Family trip to Quebec: checking our itinerary

Hi everyone,

We’re heading out as a family from July 2nd to 16th on a loop from Montreal to Montreal. We’re a couple with a little girl who’ll be turning 7 in July, plus my in-laws (one of whom uses a wheelchair).

Here’s our itinerary:

Wednesday, July 2: Arrival in Montreal in the early afternoon – picking up the car at the airport – exploring the city and overnight in Montreal Thursday, July 3: Montreal – overnight in Montreal Friday, July 4: Visit to Parc Omega – overnight in Saint-Jérôme Saturday, July 5: Heading to Trois-Rivières – visit to a sugar shack (Chez Dany? or another name?) – exploring the old town – overnight in Trois-Rivières Sunday, July 6: Shawinigan – Le Village du Bûcheron in Grandes-Piles? – black bear watching (probably not doable for wheelchair users, I think?!) – overnight in Trois-Rivières Monday, July 7: Heading to Chicoutimi – Saguenay – day at Lac Saint-Jean / Val-Jabert – overnight in Saguenay Tuesday, July 8: L’Anse-Saint-Jean – Saguenay Fjord National Park – overnight in Saguenay Wednesday, July 9: Tadoussac – exploring the area and the town – overnight in Tadoussac Thursday, July 10: Whale watching – Baie-Sainte-Catherine – overnight in Tadoussac Friday, July 11: La Malbaie – Baie-Saint-Paul – overnight on Île aux Coudres Saturday, July 12: Exploring the area? – overnight on Île aux Coudres Sunday, July 13: Montmorency Falls – overnight in Quebec City Monday, July 14: Quebec City – overnight in Quebec City Tuesday, July 15: Quebec City and return to Montreal – overnight in Beloeil Wednesday, July 16: Montreal – evening flight

We’ve booked our rooms to ensure a wheelchair-accessible room is available. When searching on Expedia or Booking, few hotels have rooms with a shower accessible for wheelchairs (so a real PMR room). However, these are cancelable, so if something really stands out, I’m all ears 😉.

We’ve booked our car through BSP Auto and we’re flying with Air Transat.

Thanks for any feedback and tips for the visits.

See you soon 🙂 Jennifer

I really liked Chez Dany—it has a great reputation. Tourism Trois-Rivières will have suggestions for accessible rooms. Happy planning!

Thanks for your feedback.

Okay, for Dany, I contacted them and apparently it’s accessible, so we’ll probably go to that one—we’ll be really close.

Hi, Your route looks well thought out. In Montreal, you’ll be right in the middle of the Jazz Festival (https://montrealjazzfest.com/fr). Just so you know, there’s always a section for kids—could come in handy! 😊 For Parc Oméga, I’d recommend two things: first, sign up for their newsletter to stay updated on any deals, and second, buy carrots at a supermarket before heading there 😉. Around La Malbaie, don’t miss the gorgeous little village of Port au Persil. You’ll need to leave Route 138, but it’s worth the detour—perfect for a picnic, as a well-known guide might say 😄. Happy planning!

Thanks for your feedback! We’ll definitely think about buying some snacks before ;). Sometimes, little savings make a big difference on a road trip! lol.

Actually, I was wondering if it’s really worth driving toward Quebec via La Malbaie and Baie-Saint-Paul, or if we should take the other route (arriving at Rivière-du-Loup and then driving down along the river to Lévis)? We’ll be spending two nights on Île aux Coudres (the only option for a PMR room or at least something minimally accessible). I think we’ll take our time on the road from Tadoussac to Île aux Coudres, stopping in the little village you mentioned and probably others along the way. The next day, we’ll visit Baie-Saint-Paul, Les Éboulements, etc., and maybe even head north of Baie-Saint-Paul? What do you think? I’m a bit undecided about this part of the trip, but it would also give us a chance to rest and really enjoy the island and its surroundings.

Thanks! We’ll be there in three months! :) 😏

Hello, From Tadoussac, you're heading to Île aux Coudres (if I followed correctly), so you'll stay on the North Shore of the St. Lawrence River to then continue on to Quebec City. Because if you want to cross to the South Shore, the ferry is at Les Escoumins (between Les Escoumins and Trois-Pistoles), with Les Escoumins being east of Tadoussac (so in the opposite direction from Île aux Coudres). If you cross at Saint-Siméon to go to the South Shore, it’ll be quite a detour to get to Île aux Coudres!! In short, since you’ve planned 2 nights on Île aux Coudres, I’d do: Tadoussac – Île aux Coudres – Quebec City via the North Shore!

Hello,

Thanks! Yes, that's right—we'll be heading back down from Tadoussac to Quebec City. Is there a preference between the South Shore or North Shore? In terms of activities or things to see that are typically Canadian? If not, we can always change the hotel.

Thanks again! Have a great day

Hi, Both shores are nice, but as the saying goes, "Every choice means giving something up" 😛. In my opinion, I think it’s simpler if you stick to the North Shore and keep your reservation on Île aux Coudres!

For Parc Oméga, I know they now offer accommodations *inside* the park. That could be fun, but I don’t know the price or, more importantly, if it’s "PMR-friendly".

Happy planning!

Hello, I just looked at your itinerary, which seems very realistic, with this one small exception:

The Trois-Rivières to Saguenay leg. That seems like a really long stretch. I’m guessing you’ll take Route 155 through La Tuque? If so, instead of going back to Trois-Rivières for a second night, maybe you could stay in Shawinigan, La Tuque, or Grandes-Piles? Unfortunately, I don’t know what the accommodation options are like since I’ve never taken that route.

About your stay in Charlevoix, I’d only spend one night on Île aux Coudres. That way, you’ll have time to enjoy the scenery between Tadoussac and Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive, where the ferry leaves, and then explore the island. The next day, to visit the area without being at the mercy of the ferry schedule, you could stay in Baie-Saint-Paul, which is really nice.

For exploring the area, I suggest taking Route 381, which is gorgeous and passes through the village of Saint-Urbain. Just after leaving the village, the road climbs up to Mont du Lac des Cygnes, part of the Parc des Grands-Jardins—a favorite with hikers. The park’s pavilion is wheelchair-accessible. You can continue along the mountain road with a park map until you reach the Thomas-Fortin Center, which is also wheelchair-accessible. The road stays mountainous until Lac des Ha! Ha! and then continues to the Saguenay.

On your way back to Route 138, stop at Laiterie Charlevoix—they sell all kinds of local products.

Another essential tip: bring mosquito repellent because in early July, the bugs in Charlevoix are *everywhere*. While you’re in Montreal, just go to any pharmacy (they’re huuuge) to pick some up. I recommend Muskol.

Hope this helps!

Hi Greggig,

Thanks for your feedback.

I looked at accommodations around Shawinigan and Grandes-Piles, as well as Baie-Saint-Paul, but unfortunately, they’re mostly chalets or guesthouses (very few hotels), so they’re not accessible for someone in a wheelchair. That’s why we’re spending 2 nights on Île aux Coudres and at a hotel chain in Trois-Rivières.

Thanks for the info on the hike and the lake. I’ll look into it more closely 🙂 And the mosquitoes 🤪, lol—we get those in southern France in the summer too, so we won’t be out of our element.

Have a great day