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One of Canada's premier community
festivals happens in the Old World ambiance
of Québec City. The summertime New
France Festival (Les Fêtes de la Nouvelle-
France) is a showcase of the roots of
francophone culture. Costumed revellers
celebrate all that makes Québec unique,
from music and history to food and litera-
ture (www.nouvellefrance.qc.ca/en).
Indigenous Tourism Québec is home to
the Pow-Wow Trail, a one-stop list of First
Nations special events including music,
dance, handicrafts and food (www.discover
indigenousquebec.com).
MUST SEE, MUST DO
The region of Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean is
well-known for its premier biking routes,
including the Blueberry Trail (Véloroute des
Bleuets) encircling a scenic lake (www.velo
routedesbleuets.com/en).
The Banyä Sauna at Nordik Spa-Nature in
Outaouais is inspired by a thousand-year-
old Russian version of the traditional sauna
(chelsea.lenordik.com/en).
Foresta Lumina in the Eastern Township's
Parc de la Gorge de Coaticook is an interac-
tive multimedia trail that wanders along a
night-illuminated pathway for a magical
experience (www.forestalumina.com/en).
The famed Aurora Borealis lights up the sky
from September to March in the Northern
Québec regions of Eeyou Istchee Baie-James
and Nunavik.
Try biking above the treetops at Au Diable
Vert's VéloVolant in the Eastern Townships—
a pedal-powered canopy tour on a bike
hooked to a cable, following a one-km (0.6 mi.)
circuit (audiablevert.com/en/summer-
activities/velovolant/).
Readers who are fans of mystery author
Louise Penny can follow the Three Pines Tour
near the writer's home in Québec's Eastern
Townships. The guided tours include sites
that were the inspiration behind Penny's
novels (www.threepinestours.com).
SCENIC DRIVES
Dominated by the highest mountain peaks
of southern Québec, the Eastern Townships'
193-km (120-mi.) Summit Drive reveals one
gorgeous panorama after another.
Forged by glaciers, the picturesque Fjord
Route follows the winding Saguenay Fjord—
one of the longest fjords in the world
(235-km/146-mi.)—with a never-ending show
of imposing rock faces and majestic capes.
Route du Richelieu's historic 265-km
(165-mi.) transportation road traces both
sides of the lovely Richelieu River, encom-
passing historic villages, archaeological
digs, museums, heritage churches and
bucolic landscapes.
The 280-km (174-mi.) King's Road (Chemin
du Roy) is Canada's oldest roadway, linking
Québec City to Montréal along the St. Lawrence
River's spectacular north shore.
FAMILY FUN
La Grande Roue de Montréal is one of
Montréal's most iconic attractions and a hit
with the kids! Located in the city's Old Port, at
60 m (197 ft.) it's the tallest observation wheel in
Canada. Close by is the even more daring MTL
zip-line (www.mtl.org/en/what-to-do/
activities/tyrolienne-mtl).
National Parks and Historic Sites:
www.parkscanada.gc.ca
1-888-773-8888
Park Pick
LA MAURICIE NATIONAL PARK
The landscape of La Mauricie National
Park north of Shawinigan is a quilt of
forests, rock and lakes typical of the
rugged Canadian Shield. It is an outdoor
lover's dream: wilderness lakes and
streams for kayaking and canoe
camping; trails for hiking and mountain
biking in summer and snowshoeing in
winter; and natural pools for a quick dip
to cool off. The Parks Canada family-
friendly oTENTiks (canvas roof and walls
on a wooden frame and floor) sleep five
and are equipped with solar lights,
barbecue, firepit, lantern and wood
stove. Some are open year-round
(www.parkscanada.gc.ca/mauricie).
LE MASSIF DE CHARLEVOIX SKI HILL HAS
THE HIGHEST VERTICAL DROP EAST OF
THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS.
Quick Fact
