Historic Traders’ Route Self-Drive Tour

Arrive in Montreal any time. You’ll pick up your rental vehicle from the Montreal Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport (YUL) and drive to your city hotel. Enjoy your afternoon exploring Old Montreal or the vibrant shopping district on St. Catherine Street. In the evening, you can indulge in one of the many excellent restaurants in the city.

Enjoy a final walk through the lively streets of Montreal before embarking on the first drive of your road trip. Get off the highway and take the back roads that wind through the fertile agricultural region. Spend some time visiting the villages of the Lower Laurentians and discover the maple sugar shacks, cider breweries, and cheese producers along your route. When you arrive in Mont-Tremblant, you can get settled into your cottage and then take a stroll through the colourful pedestrian village.

There is truly something for everyone in Mont-Tremblant. You can rent a canoe and paddle the tranquil lakes or down the Devil’s River. Hiking trails lead all over the area, including the Corniche Trail, which offers tremendous views of the park from the top. You can also go on a fishing expedition, attempt the zip-lining course, or book a scenic helicopter ride. Tonight, you’ll visit the new Tonga Lumina, an illuminated trail experience for an imaginative journey through the park.

Journey farther into the natural areas of Quebec on your drive to Ferme Neuve. Hike to Windigo and Walker Falls in the Devil’s Mountain Regional Park and explore the park’s many peaceful pathways. You’ll spend the next two nights surrounded by nature in Ferme Neuve.

The hardest part of your day today will be deciding how to spend it. Hike through the quiet woods of Ferme Neuve or visit one of the lakes or rivers to canoe, kayak, swim, or just bask in the sun.

As you drive farther into the wilderness, you’ll feel as though you’re travelling back into the historic times when fur traders travelled this route. Enjoy the scenic views of the Verendrye Wildlife Reserve, home to over 4000 incredible lakes, as you drive to Val d’Or. Watch the history of this gold mining town unfold as you walk the Heritage Val d’Or Circuit and discover its 27 historical stops. You can also visit Bourlamaque, the 1940s mining village that has been frozen in time.

Begin your day with a tour of the Lamaque mine, descending into the tunnels to learn about the gold mining and making process. Then, you’ll visit a honey farm that produces organic honey and sample some local Abitibian products. Your next stop is the Refuge Pageau, a wildlife rescue centre, to visit with the deer, coyotes, owls, moose, and bear being rehabilitated. Enjoy your next two nights sleeping en-pleine air as they say when you camp outdoors in Quebec.

Wake up to the sounds of nature, and take an early morning canoe trip. Watch for beaver, heron, and moose as you paddle the silent lakes. In the afternoon, hike to the footbridge that soars 22 meters above Lake La Haie and offers stunning views of the park. Enjoy another peaceful night in Aiguebelle.

Continue following in the footsteps of pioneer explorers as you drive through Abitibi-Témiscamingue. Pay a visit to the Dumulon General store in Rouyn-Noranda, which has been operating since 1924. Take a scenic bike ride along the Lake Osisko bike path before your drive to Angliers. Enjoy some more fascinating historical sites when you visit the T.E. Draper, a wooden tug boat from the twenties, and a lumberjack camp. Spend the night near Lake Témiscamingue.

As you relax by the lakeside and take in the tranquil beauty of the land around you, take a minute to imagine the fur traders who once travelled this route and the Indigenous who lived on the land long before the European arrival. You’ll drive alongside the Ottawa River, which once led the explorers across Quebec to the discovery of the Hudson Bay and the Great Lakes. Stop at the covered bridge that was built in 1898 on your way into 1898.

Start your day with a walk on the interpretive trail that tells the history of the Coulonge River. If you’re feeling adventurous, you might want to try out the zip lines that soar across the river. Begin your drive to Gatineau, which sits on the river and has incredible views across the water to the parliament buildings of the nation’s capital. There are endless biking and walking trails for you to explore through the city or in nearby Gatineau Hills. You may also want to visit the Canadian Museum of History and walk the cultural trail from the museum along the water.

Cross the bridge into Ottawa for breakfast in the Bytown Market before you start your journey to Montebello. Stop for a walk to Placentia Falls and enjoy the forests of Gatineau. Visit the home of Montebello founder Louis-Joseph Papineau and the beautiful Fairmont Chateau Montebello, the largest log cabin in the world. Stroll the artisanal shops and enjoy the local produce as you explore the village on foot.

Today, you can enjoy the peaceful woods however you like. You can paddle a canoe across the tranquil lake, walk through the forest paths, or relax by the lake to reflect on your travels. Enjoy watching the sunset over the lake and spend your last night of the tour in your forest accommodations.

Start your day with a visit to Omega Park in Montebello, a drive-through safari where you can see Canadian wildlife. Along the route are moose, elk, bison, wolves, and bears, but the favourite is always the deer who rush to your car for a carrot treat! Return your rental vehicle to the Montreal Airport, where your tour concludes.