We're going up through Maine and western New Brunswick (from VT) to get to the Gaspe. We plan on going around the peninsula "counterclockwise" and then head to Quebec City and Montreal before heading south. Any recommendations for "don't miss" spots on our way?

 

Edmundston, NB has a few good places to stay.&nbsp\\; Look up "The Happy Club" and "Le Praga".&nbsp\\; I'd recommend "Le Praga".&nbsp\\; It costs a bit less, and the rooms are larger.&nbsp\\; Plus, they have a garage with a concrete floor they will let you keep your bike in overnight.&nbsp\\; There's a small bar downstairs, and a restaurant.&nbsp\\;
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"Le Happy Club" is owned by bikers.&nbsp\\; The rooms are newer, but a bit smaller and about $10-$20 per night.&nbsp\\; At night, they will let you bring your bike into the back yard into a fenced/locked compound for overnight.&nbsp\\; Also, the bar they have is better, and generally, more people hang out there.
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There's not much to do in Edmundston anymore.&nbsp\\; The pulp mill shut down last year and turned the place into a ghost town.&nbsp\\; However, there was a new bar/saloon being built before I left.&nbsp\\; I'm going to check it out, actually, during my trip.&nbsp\\; I'm pretty much taking the same route, except when I hit Nova Scotia, I'm heading East.&nbsp\\; I was going to pop into Edmundston for a day trip from Amherst, NS.
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There are also some nice restaurants in town.&nbsp\\; Lemme Mapquest the correct exit here, for you......yes, here it is - Boulevard Hebert.&nbsp\\; There's about 6 exits along the Trans-Canada for Edmundston.&nbsp\\; This is the one where you can see the McDonald's right beside the highway.
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Riviere-du-Loup is a nice little town, but there's pretty much nowhere to stay.&nbsp\\; Personally, I'd stay in Edmundston, because it's pretty dead along the highway from there to Montreal (other than hotels in Quebec City).&nbsp\\; Rather than taking the highway, in Riviere-du-Loop, there's a small highway, #132, that's a complete paved two-laner that runs right along the St. Lawrence River to almost Montreal.&nbsp\\; It has tons of little French towns along the way, full of their traditional architecture.&nbsp\\; There's gas stations, and all kinds of places.&nbsp\\; One larger town with shopping malls &amp\\; hotels &amp\\; such is Montmagny.&nbsp\\; I always get on 132 rather than taking the trans-Canada, as it is flat &amp\\; boring.&nbsp\\; 132 has a slower speed limit (80 km/h), but it's a better ride.
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I haven't been around Gaspe yet, but I've been through the other routes 8 years and counting now.
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Cannon

 

I've been fortunate to be able to&nbsp\\;have ridden all the lower 48 states&nbsp\\;and the Canadian provinces. No&nbsp\\;summer was&nbsp\\;finer than the year 4 friends and I made&nbsp\\;a round trip from Missoula, Mont. to eastern Canada and the Maritimes. Quebec and the run around the perimeter of the&nbsp\\;Gaspe peninsula were the highlights along with PEI and Nova Scotia.&nbsp\\;You guys&nbsp\\;will have a great time....the people, beer, food and history.&nbsp\\;I was going to recommend the Bay of Fundy at Moncton because that is the site of the&nbsp\\;greatest tidal changes on the planet...but it sounds like you'll be too far to the west. So I'll just say say if you don't agree&nbsp\\;that some of the most beautiful women on the planet&nbsp\\;live in Riviere du Loup, Quebec City and Montreal...although Montreal can be a&nbsp\\;sumbitch on a bike.&nbsp\\;&nbsp\\;

 

French Girls?
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I swear I don't know what you're talking about.
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Cannon

 

Have done the ride clockwise from Quebec City to Gaspe.&nbsp\\; It's spectacular.&nbsp\\; If you are planning on staying in Perce, make reservations in advance, as we were shut out.&nbsp\\; Enjoy.

 

Thanks for the replies. We're headed out sometime during the week of July 8th. I'm taking a printout of the replies with us.

JC-The wife of the couple going with us is originally from a small town near Edmunston (dual citizenship) so we'll be spending an overnight in that area. She's our translator so we'll know if the natives are bad mouthing us! We plan on back tracking to Rte 17 and then take Rte 132 all away around. The four of us prefer to stay off the interstate and trans-Canada highways.

mtgriz-I'm glad to hear that the trip around the Gaspe was a highlight for you guys. We've been up through PEI and Nova Scotia many times and have spent time around Moncton. Friendly people, great sea food and pretty (and clean) countryside for touring. The exchange rate used to be in our favor but now it's pay back time.[&o]Yup, Montreal can be an adventure on two wheels-just have to go with the flow.

nj08SEUltra-Should we plan on staying in Perce and not Gaspe? I don't like to plan ahead and make reservations but it's much better than not finding lodging when it's time to pack it in and have a cold one. We're planning on staying over night out there on the eastern tip. Is Perce a scenic place to stay?

 

Woodchuck - I've changed my plans a bit after seeing how busy some Cdn towns were for our July 1st.&nbsp\\; I won't be visiting the USA until my ride back.&nbsp\\; Tomorrow I'll be in Cornwall, and July 4th I'll be in Edmundston.&nbsp\\; The 5th, I plan to be in Amherst, NS, and after that who knows where I'll be.&nbsp\\; I want to hit the Cabot Trail again for the hell of it, circle around Nova Scotia, and then drop down into the US after that.
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It's a one in a million chance, but ya never know - I'm bringing the blue Ultra, and there will be a black Kuryakyn roll bag on the luggage rack.&nbsp\\; Just look for the big tattoo'd gorilla listening to bad 1980's heavy-metal music.
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Have a safe trip.
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Cannon

 

Just a side note about 132 - whereabouts in Canada do you hop on it?&nbsp\\; I'm trying to find a way around Montreal, because it's a freaking disaster to try to drive through there.&nbsp\\; I see that, for me, I can take the 401 until it becomes 20, and then drop down onto 201 just inside of Quebec, and then onto 132, and take it forever.&nbsp\\; There are spots when it's in proximity to Montreal and Quebec City &amp\\; trois Riviere's where it looks hectic.&nbsp\\; No concerns?&nbsp\\; I suppose anything's better than Hwy 20.
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Cannon

 

La Gaspésie is popular with the adventure riding set. Do a search of ride reports on advrider.com and see what they say.

 

I don't have vivid memories of the town of Gaspe.&nbsp\\; Perce was hopping and very bike friendly.&nbsp\\; It's famous for a rock formation just offshore.