The Petit Témis Interprovincial Bicycle Path

In 1999, the dog-days came in quite early in Montreal; late June is indeed a very early date to flee the city, but why fry? So, I packed my gear and left Montreal for the Petit Témis Bicycle Path, the second longest linear park in Québec (the longest one is the Pt'it train du Nord ), a decommissioned railway that used to join Rivière-du-Loup, Québec, to Edmunston, New Brunswick, through the Temiscouata and Madawaska valleys. I drove up the St. Lawrence River Valley. Just before Rivière-du-Loup, I took the 185 to St-Modeste, where the Kilometer 0 parking is presently located. (They were working on the last stretch, from St-Modeste to Rivière-du-Loup; for the latest information about the starting point, get the Temiscouata Guide from Info Québec).

Thursday, June 21 - From St-Modeste to Cabano (60 km, 4 h) - I finally found the starting point and got ready. There is no parking fee, but I had to buy a $10* sticker (good for the year and for all the linear parks in Quebec). The attendant, a biology undergraduate, explained to me just about all there was to know about the local wildlife. Then, she bade me bon voyage and off I went for a 270 km hike, in the black spruce forest. Except for the fine dust clinging to everything, the road condition is very good, and, due to the remote location, traffic is light, even on weekends. You will meet all kinds of people, even senior citizen groups with reservations in the best inns, doing 40 km-a-day hops. As expected for decommissioned railways, the slopes are very gentle, but an unending slope, even gentle, can be tiring after a while. Fortunately, there are plenty of interesting spots to rest, most of them along a river or a lake. After some 20 km, I stopped for a dip in a natural basin under a cascade, where I got a refreshing massage as a bonus: I was happy as a baby in the tub. Then, I jumped back on my saddle without changing, letting the warm summer air dry me. That was real life! There are water points and convenience stores in every small town, so you don't need to carry more than the usual two water bottles. The scenery can be monotonous, but some rest points offer splendid views of natural wetlands. I carried heavy duty insect repellent because at that time of year, biting insects are hungry. However, whatever the reason was, except at night, I didn't have to use much of it. Because I was traveling alone, I was carrying a complete camping gear, but I don't think that's a good idea for couples, because there are plenty of cheap rooms (about $50* for two, breakfast included) in Beds and Breakfast and small inns. After 32 km, the slow climbing part was over (total climb from St-Modeste: 200 meters – 650 feet). I was crossing occasional farm lands with small houses and some cattle. Now, I was riding down a gentle slope leading to Lake Temiscouata (altitude: 200 meters - 650 feet, the same as St-Modeste's). By the end of the afternoon, I reached Cabano and stopped in a roadside campground. The place proved to be noisy because of the heavy traffic on Route 185, but I slept well thanks to my ear plugs.

Friday, June 22 - From Cabano to St-Jacques, New Brunswick (102 km, 6 h) - When I woke up, it was a cold (10 °C – 50 °F), sunny day, and the campground was infested with black flies, so I quickly hit the trail. For some 20 kilometers, the path was snaking along beautiful Lake Temiscouata. Just before noon, near Dégelis, I stopped for a dip in the crystal-clear water of one of the deserted public beaches along the trail. Now, I was on level ground and doing 25-28 km/h, almost twice as fast as the day before. Soon, I was in New Brunswick. I passed a vintage WW II Halifax bomber near the Edmunston Airport. The trail was now crossing farms and pastures along the Madawaska River, at some distance from noisy Route 185. I stopped to book a camping site in St-Jacques, a nice and quiet place near the river, some 10 km from Edmunston. I left most of my equipment there and made a final sprint southward. Edmunston, which used to be a very plain paper mill city, now features a big central park on both sides of the river, offering some nice panoramic views. I was surprised to see that most of the business signs are in French only, just like in Québec. A woman explained that more than 95 % of the population was French-speaking. Then, I went back to the St-Jacques campground.

	The Petit Témis Interprovincial Bicycle Path (June 1999)
View of Lake Temiscouata


Wetlands of the Boreal Forest		Saint-Jacques, New Brunswick