Exploring Véloroute des Bleuets - Quebec's "Blueberry Bike Route"

The Véloroute des Bleuets is my favourite of all cycling Quebec adventures - even in the off season!

My trip to Lac Saint Jean was part of a hosted media visit. All research, writing, and opinions are my own.
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With sunny blue skies and a bracing wind, I bravely mounted my bike to go searching for blueberries in the Quebec countryside. But if you're looking at my jacket and scarf in the photo above and thinking it looks far too cold for blueberry season, you'd be partially right. You see, I wasn't in search of blueberries to eat! I was searching for Quebec's famous blueberry bike route, known as the "véloroute des bleuets".

Made up of over 20 different short to medium length rides through the blueberry-producing countryside, the véloroute des bleuets circles around Lac St Jean, not far from the northern Quebec city of Saguenay. The route includes towns such as Alma (my personal favourite), Saint-Felicien, Roberval, and Sainte-Monique, as well as Pointe-Taillon National Park, and includes terrain suitable for all riders.

Yes, the Véloroute des Bleuets is perfect for beginners just like me.

The easiest sections, known as the "green" or family sections, are the best for casual cyclists such as myself. Those who are up for a challenge will appreciate the mountain bike trails, as well as trails specifically maintained for fatbike tires in winter. Ambitious folks eager to take their Quebec bike tours to the next level will be happy to know that the véloroute des bleuets connects up with the nearby véloroute du Fjord du Saguenay. But for conservative, first time participants like myself, even a short section of the ride is richly rewarding - even if you don't actually do it when blueberries are in season! ​

There's no "official" starting point to the véloroute des bleuets in the sense that you can start and stop wherever and whenever you want. However, I have my own recommendation on where everyone interested in the route des bleuets should begin. Before doing anything else, head to bikeexperience.ca. They produce an AMAZING guide of the bike routes around Lac St Jean (available in both French and English), which includes maps, contact information of services, cycling tips, possible itineraries, and more. 

When it came to my mini-adventure, I concentrated my time in and around Alma. I love that my particulate section of Quebec's blueberry trail allowed me to combine urban and rural experiences so I could have the best of both worlds. 

My early May visit along the véloroute des bleuets was indeed far too cold to go searching for blueberries, but I'm told the ground in this part of Quebec is just full of them in late August. I did however, have incredible views of the forest, waterways, and the dam. As a self-proclaimed wimpy cyclist, I found the "green" route of my bike path to be appropriately classified - things were relatively smooth and there were no major hills I had to contend with! Hey, who said you had to be hardcore to enjoy some Quebec cycling fun? Beginners are welcome here!

Options for Accommodations and Camping: Saguenay Lac St Jean

Whether you're biking for a few weeks or just a few hours, rest and relaxation is an important part of the trip. Every athlete needs some downtime, right? Along the véloroute des bleuets, there is a great selection of bike-friendly accommodations. The Bienvenue Cyclistes! ("welcome cyclists") program identifies hotels, inns, restaurants, and services which are cyclist-friendly. You can find list of bike-friendly Saguenay Lac St Jean accommodations here. What does "cyclist-friendly" mean? In most cases, it means a secure place to store your bike, a place to do repairs or maintenance like cleaning, and special services just for cyclists, such as luggage transfers, laundry services, or on-site bicycle repair kits. 

If you're inclined to focus on camping, Saguenay Lac St Jean has A LOT of options. Cyclists are guaranteed a camping spot without a reservation (provided that they do indeed arrive by bike!) Campgrounds are also equipped with picnic shelters so there's a place to hangout in case of bad weather. And the campgrounds have much of the same cyclist-focused services as the inns and hotels. Best of all - your cost and environmental impact are low. Some of the best véloroute des bleuets camping Saguenay Lac St Jean options include:
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• Camping Colonie Notre-Dame, Alma. 
• Camping & Plage Belley, Saint-Henri-de-Taillon. Read reviews here.
• Pointe-Taillon National Park, Saint-Henri-de-Taillon. Read reviews here.
• Auberge Ile du Repos, Péribonka. Read reviews here.
• Camping Municipal, Péribonka.
• Camping Municipal, Albanel.
• Camping Plage Robertson, Saint-Félicien.
• Camping Plage Blanchet, Desbiens. Read reviews here.

Veloroute des Bleuets Map and Distances

A lot of people want to know about the véloroute des bleuets distance - just how far, exactly, will I be biking?! That is entirely up to you! The entire circuit is 256 kilometers and crosses 15 municipalities. However, the shortest section is just 3 km. I love how flexible it is. You can dip in and out of the véloroute des bleuets as often as you want. While many cyclists set an ambitious goal of completing the entire circle in a certain among of time, others come back year after year to re-do the same section at a leisurely pace. There's a sense of belonging here, among the cyclists and between them and the local communities they visit along the way. 

Should you need help along the way, there are 65 ambassadors patrolling the route between May 15- October 15. You can recognize them by their red jerseys and the special logo on the front of their bike. They are qualified to provide first-aid services and give you advice and assistance. 

There are also four "Mainson de Velo" (cycling visitors information centres) along the véloroute des bleuets. They are open every day from June 24 to September 1. They are located in Alma (km 49), Roberval (km 121), Dolbeau-Mistassini (km 207), and Herbertville (by the church). 

You can find veloroute des bleuets map resources here.

In my opinion, traveling through northern Quebec is vastly underrated and I wish more travelers would explore beyond Montreal and Quebec City. There's so much to see and do! And if your plans include cycling or camping, Saguenay Lac St Jean is the place to go. Cycling Quebec - or even just a tiny part of it - is a great way to explore the province. I loved discovering the beautiful countryside and soon discovered that the véloroute des bleuets is perfect for cyclists and travelers of all levels.

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