Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB - Quebec, Labrador and Newfoundland

Hi Herbert, you have plenty of choices to get there, and enjoy very scenic paved and unpaved roads. It really depends what you're after, time of the year and how long you plan to be there. Below is what I'd do if I had 2weeks to discover the region (did a good part of it already). Do bear in mind that temperature wise it could be surprising, there are loads of mosquitos from May-July, trucks on the road, sand and dust at times, and services are rudimentary. However you can count on a the support of numerous 2 wheels enthusiasts who will go beyond what one would imagine to help out a riding brother.

Entering Canada just North of the Adirondacks South-East of Montreal at Lake Champlain would be my first choice, enjoying the Laurentides mountains just North of Montreal take 2-3 days, crossing into the Lanaudière region and La Mauricie (very nice!). Paradise of unpaved roads and soft adventure type of rides, but you'll also find harder stuff if you wish. You can take a number of forest roads on ZECs (Zone Ecologique Contrôlée), ride by lakes, camp, and cross towards Quebec City, not to be missed. Rest time 2days.

From Quebec City I'd travel North to Saguenay, ride around the Lac St-Jean, and South-East along the Fjord to Tadoussac for some whale watching. From there the only real option is to follow the St-Lawrence River East bound to Baie-Comeau from where the real thing to do is head straight North to the Manicouagan Reservoir, and enjoy the scenery of Manic-5. Otherwise the road stops at Natashquan. So set the adventure mode on and go way up North! From the Manicouagan Lake just ride North-East for hundreds of km. Next stops are Fermont / Wabush and Churchill Falls in Labrador. The road will eventually take you to Goose Bay at the same latitude (North of 53'), and later on you'll arrive at Mary's Harbour to take a dip in the Atlantic Ocean where you'll see Iceberg drifting South (they also think it's too cold out there). Rest time 2 days.

From there you ride South-West and enter Quebec again at Blanc-Sablon, and take the ferry to lack Duck Cove in Newfoundland. The province capital St-John's is located at the complete opposite site of "the rock" as they call it. You can take a ferry to Cape Breton at the far Noth-East end of Nova-Scotia from Placentia Newfoundland (not very far from St-John's), or ride further East to Port-aux-Basques to shorten the sea travel distance, and limit the cost. Halifax and the surroundings would be your best bet. Go around the South coast and up to Annapolis Basin to take the ferry across the Bay of Fundy to Saint-John in New Brunswick, head West bound and enter Maine from there, eat loads of lobster and sea food everyday, and try to get home by an even longer road.

Ride on!