Massif of Charlevoix | For the bike and for the view

While the Quebec government says it is ready to invest more than $10 million so that the mountains of Quebec are accessible in all seasons, the Massif de Charlevoix continues to rapidly develop its mountain biking offer, an activity that is on the rise in many mountains of Quebec. Stroll along the longest trails in the east of the country.

Pierre-Marc Durivage
The Press

Fall — because our visit dates back a few months — is colorful at the top of the Massif de Charlevoix, which already offers us a breathtaking view of the omnipresent and majestic St. Lawrence River. Our guide William Choquette tells us that the views will be as good if not better at the top of the mountain at Liguori, our first destination. “Having a few climbing trails is something that sets us apart from a lot of other ski resorts that offer mountain biking,” he says. Because a lot of cyclists like to do more than just downhill. »

We therefore take the Yellow Bus trail, 3 km of moderate ascent which leads us to cross the slopes reserved in winter for off-piste skiing. We also join part of the Caps trail, it is possible to access some pretty belvederes – you have to take care to go there by walking, however.

We finally arrive at the famous Histoire sans fin trail, the signature course of the Massif de Charlevoix: 5.5 km of fluid descent, with many footbridges and numerous bends in inclined switchbacks, but above all, impressive views of the river and the mountains at loss of sight to the east.

“At the very top, we drive through a forest of conifers, then we arrive in a clear maple grove, to finish at river level in a forest of yellow birches,” continues William Choquette. By adding the 2.5 km of the Basilic trail, which connects the middle station of the Massif Express gondola to the base of the mountain, the complete hike stretches over 11 km, and we advise you to do it at your own pace, because at Beyond its surprising duration, it has its share of challenges for the inexperienced cyclist.

Moreover, it is one of the objectives of the Massif de Charlevoix, to improve its offer intended for novices, starting this season. “It was our first season last year, we got a good satisfaction rate, but we want to become a center for mountain biking progress,” says Nicolas Racine, executive vice-president and general manager of Groupe Le Massif. Mountain biking is more complicated than skiing, it’s more complex downhill, so we want to have a good course for beginners. There will therefore be, by the end of the year, initiation modules at the base, run in concert with Club Med, but the real learning center will be at the top, with, among other things, the trail La Cerise sur le sundae, a 3 km loop around the artificial mound built at the top of Cap Maillard. »

Private or group lessons supervised by certified Bikeskills trainers will also be offered on the mountain, whether for introductory courses, advanced courses or to refine specific techniques.

In addition to all this, there is also a first 3.5 km cross-country trail, developed in conjunction with the Sentier des Caps. “We are going to use a network of trails that are used in winter for cross-country skiing, explains Nicolas Racine. We will be able to access it from the main chalet of the Massif. And we plan to develop this aspect even more over the years, because we already have agreements with the Sentier des Caps to add new cross-country courses each year. »

As for the downhill trails, we plan to double the offer by the end of the season, with 20 km of additional trails, developed in collaboration with the Sentiers Boréals teams. Access will once again be provided by the Grande Pointe chairlift, with the difference that it will be open this year 7 days a week, from June 18 to October 10. The gondola will also be open during peak periods. In addition, the synergy in place for skiing with Club Med will also be so with mountain biking, vacationers being able to benefit from the service of experienced guides as well as equipment rental — rental is also offered to the public at the summit.

“It’s a priority for us to have a constant life in the mountains,” concludes Nicolas Racine. And the fact that the government wants to give us an extra boost is really welcome, we can’t wait to see if this will allow us to speed up certain projects. But I think we are already one of the essential mountain biking destinations, especially when we decide to combine it with a visit to our region. »