Home to five major mountain biking centres, the greater Quebec region is a popular destination for fans of this sport who can, in the same day, enjoy a unique trail experience and discover the historic districts of Old Quebec.
10 years ago, the Quebec Mountain Bike Alliance, which today brings together the five main mountain bike centers in the greater Quebec region, that is to say the Vallée Bras-du-Nord, Empire 47, the Sentiers du Moulin, Mont-Sainte-Anne and the Massif de Charlevoix, was created following discussions between the Quebec Tourist Office (today Destination Québec cite) and stakeholders from the cycling community of Mountain.
“Mountain biking was then identified as a premium product that needed to be structured to attract tourist customers,” says the director of this alliance,
Nicolas Labrecque-Sauvé. Initially, it was more of a marketing strategy, he explains, but quickly “there was a desire to standardize the levels of the trails and the signage, in order to structure the offer”, which counts today more than 400 km of trails.
Among the best in the world
It must be said that “Quebec has always enjoyed a reputation for mountain biking, since Mont-Sainte-Anne has hosted the World Cup there since 1991,” recalls Mr. Labrecque-Sauvé.
Quebec is also among the best mountain biking destinations in the world, according to the magazine Singletracks (2022) et Strava (2023). Internationally renowned athletes travel through its mountains every year, including Yoann Barelli and Steve Vanderhoek, who are currently crisscrossing the slopes, and Rémy Métailler, who will arrive in a few weeks.
“What differentiates us from other cities in the world is that Quebec City, with its festivals, its cultural life, its haute cuisine, is located less than an hour from all mountain bike centers,” says Mr. Labrecque-Sauvé.
It is possible to cycle the trails during the day and sit at a large table in Old Quebec in the evening. And why not plan a multi-day getaway to discover the different mountains while enjoying the attractions of the region?
Varied offer
The five centers also offer a varied offering meeting the expectations of all types of cyclists. Whether to discover the wild territory of the Bras-du-Nord Valley through long singletracks (Shannahan sector), ride on shorter and more technical trails in a rural setting (Saint-Raymond sector), progress on the worked and rolling trails of Empire 47 or take advantage of its Evolution Zone to refine your technique…
Photo provided by François Fontaine
Trail experiences are multiplying in the Vallée Bras-du-Nord.
Have fun on the enduro-style trails of Sentiers du Moulin, then set off on an adventure in the Maelstrom sector, where trails and rocks transport cyclists to Western Canada. Ride the legendary trails of Mont-Sainte-Anne, explore its vast cross-country sector, its technical trails or its beginner and intermediate trails. Then pedal with your family through the sublime landscapes that change with the rhythm of the tides of the Massif de Charlevoix.
“We must always stay at the front of the parade by developing new paths and improving existing offerings,” says Mr. Labrecque-Sauvé.
In the coming years, he would like to see the development of guided tours, in which cyclists from all over the world would be picked up at the airport and then visit mountain bike centres while staying in the region.
