Byways No Highways

This is the drive from Acadia Schoodic Woods section to Campobello Island. I wanted to drive along the Cutler Coast on the way and have a look. Hear some good things about the area! I liked this drive and will explore even deeper next time in the region. Music by Mixaund | https://mixaund.bandcamp.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com

We're headed home now with a stop in the rest area above Tadoussac for breakfast. Great view into the Fjord and Baie-Sainte-Catherine. No whales spotted this stop and the weather is still threatening us. You ride the ferry across the river Saguenay. There's another view point (pay-to-view) on the other side, yet typically very busy. Worth the stop if you can. I think the views are longer driving up vs. now as we drive south, could be cause we're leaving and it just feels this way.. We stopped one more night just south of Quebec City. I wanted to check out a couple possibles. First one is a truck stop and pretty run down so we just fueled up and moved a dew more miles down the highway to a Rest Area. We asked (in French) and was granted permission. Music by Mixaund | https://mixaund.bandcamp.com Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com

Anse Nobert was such a nice place to stay overnight, yet just another hour up the road we found Le Vieux Quai De Ragueneau. What a cool place this is! We'll make a point of staying here on our return. Into Baie-Comeau it's mostly inland with a couple waterfalls along the way. With the rain happening, these waterfalls are impressive. Takes nearly an hour further to get back along the River and views. It does turn inland again and you pass through a tunnel! Wasn't expecting that! Back along the river to GodBout and inland again. Now it's spotted with many lakes, pond and streams. In Baie-Trinité your back along the river and a great spot to stop and enjoy the view. Do stop here as the balance to Sept-Iles is treed and privately owned land. A few spots here and there,.. We stayed at the Quay in town as it was raining hard and tried of driving in it. Being Friday night there was a concert right here under the tent and a fish market next door. Made for a quiet evening. If you wonder if it's okay to overnight here.. it's across the street from the police department. Some folks stayed in the lot right next to it. Cute little ark right there. Shame it was raining so hard...

We found yet another place an hour up the road before Baie-Comeau. The Quai de Ragueneau. Our intention is to camp here on our return. From Baie-Comeau onward the rain just kept getting worst. Lucky enough to catch a few more areas of views with light rain, yet mostly treed in all the way to Sept-Iles. We stayed by the Quai in Sept-Iles and caught a concert there under the tent! There's a seared market right there as well. It just poured all the time there...

This portion is East (or north) of Quebec City up to La Malbaie. Actually to Tadoussac but we turned off and headed inland at La Malbaie. Views of the St Lawrence or Le Fleuve St Laurent. You leave Rt 138 in Baie-Saint-Paul and run along RT 362. The views really start through here and several places to pull over and enjoy! Canyon charlevoix is just off this road and a waterfall, yet I just never noticed the turn.. something for next time. Astronomical Observatories and Charlevoix Meteorite Crater is anther good stop to learn how you are (have been) driving through (in) an Impact crater! Real nice view from their parking lot with picnic tables. We did drive to Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu, it's quite busy there and barely anywhere to park. Towing anything would have been tougher.. I didn't know it's a Casino! I did know the G12 (or G8) Summit was held there and wanted to see it and the view. Easier parking and better view in town! Just out of town is Jardin des lilas de Cap-à-l’Aigle (chutes d’eau) and again I missed the turn.. GPS was just not my friend through here.. Your back on Rt 138 now and it's a short hop to Saint-Siméon where we turned off. Rt 138 from here to Tadoussac turns inland until Baie Saint Catherine. There is a great viewing station there, yet depending on Ferry traffic, yes a ferry (free) it can be tough (and crowded) to get into. Great spot to watch for Minke's and the Beluga's that home in the Bay. There's another great spot in Tadoussac I'll talk about later.

Here we enter the Route du Fjord and start our drive around through Saguenay. The Provincial Park closed due to storm damage so we stayed at Rivière éternité. Parc des artistes. What a unique place!! We turned off Rt138 onto Rt 170 at Saint-Siméon and started into a very unique geological area. You twist and turn around what can easily be stated as 'big mounds'. Not so much mountains or hills, mounds! This area is spotted with rapids (Chutes) and lakes trapped by the hills. Exploring the back-country here would be a trip of it's own. Not too much further up the road is the National Park of Fjord Saguenay. Our intention was to stay here a few days and explore around. The park and other spots of interest were closed due to repairs from extensive rain they had just gone through. We stayed at Rivière éternité. Parc des artistes. Most of this Vedic is about this place as it is so unique!