| Parc de la Mauricie ride (Drive and Cycle) 106/140kms
Getting there:
Take Highway 40 east towards Trois Rivieres. Exit at Highway 55 North. Proceed on 55 North to Grand Mere. Exit at “Grand-Mere, 8ieme Rue / St-Jean des Piles. Follow brown signs indicating the route to the Park. Park at the church in St-Jean des Piles.
Route (106 kms):
1) Leaving from the St Jean des Piles church, go left towards the Park. The park entrance is approximately 6 kms from St-Jean des Piles.
2) Enter the park and stay on the main park road for the next 63 kms.
3) Exit the park at the St-Mathieu gate (Note: this is the turnaround point for the 140 kms option)
4) Keep going south on Chemin St-Francois
5) Turn left on route 351
6) Left on Chemin des Bouleaux
7) At the end of Chemin des Bouleaux, turn right and then left a few hundred feet further, on Des Pommiers.
8) Right on 100ieme rue
9) Left on 50ieme Avenue, to the end
10) Left on Chemin du Parc National, back to St Jean des Piles
Notes:
Bring some cash, as there is a $3.50 entry fee to the park.
The park road is incredibly smooth, so you can really enjoy the twisty downhills.
Make sure that you have enough food and drink, as there are no services in the park. There are bathrooms at the Visitor Centers located at each of the park gates.
Do not forget to stop and admire the scenery at some of the lookout points; it is worth it!
The park is very hilly; nothing extreme, but a very good workout. The rest is flat with a few rolling hills.
My suggestion (i.e. challenge) to climbers: Skip the segment outside the park (i.e. Steps 4 through 10). Do steps 1 through 3, turn around at the St Mathieu Visitor Center and come back. This will represent approximately 140 kms of nothing but hills. Enjoy!
|