Route Des Navigateurs

The Route des Navigateurs is a long tourist route along the south shore of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec, stretching for several hundred kilometres through the Centre-du-Québec, Chaudière-Appalaches and Bas-Saint-Laurent regions. It follows the river for much of the way, mostly on Route 132, and it is built around the theme of navigation: the three centuries of voyages, trade, pilots, shipwrecks and lighthouses that shaped the life of the river. The St. Lawrence widens here into a huge estuary, and the road offers one broad view after another.

The route is best driven slowly, with stops in the villages along the way. In the Chaudière-Appalaches section, towns such as Montmagny are known for their link to the river, to the migrating snow geese that gather on the shore and to the offshore islands. Saint-Jean-Port-Joli is a centre for woodcarving and craft, with galleries and workshops along the main road. Grosse Île, the former quarantine station in the river, is an important site in the story of Irish immigration in the 1840s, and the memorial there recalls the thousands who died. These places show how the river served both as a route into the continent and as a barrier.

Farther east, in the Kamouraska area, the road runs through some of the most picturesque stretches. The village of Kamouraska is known for its historic houses, its eel weirs and its sunsets, and the low rocky Cabourons hills rise behind it. The shoreline has tidal flats and salt marshes, and the local food traditions include smoked eel and glasswort, a salty marsh plant used as a garnish. The Île Verte lighthouse, the oldest on the St. Lawrence, is a short boat ride from the shore, and it speaks to the importance of the river for shipping.

Activities along the way include sea kayaking, boat excursions, lighthouse visits and walks on the shore, and each area has small museums and interpretation centres devoted to local history. Many of the stops are small, so the pleasure lies in the variety rather than any single attraction. Roadside stands sell fruit, cheese, smoked fish and handicrafts in the warmer months.

The route is best explored by car or motorcycle, and it can be cycled by those who are well prepared for the distance and the wind. The road is open year-round, though many attractions run only in summer and early autumn. Plan overnight stops in villages along the way, and allow several days for the whole route, or sample a short section in a day trip from Quebec City.