Bas-Saint-Laurent from Quebec City: the perfect 2-3 day road trip

Bas-Saint-Laurent is the stretch of Quebec’s south shore between Quebec City and the Gaspé Peninsula — roughly 250 kilometres of coastal villages, widening St. Lawrence estuary views, dramatic cliff parks, and some of the best sunset photography in eastern Canada. Most international visitors drive through Bas-Saint-Laurent only briefly on their way to Gaspésie; local Quebecers treat it as a distinct 2-3 day road trip destination, and the latter group has the right of it. The region rewards unhurried travel — the villages are close together, the scenic pull-offs are frequent, and the gradient from Quebec City wine country to the deep-water estuary at Rimouski makes every hour of the drive different.

This guide presents two versions of the trip: a 2-day highlights loop from Quebec City and a 3-4 day deeper exploration. Both use Route 132 along the south shore rather than Autoroute 20; the autoroute is faster but removes the entire point of the region.

Before you go

• Rental car: essential. One-way rentals to Rimouski are possible but pricey; a round-trip loop from Quebec City is the usual pattern.
• Route 132 vs Autoroute 20: 132 adds roughly 90 minutes for the full distance but is scenic the entire way. Use 20 only for direct returns.
• Accommodation: book a month ahead for July and August; two weeks is fine for June and September.
• Food stops: many restaurants in smaller villages close Mondays and Tuesdays, and many close for winter. Call ahead off-season.

2-day weekend loop

Day 1: Quebec City → Kamouraska → Rivière-du-Loup (190 km, 3h drive + stops)

Leave Quebec City mid-morning on Autoroute 20 east to exit 400 at Saint-Jean-Port-Joli. Switch to Route 132.

Saint-Jean-Port-Joli (1 hr east of Quebec City): the traditional wood-carving capital of Quebec. The Musée des Anciens Canadiens is modest but charming; small galleries line the main street.

L’Islet-sur-Mer: short stop at the Musée Maritime du Québec. The St. Lawrence here is already 15 kilometres wide.

Kamouraska (1h45 from Quebec City): the region’s photographic icon. Salt marshes, monadnock hills rising from flat farmland, the widening river, and sunsets that photographers come hundreds of kilometres for. Stop at:

• Kamouraska village: tiny historic centre; the parish church spire is the postcard shot.
• Cap Martin: small beach and viewpoint.
• La Route des Kamouraskois producers: if time permits, the lavender field at La Seigneurie des Aulnaies (nearby) and the Poissonnerie Lauzier are worth detours.

Rivière-du-Loup (arrival late afternoon): end-of-day viewpoint is the Parc des Chutes waterfall and trail, 15 minutes from Route 132. Sunset from Pointe de Rivière-du-Loup (where the ferry docks) is one of the region’s best.

Overnight: Rivière-du-Loup — multiple mid-range hotels near the ferry terminal and historic downtown.

Day 2: Rivière-du-Loup → Le Bic → Rimouski → return (280 km, 4h drive + stops)

Morning departure. Drive Route 132 east.

Trois-Pistoles (30 min from Rivière-du-Loup): the ferry to Les Escoumins on the Côte-Nord leaves here in summer (1h30 crossing) for visitors adding a whale-watching detour.

Parc national du Bic (45 min from Rivière-du-Loup): the scenic highlight of the trip. Dramatic Appalachian coastal cliffs, seal colonies, hiking trails through shore meadows. Budget 2-3 hours. Pic Champlain hike (1.5 hrs return, 150 m elevation) delivers the iconic aerial view of the park’s islands. See Parc du Bic.

Rimouski + Pointe-au-Père (arrival noon-early afternoon): lunch in Rimouski’s marina district. Afternoon at the Site historique maritime de la Pointe-au-Père — the submarine Onondaga (open to walk through), the Empress of Ireland museum (Canada’s worst peacetime maritime disaster), and the Pointe-au-Père lighthouse. Budget 2-3 hours. See Rimouski.

Return to Quebec City: via Autoroute 20 in 3 hours.

Alternative: overnight in Rimouski and extend to Jardins de Métis + Gaspésie on day 3.

3-4 day deeper exploration

Adds the following to the core loop:

Day 2 addition: Trois-Pistoles to Île aux Basques

A Basque whaling-station island 3 km offshore, reached by boat from Trois-Pistoles June to mid-September. Half-day guided visit ($50 adult) with one of the best birding experiences in eastern Canada. Reserve ahead.

Day 3: Rimouski → Jardins de Métis (Reford Gardens) → return

30 minutes east of Rimouski, Les Jardins de Métis (Reford Gardens) is one of the finest historic gardens in eastern North America — famous for its Himalayan blue poppies that bloom June-July. The annual International Garden Festival (June-October) adds contemporary landscape installations. Budget 3 hours. $22 adult.

Day 4: extend to Gaspésie

From Jardins de Métis, Sainte-Flavie is 15 minutes further east — the official gateway to the Gaspé Peninsula. A longer version of this trip continues into the Gaspésie driving loop.

What to eat along the way

• Smoked herring and salmon: Fumoir Atkins in Saint-Jean-Port-Joli.
• Oysters and seafood: the Poissonnerie Lauzier fish market at Kamouraska sells fresh Gaspé oysters and smoked salmon.
• Cidres de glace / ice cider: Kamouraska and Rivière-du-Loup have multiple producers.
• Microbrewery stops: Brasserie Aux Fous Brassant in Rimouski, Le Secret des Dieux in Saint-Antonin.
• Upmarket dinner: Chez Saint-Pierre at Le Bic is a destination restaurant — reservations a month ahead for weekend evenings.

Where to stay

• Rivière-du-Loup: Hôtel Universel, Auberge de la Pointe, several mid-range.
• Kamouraska: Auberge des Îles du Saint-Laurent, small B&Bs.
• Le Bic village: Auberge du Mange Grenouille (quirky, highly rated), Hôtel Rimouski (branded hotels).
• Rimouski: multiple hotels; Quality Inn and Hôtel Rimouski are central.

Practical tips

• Weather: the estuary is always cooler than Quebec City. Expect 5-10°C cooler; pack a layer even in July.
• Language: French is dominant. English is understood in tourism settings but not assumed. A few phrases help.
• Cell coverage: solid along Route 132 through Rimouski; can drop inside Parc du Bic and east of Mont-Joli.
• Cross-river ferries: three seasonal options connect to Côte-Nord — Rivière-du-Loup to Saint-Siméon, Trois-Pistoles to Les Escoumins, Matane to Baie-Comeau. Useful for combining with Charlevoix or whale watching on the Côte-Nord.
• Pair with: Charlevoix via the Rivière-du-Loup ferry for a river-crossing loop; Gaspésie for the classic 7-day extension.