230 km (140 mi.)Lévis to La Malbaie

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This snowmobile ride begins and ends in Lévis, in the Chaudière-Appalaches region, on the south shore of Québec City. We recommend you take your snowmobile over to the DoubleTree by Hilton Quebec Resort in Québec City. You can then drive back to Hôtel & Suites Normandin in Lévis to leave your vehicle and trailer in the hotel’s parking lot for the duration of your trip. You will then need to take a short taxi ride back to your sled to begin your adventure!

Please note: Since driving a snowmobile on public roads is prohibited in most places throughout the province of Québec, you cannot cross the bridges to Québec City on your sled. You must therefore drive or take a taxi between Hôtel & Suites Normandin in Lévis and the DoubleTree by Hilton in Québec City.

From Québec City, take Trans-Québec trail #73 and then head east on Trans-Québec trail #3 (TQ3) to ride across the Charlevoix region. As you zip along kilometres of trails, you will have many opportunities to contemplate breathtaking landscapes nestled between the St. Lawrence and the high mountains of the Canadian Shield. In Baie-Saint-Paul, you will ride across a golf course on regional trail #378, during which you can admire magnificent views of the St. Lawrence and the town. In the evening, stay at the luxurious Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu, a 5-star hotel complex that will welcome you in a naturally spectacular site. While you are there, enjoy friendly service and inspired cuisine as well as the casino and spa!

240 km (150 mi.) + 10 min by ferryLa Malbaie to Les Escoumins

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Departing directly from the Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu hotel, the snowmobile trails that lead you to your next destination are surrounded by breathtaking scenery. You will start your day on local trail #124, then branch off onto regional trail #378 for an amazing view of Montagne de la Croix. You can then access TQ3 and ride a few kilometres to see Mont à Peine. Next, follow trail #378 back to Mont Thérèse-Casgrain and the Lac Gravel lookout. Finally, take local trail #54 back to TQ3 to get to Baie-Sainte-Catherine.

From there, hop aboard the ferry that will take you across the majestic Saguenay Fjord. After a crossing of about 10 minutes, you will reach Tadoussac in the Côte-Nord region. Take a moment to admire the breathtaking view of the snow-covered St. Lawrence Estuary before continuing along TQ3 towards Les Escoumins.

280 km (175 mi.)Les Escoumins to Baie-Comeau

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Keep heading east on TQ3. A few kilometres past the village of Portneuf-sur-Mer, you will cross a lovely 30-metre (100-foot) bridge over the Portneuf River.

One of the highlights of your trip awaits you just before you arrive in Baie-Comeau, when you will cross the Manicouagan River on the world’s highest snowmobile bridge, which is 213 metres (700 feet) long and 28 metres (90 feet) high!

2 h 20 by ferry + 145 km (90 mi.)Baie-Comeau to Rimouski

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Ride your sled onto the ferry that will take you to the other side of the St. Lawrence Estuary to the region of Gaspésie. During the crossing (which takes 2 h 20 min), you will have access to a variety of services, including a restaurant, bar, lounge and movie screening. Note that in the winter, the ferry only makes one return trip per day, except Wednesdays and Fridays when it makes two.

The ferry schedule is subject to change due to weather conditions. Please make sure it’s running on the day you want to take it by visiting the ferry company’s website or by subscribing to email/text alerts (or both) once you’ve created an account (no purchase necessary).

Once you arrive in Matane, follow Trans-Québec trail #5 (TQ5) towards Rimouski, in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region. Along the way, take a detour to Saint-Gabriel-de-Rimouski along regional trail #579. Here, in one of the oldest maple groves in the province, you will find a snowmobile clubhouse where you can eat, stay and observe a variety of wildlife, including birds and beavers.

Note that, depending on the ferry schedule, you may arrive on the south shore of the St. Lawrence in the evening. You can then spend the night in Matane before resuming your trip.

140 km (85 mi.)Rimouski to Rivière-du-Loup

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After leaving Rimouski via TQ5, head for the Saint-Fabien lookout, which is accessible via regional trail #518 and a local trail. From there, you can admire a breathtaking view of the St. Lawrence, the coastline and Parc national du Bic.

Keep riding west on trail #518, which is known for being exceptionally wide! In the Trois-Pistoles area, the trail will take you back to TQ5, which you can then follow all the way to Rivière-du-Loup.

320 km (200 mi.)Rivière-du-Loup to Lévis

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From Rivière-du-Loup, make your way to Notre-Dame-du-Portage, where the Sentier des Pèlerins (a local trail) begins. Running along the St. Lawrence, this trail will take you past charming villages and magnificent seascapes. You can then return to TQ5 in the Sainte-Hélène-de-Kamouraska area.

Near Saint-Bruno-de-Kamouraska, take regional trail #557 to Trans-Québec trail #35 (TQ35), which will take you into the Chaudière-Appalaches region. TQ35 follows an old railway bed for several kilometres through the Appalachian Mountains. In the Moulin-Goulet area, turn off onto regional trail #547. Next, follow regional trail #545 back to TQ5 to return to Hôtel & Suites Normandin in Lévis to recover your vehicle and trailer, thus completing your grand tour of the St. Lawrence!

Want to extend your trip? In the Saint-Philémon area, take a detour along regional trails #549 and #547 through Parc du Massif du Sud for about 70 km (45 mi.). Be sure to pause for a moment to admire the snow-covered trees from the Mont Saint-Magloire observation tower, the highest viewpoint in the region! You can then spend the night at Hôtel l’Oiselière in Montmagny before heading back to Lévis via TQ5.