Sticky Bottle Team!: A Bike Ride of Europe Without Leaving North America

Samuel de Champlain docked his ship at remote outpost along the St. Lawrence River and ventured ashore to scout the location. The year was 1608. He noted an abundance of fur animals (a necessity considering the year-round cold temperatures) and ordered that a fur trading site be constructed. Champlain later boarded his ship and would become the first person to explore the Great Lakes. As the years went on the tiny fur trading post became Quebec City and Champlain returned as the regional Governor and remained in that position until his death in 1635. Quebec City continued to grow through the centuries but not much changed which has resulted in the city being the only large metropolitan area in North American to be named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

A bike ride of Quebec City charms even the most hardcore cyclist with some of the most beautiful architecture on the globe. The form is predominantly Nouvelle France, an architectural style that originated in France (how novel) and is noted for its strength and snow carrying ability. The design was popular among Quebec City builders not so much out of style but out of necessity. In 1640 a conflagration swept across the city fueled by the original wooden settlements wiping out nearly all previous structures. The town forefathers assembled and decreed that all new construction would be of stone and be two stories high with a metal roof angled at no less than 52 degrees. This new Quebec City would be fire proof, strong and able to withstand the chronic snowfalls.

Begin your bike ride on Rue de Petit Champlain, what may be the thinnest road in North America. Depending on the roadway’s width, and local police, you may have to walk your machine in some sections but it is the true heart of Quebec City. Rue de Petit Champlain is located in Lower Town (Quebec is separated by the St. Lawrence River and thus has created a Lower Town and likewise Upper Town) and is like stepping back in time to old Europe.

In Upper Town bike riders will pass the stunning Chateau Frontenac Hotel and Maison Jacquet, the oldest residence in Quebec City built in 1765. Today the structure is the Aux Anciens Canadiens Restaurant.

Most prominent in Upper Town is the great fortress of La Citadelle. Walls and the fortress dominate the Upper Town as the British built huge stone fortifications in 1759 to keep the French at bay. Staying in Upper Town riders can soak in the opulence of Basilica Notre Dame, the oldest parish in Canada built in 1633. Remodeled in 1925, the church is resplendent with a stained glass exterior and an interior of shiny gold. Take your French dictionary as 95% of the population speaks French.

Quebec City, due to its geographic and topographic nature challenges riders with climbs but rewards them with breathtaking views and fast descents.

Visit www.bonjourquebec.com for more information. Our website www.stickybottleteam.net has a travel video of Quebec City.