10-day Bas-Saint-Laurent and Gaspésie road trip from Quebec City. Day-by-day plan with Kamouraska, Le Bic, Percé, Forillon and Chaleur Bay.

Bas-Saint-Laurent to Gaspésie: the 10-day grand loop itinerary

The Bas-Saint-Laurent-to-Gaspésie road trip is the most scenic long-haul drive in Quebec and, on most days of its 10-day arc, one of the most scenic in North America. The loop combines two distinct Quebec regions that are traditionally sold separately: the understated south-shore farming-and-estuary country of Bas-Saint-Laurent (Kamouraska, Rimouski, Le Bic), and the dramatic peninsula scenery of Gaspésie (Forillon, Percé, the Chic-Chocs, Chaleur Bay). Driven together as a 10-day itinerary from Quebec City, the trip gives the Bas-Saint-Laurent the 2-3 days it deserves before the main Gaspésie loop begins, and leaves the return via the gentler Chaleur Bay and Matapédia Valley with enough energy for the final driving day.

This guide is a 10-day detailed plan. For compressed versions see Gaspésie driving loop (7 days) and Bas-Saint-Laurent from Quebec City (2-3 days).

Overview

  • Total distance: roughly 2,100 km.
  • Starting point: Quebec City.
  • Direction: counterclockwise (north shore of Gaspé first).
  • Best season: late June to mid-September for full services; early October for autumn colour.
  • Car rental: essential; one-way rentals possible but standard loop preferred.

Day 1: Quebec City → Kamouraska (150 km, 1h45)

  • Depart Quebec City 10am. Route 20 east, switch to Route 132 at Saint-Jean-Port-Joli.
  • Lunch at Saint-Jean-Port-Joli — the wood-carving capital of Quebec.
  • Afternoon: Kamouraska village, salt marshes, Cap Martin viewpoint.
  • Sunset: Kamouraska is legendary for sunsets — find a beach or viewpoint.
  • Overnight Kamouraska (small B&Bs; book ahead in summer).

Day 2: Kamouraska → Rivière-du-Loup → Trois-Pistoles (140 km, 2 hrs with stops)

  • Morning: drive to Rivière-du-Loup. Parc des Chutes waterfall walk.
  • Optional: Croisière AML boat tour out to the St. Lawrence islands (4-hour afternoon excursion, whale watching in season).
  • Lunch Rivière-du-Loup.
  • Afternoon: continue east to Trois-Pistoles.
  • Optional: Île aux Basques boat excursion (half-day, bookable ahead — Basque whaling history, birdlife).
  • Overnight Trois-Pistoles or Le Bic area.

Day 3: Parc national du Bic + Rimouski (80 km, 1.5 hrs)

  • Morning: enter Parc national du Bic. Hike Pic Champlain (1.5 hrs return, 150 m) for panoramic aerial view.
  • Shore walk, seal colony viewing at L’Anse-à-l’Orignal.
  • Lunch at Chez Saint-Pierre (Le Bic village, destination restaurant — book).
  • Afternoon: drive to Rimouski. Site historique maritime de la Pointe-au-Père (Empress of Ireland museum, submarine Onondaga, lighthouse).
  • Dinner: Rimouski marina district.
  • Overnight: Rimouski.

Day 4: Rimouski → Sainte-Anne-des-Monts (190 km, 2.5 hrs)

  • Morning: Jardins de Métis (Reford Gardens) — one of North America’s great historic gardens. International Garden Festival installations. Budget 2-3 hours.
  • Lunch in Mont-Joli or Matane.
  • Afternoon: continue east on Route 132. Matane (famous for shrimp) is worth a stop; the wind farms above the town are visible for miles.
  • Arrive Sainte-Anne-des-Monts late afternoon.
  • Overnight Sainte-Anne-des-Monts.

Day 5: Parc national de la Gaspésie (Chic-Chocs)

  • Day excursion south from Sainte-Anne-des-Monts on Route 299 into Parc national de la Gaspésie.
  • Hike Mont Albert (full day, 800 m elevation, 17 km — strenuous) or Mont Jacques-Cartier (moderate, for caribou sightings) or Mont Olivine (shorter, 4 hrs).
  • Picnic in the park.
  • Afternoon: return to Sainte-Anne-des-Monts (1 hour drive out of the park).
  • Alternative (non-hikers): drive the park scenic route, visit the interpretive centre, drive back.
  • Overnight: Sainte-Anne-des-Monts second night.

