National Geographic Makes Route Verte Top Cycling Network

tbkahouna

Hello everyone,

In it's recent edition of the book "Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World's Best Trips" , National Geographic declared Quebec's Route Verte as the Best of the Top 10 Bicycle Routes in the World.

My girfriend and I travelled around the USA and Europe and can only agree with National Geographic's selection. I am a particular fan of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy program in the USA and am always pleased to see how so many decommissioned railways were integrated into the Route Verte. Our favourite stretches of route include
- Route 1 between Richmond and Quebec City which uses the old Grand Trunk railway right-of-way;
- Route 6 between Quebec City and Riviere-a-Pierre which follows the old CN rail right-of-way and what was the one of the first steel-on-wood railways in Canada;
- Route 2 between St-Jerome and Mont-Laurier, commonly referred to the the "P'tit Train du Nord" (a.k.a. "Little Train of the North");
- Route 5 which follows in great part the old "Chemin du Roy", which was the first road built in Canada in the 18th Century to allow the transfer of the Royal Mail between Quebec City and Montreal;
- Route 6 between Riviere-du-Loup and the border of New Brunswick (towards Edmunstion), especially the segment between Cabano and Degelis along Lake Temiscouata, another converted railroad right-of-way.

The Route Verte is best travelled with a hybrid bicycle. Many of the trails are covered in stone dust, which sometimes may not be ideal for narrow road bike tires. But there are often very interesting road alternatives to the Route Verte, when the main route is not paved.

Also, to help visitors find "cyclist friendly" installations (B&Bs, Inns, campings, shops, etc.) the Velo-Quebec organization has developed the " Bienvenue Cyclistes " accreditation (translated, it means Welcome Cyclists).

Quebec is really becoming a cycling mecca to be recognized in the world, and it is nice, and makes us proud, that National Geographic seems to think so too...

Ron

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