130 km of Route Verte, the Isle-aux-Coudres loop, the Massif and the trails of Saint-Siméon: a full guide to summer cycling in Charlevoix.
Charlevoix is a hilly country that drops to a wide river. The geography discourages the lazy cyclist and rewards the curious one. Between the 130 kilometres of Route Verte approved in 2024, the flat loop around Isle-aux-Coudres, and the 40 kilometres of mountain bike trails at Le Massif, the region offers four or five very different cycling worlds — and a summer barely covers them all.
The Charlevoix Véloroute: 130 km of Route Verte
In autumn 2024, the Quebec government approved 130 additional kilometres of the Route Verte across the MRC de Charlevoix and Charlevoix-Est. The route runs east-to-west, linking Petite-Rivière-Saint-François, Baie-Saint-Paul, Saint-Urbain, Notre-Dame-des-Monts, Saint-Aimé-des-Lacs, Clermont, La Malbaie and Saint-Siméon. In practice, it connects Route 138 near Petite-Rivière to the Route des Montagnes around Notre-Dame-des-Monts, passing through the village centres of Baie-Saint-Paul and Saint-Urbain, and using country roads that are far quieter than the main routes.
Worth knowing: the route is approved on paper and appears on the Route Verte's interactive map, but on-the-ground signage and some infrastructure are still rolling out. For anyone pedalling in 2026, that means you can follow the itinerary with a map or an app, but not every physical marker is yet in place. The good news: the busiest segments — the Baie-Saint-Paul / Saint-Urbain loop, the La Malbaie / Saint-Siméon link — are rideable on calm roads with moderate climbs if you pick your day carefully.
The Isle-aux-Coudres loop: 23 flat kilometres in the middle of the river
For anyone who wants a day's cycling without elevation, Isle-aux-Coudres is the obvious answer. The road that circles the island runs about 23 kilometres on terrain that is essentially flat, with a few gentle rises. The ferry from Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive is free and takes about fifteen minutes, and you pick up your bikes near the arrival quay. Centre Vélo Coudres, at 2926 chemin des Coudriers, rents hybrid, urban and electric bikes, tandems, and — a detail that often makes the difference for families — quadricycles that seat two, four or six adults plus two small children. For younger riders, kids' bikes, adult-and-child tandems, trailers and helmets are available.
The loop fits comfortably into a half-day, with stops at the heritage mills, the Pedneault orchard shop and La Fabrique de l'Isle. Our full guide to Isle-aux-Coudres lays out a full-day itinerary, from the morning ferry to the late-afternoon return.
Le Massif de Charlevoix: 40 km of mountain bike trails
In summer, Le Massif de Charlevoix turns its ski slopes into a mountain bike network — 40 kilometres in total, organised around two skill zones, a pro-line for confirmed riders, family runs and adventure routes. The offer covers every level, from the first-time mountain biker to the expert. Access is at 185 chemin du Massif in Petite-Rivière-Saint-François, and the lifts run for those who would rather save their legs on the climb and spend their energy on the descent.
The setting does the rest: you ride a mountain that plunges towards the river, and the panoramic views of the Saint Lawrence and its south shore are, for a cyclist, almost without equivalent in eastern Quebec. A half-day is enough for an introduction; a full day lets you string together several zones.
Technical trails and e-bikes: Saint-Siméon and Hautes-Gorges
At the eastern end of Charlevoix, OBois Charlevoix, at 100 côte de la Jetée in Saint-Siméon, operates dozens of kilometres of wild-type trails that suit electric mountain bikes especially well in the Palissades sector, and conventional mountain bikes in the Bois sector. The electric option opens up more territory — you cover more ground, climb further, take the elevation filter off without giving up the effort. It is also a sound way to bring along a member of the group who would otherwise not keep up on a non-assisted bike.
For panorama-lovers more than pure-technique riders, Hautes-Gorges National Park offers a rolling 8 kilometres (one way) of shared paved road, from the Félix-Antoine-Savard visitor centre to the Draveur services centre, where the mountain biking option starts. Bikes are rented on site, at 500 rue Principale in Saint-Aimé-des-Lacs. This is probably the loveliest way to enter Hautes-Gorges National Park for anyone who is not a dedicated hiker.
Renting a bike: where, what, how
Beyond Isle-aux-Coudres and the Massif specialists, several independent shops round out rentals in the region.
Baiecycle, at 63 rue Ambroise-Fafard in Baie-Saint-Paul, is a bike-share service run by the Coop de l'arbre. It is the urban option — utility bikes for moving around Baie-Saint-Paul, doing errands or reaching a gallery without having to arrive by car in the town centre.
Katabatik, at 210 rue Sainte-Anne in Baie-Saint-Paul (on the quay), rents bikes for exploring the Gouffre valley at your own pace. A set of suggested routes makes it easy to plan your own rides through Baie-Saint-Paul and its surroundings.
Guêpe Charlevoix, at 25 boulevard Notre-Dame in Clermont, rents bikes for exploring La Malbaie and the area — useful for visitors staying around Cap-à-l'Aigle or Pointe-au-Pic who did not bring their own.
Picking between all these options comes down to the day's plan: a quiet flat ride (Isle-aux-Coudres), a technical half-day (Le Massif), a town stroll (Baiecycle in Baie-Saint-Paul), a flat river approach (Hautes-Gorges), or a multi-municipality crossing on the Route Verte. For a broader summer-outdoors picture, our guide to the essential hikes of Charlevoix complements this cycling panorama, and our tour of Hautes-Gorges National Park goes deeper on the wilderness side.
One final note for the calendar: the Grands Rendez-vous cyclistes de Charlevoix are international-level events held each summer, combining road cycling and mountain biking. If you are in the region at that point, it is a chance to cross paths with the peloton on the roads — and, for visiting cyclists, a good excuse to plan a stay around the event.
To rent three luxury chalets in La Malbaie (Cap-à-l'Aigle), Charlevoix, Charlevoix Chalets offers Le Littoral chalet with heated pool, sauna and spa, L'Embâcle chalet with heated pool and spa, and Les Thermes chalet with thermal zone. Book your stay online or call 418-476-1442.