LE P'TIT TRAIN DU NORD
“Following the route of an old railway through the Laurentian Mountains is a cyclist's dream!”
By Jamie Ross

The shuttle bus drops our bikes and us off at a refurbished train station in the small Quebec town of Mont Laurier. It is too late for second thoughts. The trip from Saint Jerome, the jumping off location for our adventure but the finish point for our journey, had taken only two and a half hours, but I know getting back there will take the better part of four days and consist of more peddling than I'm used to. I stare off down the paved trail that disappears into the fall foliage.

The bikes are loaded in Saint Jerome for the two and a half hour shuttle journey north to
Mont Laurier and the start of the bike trip.

Five other couples that had shared the same bus, more experienced if their sleek tight Lycra clothing, clip on bike shoes and fingerless gloves told the truth, quickly ready themselves in a practiced routine and head off down the trail. My wife and I fasten our paniers onto the bikes, buckle on helmets and pull on light jackets. We take a photo in front of the 201 kilometre marker, and head off into the unknown.

We prepare to depart from Kilometre 201 at the refurbished train station
in the small Quebec town of Mont Laurier.

The P'tit Train Du Nord railway was built over a period of nearly twenty years starting in the 1890's. Its tracks snaked through the Laurentians mountains bringing tourists north for skiing and wilderness adventure. Many towns and villages sprang up in its wake. As automobiles and roads took over the region in the mid 1900's, the need for the train diminished, and in 1989 the railway ceased operations. In 1996 the route got a new lease on life. Tracks were ripped up and the old railway bed was converted into a trail, while the former railway stations were transformed into cafés, shops and museums along the route. Called the longest linear park in Canada, Le P'tit Train Du Nord is covered in asphalt in the northern section and packed dirt and crushed stone in the south.

The former railway stations were transformed into cafés, shops and museums.

While cycling an average of 50 kilometres per day might have seemed a bit daunting for casual cyclists like us, in truth, with full days to complete the trek and plenty of stops and breaks on the route, each day's journey seemed to fly by. While the bike trail does pass through the mountains, typical of a rail trail the path is mostly flat with only the occasional uphill grade. The trail skirts rivers, crosses valleys, and runs alongside lakes, ponds and rivers. We stop to explore galleries and shops in the restored train stations, and detour into a trailside town to pick up a bottle of wine, a baguette and an assortment of Quebec cheeses. We stuff these essentials into our saddlebags for a lunchtime picnic.

Le P'tit Train du Nord follows the old rail bed through a quiet forest.

After 59 kilometres, we stop for our first night at Auberge Chez Ignace on Grand Lac Nominingue. As always, our luggage has been delivered ahead and awaits us in the lobby. We change and then take a Belgian beer down to the wharf on the lake. Dinner is enjoyed in the Inn restaurant with several other cyclists. The next morning we are off in the early morning, dressed warm on a chilly, clear autumn day. We cycle along the pretty meandering trail, passing through rock-cuts of dark granite, through the belly of sweeping valleys and alongside leaden lakes now quiet after the summer rush. The bike path flings itself around the shoulders of hills and carries on through a quiet forest. We cycle in solitude, thinking that here, in autumn, we almost have this trail to ourselves.

We lunch at the popular La Gare de Labelle. The former train station is now a rustic cozy inn, bar and café. From Labelle to Mont-Tremblant the paved path turns to crushed stone. The bike path crosses a bridge and then straightens along the side of an open valley. The late afternoon sun throws its enriching light over the hillside. An explosion of colour; vivid reds and vibrant oranges, mixed with golds, greens, burgundies and yellows, overpowers the senses. This kaleidoscopic display butts up against a rocky escarpment, and sweeps down to the narrow bay of a Laurentian lake. Here the colours are mirrored in the shimmering royal blue of the water. It is like a painting. The view is awe-inspiring. I pull my bike off to the side and grab my camera.

The bike trail in autumn through the Laurentian Mountains
treats us to a beautiful display of colour

Heading south toward the famed resort area of Mont-Tremblant, we encounter more cyclists along the trail; families out enjoying the fantastic trail network and locals commuting to work. Cycling is part of the culture in the communities along Le P'tit Train du Nord. At the well-marked road crossings, drivers courteously stop and let us cross the road. After checking into the B&B Le Voyageur, we hop on a free bus to explore Mont Tremblant resort and its pedestrian village, pubs, shops, restaurants and cafes.

There are many beautiful views along Le P'tit Train du Nord.

On day three the weather turns, so we pull on our rain gear and depart into a steady wet drizzle, facing the longest uphill climb of the trip towards Val-David. At Agathe-des-Monts, in need of a warm spot for a hot lunch, the staff at the train station visitor's centre directs us into the Couleur Café. In the afternoon the sky darkens and thunder echoes through the mountains, chasing us down the trail. Our Inn for the night, the Auberge de la Gare in Saint-Adèle, sits just uphill from the bike path. We store our bikes in in the livery and just make it in the front door when the skies open up and the rain pelts down. With a glass of red wine in hand we cozy up to the fireplace, thankful for our good timing. That night our hostess, Ginette Blais, serves a delicious hot broth fondue feast in the rustic dining room.

The trail hugs the shoreline along the Rivière du Nord.

It is a shorter trip (32.5 km) on our last day, and we begin to feel the press of civilization the closer we get to Saint-Jérôme. The wildness has disappeared but there are still many beautiful sections, especially along the white water of the Rivière du Nord. It takes us just 2.5 hours to roll under the archway that marks Kilometre “0” on Le P'tit Train du Nord.

Cycle Tourism is booming around the world as an excellent way to experience a region. Le Petit Train du Nord offers up beautiful countryside, delicious local food, charming small villages, excellent signage and relatively easy cycling. And trip planning is painless. Everything can be arranged ahead; shuttle, bike rentals, meals, inns and luggage-handling between accommodations. The organization that goes into moving people, bikes and luggage is impressive. The bike trip is a great way to get to know the Laurentian Mountains up close and personal, and although the journey is not overly difficult, we still feel quite pleased with ourselves at the finish for what we accomplished.

IF YOU GO:

Trip Planner:

There's no charge to ride Le P'tit Train du Nord, which is open to cyclists from May to October. Autobus Le Petit Train Du Nord rents bikes and both it and Cyclo-Gîtes arrange multi-day trips with lodgings and meals.

When to Go

In September, the fall colours are brilliant and the trail less busy

Information:

Tourism Laurentians: www.laurentides.com

Tourism Québec: www.quebecoriginal.com

Photos: All images by Jamie Ross