fair number of bike paths in the province. There are few in
the city.

On Mon, 21 Aug 2006 08:58:07 -0400, Dave Smith
wrote:

Greg Guarino wrote:

On Sun, 20 Aug 2006 20:54:35 -0400, Yves Bellefeuille
wrote:

On Sun, 20 Aug 2006, Greg Guarino wrote:

As I remember it, the topography is pretty extreme,

Does "the topography is pretty extreme" mean that "it's steep"?

Yes.

It is fairly flat at the bottom of the hill. Get up to the top and it
is flat again. that is not extreme topography. It is just a big hill.

We went to Quebec City once during Winter Carnival. I made a habit of
going out each morning to a particular bakery on St. Jean. Our hotel
was at the corner of St. Louis and Rue D'Auteuil, just inside the
Porte St. Louis. It was a steep grade down to St. Jean and an equally
steep grade (logically enough) going back up to St. Louis. I suppose
the slick ground, biting wind and subzero (Fahrenheit) temperature may
have made the walk seem more arduous, but we've been there in warmer
weather too. The top of Rue D'Auteuil would be a heck of a place to
lose your grip on a bowling ball.

Greg Guarino

Greg Guarino wrote:


It is fairly flat at the bottom of the hill. Get up to the top and it
is flat again. that is not extreme topography. It is just a big hill.

We went to Quebec City once during Winter Carnival. I made a habit of
going out each morning to a particular bakery on St. Jean. Our hotel
was at the corner of St. Louis and Rue D'Auteuil, just inside the
Porte St. Louis. It was a steep grade down to St. Jean and an equally
steep grade (logically enough) going back up to St. Louis. I suppose
the slick ground, biting wind and subzero (Fahrenheit) temperature may
have made the walk seem more arduous, but we've been there in warmer
weather too. The top of Rue D'Auteuil would be a heck of a place to
lose your grip on a bowling ball.

I live in the middle of the Niagara Peninsula and do a lot of bicycling
locally, 15-20 miles most days. On some of my routes I have to contend
with the Niagara Escarpment, which is about the same height as the hill at
Quebec. It is fairly flat below the escarpment and quite flat above.
Going down the hill is fun, but on the way back I have slog my way
uphill. I might call it extreme topography if all the roads went up and
down hills like that, but they don't. There is just the one hill and I can
do lots of cycling without having to deal with it at all.