Day 6: Sainte-Anne-des-Monts → Gaspé (270 km, 3.5 hrs with stops)

  • Classic north-shore coastal driving day. Route 132 runs on a narrow shelf between mountains and the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
  • Stops: La Martre lighthouse, Mont-Saint-Pierre (hang-gliding capital), Rivière-au-Renard fishing port.
  • Lunch along the route (small villages).
  • Arrive Gaspé late afternoon. Jacques Cartier historical site; Musée de la Gaspésie.
  • Overnight: Gaspé.

Day 7: Forillon National Park

  • Full day at Parc national de Forillon.
  • Cap-Gaspé “land’s end” trail (4 km return) to the lighthouse.
  • Cap-Bon-Ami viewpoint — among the best land-based whale-watching spots in Canada.
  • Optional: Zodiac whale-watching tour from Grande-Grave (2.5 hrs, ~$90).
  • Anse-Blanchette historical site.
  • Overnight: Gaspé second night or drive 1 hour south to Percé.

Day 8: Percé + Bonaventure Island

  • Drive to Percé (1 hour from Gaspé).
  • Morning: Bonaventure Island boat tour (half-day, 110,000 gannets).
  • Lunch in Percé (Maison du Pêcheur, Café des Artistes).
  • Afternoon: UNESCO Geopark gondola + Glass Platform; beach walk to Percé Rock at low tide.
  • Dinner: Percé.
  • Overnight: Percé.

Day 9: Percé → Carleton-sur-Mer via Miguasha (310 km, 4 hrs with stops)

  • Morning: depart Percé. Drive south/west via Chandler and Port-Daniel.
  • Stop: Parc national de Miguasha — UNESCO fossil site, 2 hrs.
  • Lunch Bonaventure — Musée Acadien du Québec.
  • Afternoon: continue along Chaleur Bay to Carleton-sur-Mer.
  • Overnight Carleton-sur-Mer (microbrewery, Acadian beach town).

Day 10: Carleton → Quebec City (550 km, 7 hrs with stops)

  • Morning: short drive to Pointe-à-la-Croix and the Battle of the Restigouche National Historic Site (site of last French naval battle in North America, 1760). 90 min.
  • Continue via Matapédia Valley (Route 132 then Route 17/132) to Sainte-Flavie.
  • Lunch Amqui or Causapscal (Atlantic salmon rivers).
  • Afternoon: direct highway return via Route 20 from Sainte-Flavie to Quebec City (5 hrs).
  • Arrive Quebec City evening.

Adapting the itinerary

7-day compressed version

  • Skip the Bas-Saint-Laurent deep coverage (compress Days 1-3 into a single transit day to Rimouski).
  • Execute the classic Gaspésie driving loop.

14-day extended version

  • Add 2 nights in Percé (extra day for Perch Rock hike and off-the-beaten-track coastal trails).
  • Add 1 night in Chic-Chocs backcountry (cabin stay at Auberge de montagne des Chic-Chocs — fly-in or 4x4 access).
  • Add 2 nights in Îles de la Madeleine via the PEI ferry loop (significant detour but iconic).

Adding the Madeleine islands

  • From Carleton, drive to Nova Scotia via the Confederation Bridge, cross to Prince Edward Island, ferry from Souris to the Îles de la Madeleine. Significant extra time but creates a once-in-a-lifetime trip. See Getting to the Îles de la Madeleine.

Where to stay

  • Kamouraska: small B&Bs; Auberge des Îles du Saint-Laurent.
  • Rivière-du-Loup: Hôtel Universel, Auberge de la Pointe.
  • Le Bic: Auberge du Mange Grenouille (quirky, highly rated).
  • Rimouski: chain hotels in the centre.
  • Sainte-Anne-des-Monts: Hôtel Monaco, chain options.
  • Gaspé: Hôtel Plante, La Normandie, multiple mid-range.
  • Percé: La Normandie, L’Anse au Sauvage, Riôtel Percé — book 3 months ahead.
  • Carleton-sur-Mer: Hôtel Baie Bleue.

Practical tips