Presents:

The 2011 French Canada Tandem Tour

June 25th through July 3rd

The tour package includes:

• Seven (7) days of riding
• Eight (8) nights lodging
• Five (5) dinners
• Six (6) breakfasts
• Five (5) afternoon 'Happy Hour' get-togethers
• Maps and cue sheets
• Baggage transfers

Total cost per Couple is $2995

Registration and Waiver forms

The 2011 French Canada Tandem Tour

Join us for a weeklong tandem tour in French Canada, with its spectacular people, foods, and traditions. Ride your tandem in Montreregie and the Eastern Townships, south and east of Montreal. Enjoy the cultural and architectural heritage, riding through hamlets and villages considered the most beautiful in Quebec.

This is a fun tour with lots to see and tandem friendly rides. Mostly flat to rolling riding on quiet country roads. Tour old forts, visit an old cidery and ride past apple orchards. Visit a duck farm and an art glass studio. Come on north and enjoy. Bon Voyage!

Arrival Day in St. Bernard de Lacolle, Quebec

Enjoy this very nice and new Auberge (hotel) for our arrival day and our first day of tandeming. We are just over the US/Canada border on Aut 15 (I87), less time driving!. Come early and take a drive into Montreal, an hour away by car.
We will have a Happy Hour this afternoon / evening followed by a group dinner.

Day 1 Around Beautiful Southern Quebec along the Apple Route
Rides of 24, 34, 41, 46 or 49 miles

We tandem through apple orchards and rich farmland on rolling, quiet roads. Bike past stone farm houses with flared roof lines and rock walls, built by Irish, Scottish, and American Loyalists who settled here. Enjoy the tastes of regionally made cheeses, wines, and foods, from small business through out this ride.
Visit the Ciderie du Minot, to see how cider was made in Breton farms in the 19th century. The family brought their press with them across the Atlantic, building their Ciderie around it.
See your first inukshuk, stacked rocks in a human form, a tradition of the Inuit people and the 2010 Winter Olympics sign for welcoming friends. Visit Hemmingford's historic village with its nice shops and restaurants. The church of Saint-Jean-Chrysostome is one of the many architectural sights to see this week.

Day 2 St. Bernard to St. Jean sur Richelieu
Rides of 34, 37 or 55 miles

We ride up the Richelieu River valley, to St Jean sur Richelieu, with a choice of three routes. Visit historic Fort Lennox, an authentic British fortification on an island in the middle of the Richelieu River. Learn about the daily lives of the 1830's soldiers. Stop by the Blockhaus in Saint Paul de I'lleaux Noix, a historic site built in 1781 as part of the British defenses.
Travel up the road of the Patriotes, through gentle farmland. Visit the beautiful stone church just past the Acadia River.
Or take the longer route to enjoy the countryside and it's broad farmlands, and a great view of the Montreal skyline.
Arrive in St Jean sur Richelieu, with its downtown alive with restaurants and art. Our auberge is on the river and is filled with the art collection of the owner, who has been encouraging biking for over 20 years!
Happy Hour and group dinner.

Day 3 St. Jean, Chambly and Glass Art
Rides of 21, 34 or 48 miles

Bike along the river roads, the canal bike path, or further west within sight of the Montreal skyline. Ride to Chambly, and stroll along its historic streets. Chambly is a 'must see' little town. Visit Fort Chambly, a magnificent French fortification located at the Richelieu River rapids.
See Studio des Verriers du Richelieu on the return ride to St Jean sur Richelieu, where you can meet artisans transforming ordinary glass into something extraordinary.

Day 4 St Jean sur Richelieu to Knowlton
Rides of 51, 53 or 58 miles

Most of this ride is through flat countryside, ending with easy climbs after Bromont and around Lac Brome. A dedicated bike path can be used to shorten the beginning.
Cross a covered bridge while following the river road. Enjoy the atmosphere of Bromont and visit its chocolate museum. Ride along the beautiful shoreline of Lac Brome. Arrive at Auberge Knowlton, a historic inn and our home for the next two days.
Happy Hour and group dinner.

Days 5 Lac Brome, Ducks, Mont Echo, & East
Rides of 12, 19 and 38 miles

With three loops, you can combine rides for morning and afternoon fun. Leave enough time to join the visit to Canard du Lac Brome, where duck is their specialty. A tour and a cooking demonstration is included.
One ride circles Lac Brome, with it's beautiful eastern shore. Another loop circles Mont Echo, with a chance to visit Forge Art and to ride the quiet but hillier terrain south of Knowlton. A longer loop rides east and north, returning along Lac Brome.
Or take a rest day, walking historic Knowlton. Visit Knowlton's historic museum, which includes a fire tower, 1854 schoolhouse, and a WW1 Fokker aircraft!

Day 6 Knowlton to Cowansville
Rides of 27 or 30 miles

Two routes travel to Cowansville, a lovely older town. The northern route lets you visit a great winery, Domaine les Brome (285, chemin Brome) for tastings. You continue north to Bromont, to let people spend more time in this nice small town. Ride along quiet, winding river roads and cross another wooden covered bridge.
The southern ride travels down valley roads to Sutton (circa 1802), for a midway stop and restaurants. Ride on to Cowansville, with its 14 bridges including another covered bridge! Follow Cowansville walking (biking) tour and enjoy the opulent Victorian style houses.
Happy Hour and group dinner.

Day 7 Cowansville to St. Bernard de Lacolle
Rides of 45 or 51 miles

This is an amazing day of riding on mostly flat country roads, returning to St Bernard. Bike through Mystic, to see the imposing twelve sided barn built by the Walbridge family. Enjoy this barn, now a museum and national heritage site.
Ride along Lake Champlain, into the US, with its wonderful lakeside views and restaurants. We pass old stone buildings and wonderful countryside in Vermont and New York. Then we return over the border to Canada and St Bernard.

Back in St. Bernard de Lacolle we will regroup for our final Happy Hour and group dinner.