Best Canadian Small Town

[shootingstar]

Hey, eclectic, you might as well promote Alberta near the border..not that much further away.

Now that we've given the impression that Eastern Canada is a hard place to figure out oodles of suggestions for best little town with great scenery and routes for day bike trips ..

Still think Maritime provinces or Quebec (for its "foreigness" due to its French-Canadian roots and language is a good one.)

Mont Tremblant in quebec in the summer offers all sorts of things. (winter it's known for skiing.) It's something like a smaller Whistler, B.C., but it's an area known for mountain biking. There are routes for road cycling, include a Route Verte route nearby. We were stationed there for 3-4 days in June a few years ago and did cycle around.

Have you been to Gaspe Peninsula in Quebec? Sight of Perce Rock. I believe there is camping site there.

I got myself mixed up on St. Pierre island ..closer to Newfoundland. I was thinking of the Magdelan Islands which are in the mouth of St. Lawrence River. Magdelan Islands are part of Quebec province.

http://www.tourismeilesdelamadeleine..._rando_ang.cfm

http://www.tourismeilesdelamadeleine...chipel_ang.cfm

http://www.tourismeilesdelamadeleine...imoine_ang.cfm



http://www.st-pierre-et-miquelon.com/english/cartes.php

[indigoiis]

You guys are awesome. I have my homework ahead of me!
I speak French, and have been to QC and Montreal, but this time would like something small-town to get a real flavor of the community / culture.

And 2010, we'll do the Dakotas.

I love Vermont, too. But we've already done that a lot. My DH has never left the country so I figured this would be a good trial.

[Grog]

Well, I'll stand for the Eastern Townships of Quebec again, then. It's an environment where he won't be totally thrown off if he speaks only English, yet it has a definitive French flavour to it. (And lots of tasty cheeses!!!!) There are a few towns of interest, and superb cycling (the Route Verte but others as well). Let me know if you'd like more info, I'll dig my old routes out.

[tulip]

St. Charles on the Route Verte between Quebec city and the Saguenay (I think). Artist retreat, hilly, beautiful, and with enough tourism to offer better stuff to eat than poutine (apologies to all the Quebecoises out there in TEland).

[indigoiis]

Well, I'll stand for the Eastern Townships of Quebec again, then. It's an environment where he won't be totally thrown off if he speaks only English, yet it has a definitive French flavour to it. (And lots of tasty cheeses!!!!) There are a few towns of interest, and superb cycling (the Route Verte but others as well). Let me know if you'd like more info, I'll dig my old routes out.

I'm looking at the Magog region... anyone know anything about topography thereabouts? Weather?

[Grog]

I'm looking at the Magog region... anyone know anything about topography thereabouts? Weather?

There are some hills, including serious climbs in the area (you can go up Megantic I think) but overall it's mostly rollers. And definitely no super long climbs.

Weather should be the same as Montreal minus 2 degrees Celcius usually, and the temperatures drop lower in the morning than they would in the city of course.

If you officially want me to look for more details let me know, I'll send you references by private message.

[tulip]

Charlevoix is the artist colony town that I was thinking of. It's on the Route Verte and it's like a northern Santa Fe, a bit, which has its plusses and minuses. I liked it when I was there about 10 or 15 years ago

http://www.routeverte.com/rv/voyager...ode=charlevoix

[Grog]

Charlevoix is the artist colony town that I was thinking of. It's on the Route Verte and it's like a northern Santa Fe, a bit, which has its plusses and minuses. I liked it when I was there about 10 or 15 years ago

http://www.routeverte.com/rv/voyager...ode=charlevoix

Charlevoix is actually a whole region.

Saint-Jean-Port-Joli is probably the Santa Fe-like town you're thinking about, tulip.

It's gorgeous, splendid area to cycle in, but now we're talking very serious climbing. Check this out for an idea:
http://www.velo.qc.ca/voyages/index.php?code=Fjord&d=1
I know people who had their front tires explode from the heat generated by too much braking down those hills. I wish I could go cycling there sometime.

For the Eastern Townships, you can check those town names for ideas:
Farnham, Mystic, Stanbridge East, Frelighsburg, Sutton.
Sutton, Glen Sutton, Mansonville, South Bolton, Lac-Brome (Knowlton).
Lac-Brome (Knowlton), Fulford, Bromont, Farnham.

Gorgeous riding. The pavement is not as nice as in Vermont, though, be forewarned.