Les Équerres is an undulating ride that is a classic for every cyclist in Québec City; it offers a temporary getaway from the bustling urban city center!
Heading north of Québec City, the peaceful silhouette of the distant mountains will accompany you as you tackle the rolling hills and beautiful landscapes.
This ride has been suggested by Québec City based cyclist Geneviève Healey. Geneviève has spent years unearthing the very best local cycling routes and can’t wait to share this one with you!
For more Québec City cycling routes, check out our guide to cycling Québec City.
Geneviève is a passionate cyclist from Québec City, Eastern Canada.
She loves to travel by bike and thrives on long hours in the saddle, having participated in several ultra cycling events around the world, including in Canada, Portugal and France. Most recently she completed the BikingMan Corsica race and has also taken part in Race Across Québec, a 500 kilometre road cycling event that was held in the Laurentian's, just north of Montreal.
Alongside regularly found riding around Québec City, Geneviève contributes to Vélo Mag and Nature-Humaine. She also runs a personal blog, PinteuseBlogueuse, which highlights cycling routes that connect local microbreweries and artisanal food shops!
Highlights
- The Catholic church of Tewkesbury is a lovely pit stop! A small belvedere at the back provides a great view of the mountain and the Jacques-Cartier rivers.
- In the last kilometres, you will cycle around Lake Beauport. This charming lake has a nice, resort-like feel. Surprisingly, it’s only a stone’s throw away from Quebec City.
Route notes: Les Équerres loop
1. Wendake to 5th avenue 0 to 25 km
After your legs are warmed up, during a long straight road, the hills of the Équerres will welcome you. At the same time, the traffic reduces.
2. 5th avenue to Lac-Beauport 26 to 51 km
This is the main challenge of this route, as it’s never flat. Constant hills and descents will amuse your legs and your eyes will have the mountains at the back to contemplate.
3. Lac-Beauport to Wendake 52 to 81 km
The Lake Beauport offers a fun 6 kilometre loop with small bumps to test your legs once more before the end of the ride, with magnificent views of the lake.
Coffee stops
There is a good restaurant and brewery called La Souche in Stoneham. It serves local food and handcrafted beers and it also has really lovely decor! Hops and other ingredients used in the menu are grown here.
Another great place to stop for a snack is Archibald restaurant. It also has its own brewery!
Accommodation
De la Faune road has a few hotels close to this ride. These can be found in the towns of Wendake or Charlesbourg.
Take a look at our Québec City guide for more information.
Quiet, low traffic roads (photo credit – Geneviève Healey)
Tips
The route takes place mostly on rural roads with medium and low traffic.
Beware! Prepare your legs for the few hills you’ll have to conquer.
See more tips for cycling in Quebec City in our city guide here.
Have you ridden any Quebec cycling routes before?
We’d love to hear about how cycling in Québec City went! Drop us a comment below.
Looking for more cycling routes in Quebec?
Don’t miss these:
- St. Lawrence and St. Charles river loop
- Maizerets park to Cap Tourmente
- West Suburbs of Quebec City
- Route of the Three Lakes
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If you want someone to help you plan and book your cycling holiday, fill out this form. We aren’t a tour operator/agent but we work with lots of people who are and will do our best to put you in touch with someone that can help (within 24 hours where possible)!Geneviève is a passionate cyclist from Québec City, Eastern Canada.
She loves to travel by bike and thrives on long hours in the saddle, having participated in several ultra cycling events around the world, including in Canada, Portugal and France. Most recently she completed the BikingMan Corsica race and has also taken part in Race Across Québec, a 500 kilometre road cycling event that was held in the Laurentian's, just north of Montreal.
Alongside regularly found riding around Québec City, Geneviève contributes to Vélo Mag and Nature-Humaine. She also runs a personal blog, PinteuseBlogueuse, which highlights cycling routes that connect local microbreweries and artisanal food shops!
First Published: 30 September 2024
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