Day 3 of biking in Quebec: 51 miles along Route Verte 5 to Portneuf

This was a tough day for our group of five cyclists. Hot. Little shade. And the last thing we wanted: a 10-mile detour.

Once again we are following Route Verte 5, this time from Trois-Rivières to Portneuf. Much of this section uses the Chemin du Roy, the old spelling for roi, or king, also known as Route 138. There’s a bike lane along the road, which often hugs the St. Lawrence River, and traffic is chill.

We found plenty of reasons to stop: a fruit stand with freshly picked bright red strawberries full of flavor, a laitierie, or ice cream stand, the view.

We discovered the amenities at a “haute municipale,” or rest stop, that dot the route: shade, the opportunity to refill water bottles or to wade into the river. Many had a boat launch, though no one offered to transport us and our bikes several miles down the route.

And then there’s the detour. The bridge over the Viellet River, near Batsican, is closed. But could bikes still get across? We asked at the gas station. Malheuresement (unfortunately) no. We checked with the small tourist office at the haute; we’re not sure but we don’t think so. The boss made a call. Same answer. Oh, and the detour is 8 km up one side of the river to the next bridge and then back down, almost 10 miles out of our way.

So do we bike the 2 km to the bridge to see with our own eyes or do we trust the teenage boys who told us that definitely no bikes can cross. And why is no one at this halte there with a boat??

We take the detour. As do some trucks. Not only is the shoulder narrower but we have to go uphill! And on the other side too!

At least we saw cyclists loaded with panniers coming toward us. A sign that the bridge detour is real? And then the detour ended right by the bridge — do we go look? After all, it’s academic at this point. Ah, we hear construction noise! OK, we can accept that those extra miles in the heat were legit.

But we still stop at the first ice cream stand we see.

Didn’t we deserve a reward for those extra miles?

Poutine — Quebec’s dish of salty French fries and squeaky cheese curds doused in brown gravy — goes really well with a day like this too.

The planned route, without the detour:

Our next goal is Deschambault, a foodie village only a few miles from Portneuf. Honestly, this is our best chance to get good food; the options in Portneuf seem so-so. (We went to one restaurant. True.) The boulangerie, or bakery, on the main road not only has sandwiches but this chubby chocoladine (a pain au chocolat in Quebec) filled with both almond paste and raspberry jam:

Delish.

Some other sights along the way:

Accommodation logistics are easier this time. The campers turned off the Chemin du Roy a half-mile before we did, and their campsite was a half-mile up the hill. They cool off at the pool and announce they’re staying put.

We three non-campers are in a hotel up a short, steep hill as well. No giant separation like we had in Trois-Rivières (admittedly in part because of poor planning.) We may even be closer than we were in Sorel-Tracy.

A final tip, thanks to our Warmshowers host in Trois-Rivières: the restaurant that is part of the Notre Dame du Cap sanctuary as you head out of his city. L’Escale won’t win any culinary awards but it’s a filling, well-priced breakfast option. It serves lunch too, and you just might end up eating outside with a view of the St. Lawrence.

The church has an unusual octagon shape and is a pilgrimage site. And it allows RV camping.

Here’s our route.