Description
The 1000km/600 mile-long all-season QC-138 highway is entirely paved except for some optional spurs (not shown). Driving at night is fine.
The North Shore is one of the most scenic drives in North America. Upper (western) sections are rural, while the Lower North Shore and the Gulf of St. Lawrence is remote and accessible only by freighter-ferry. The trip starts in Quebec City, the oldest city in North America, and the continent's only walled city. Quebec City offers the opportunity to drive down 500-year-old streets, and by the Plains of Abraham, where the English wrested North America from the French in 1759 during the Seven Years War (known in the US as the French and Indian War)..
Upon leaving Quebec City, the trip starts with the rolling hills of the Charlevoix region, home to Mont Ste. Anne ski area and Canyon Ste. Anne, a beautiful gorge that surrounds a cascading waterfall. Grades are up to 14%, especially near the approach to the Saquenay River. The Saguenay runs through the world's largest fjord and is the future site of the worlds longest, tallest suspension bridge. For now, it is crossed by a 15-minute free auto ferry. This area is a national marine park and one of only two places in the world to see beluga (white) whales by road, along with seals, other whales, etc. Further down the shore the route remains hilly as it passes Baie Comeau, the start of the Trans-Labrador trip or where a ferry can be taken to the South Shore, a possible return or alternate route. Further on is the giant waterfall at Port Cartier, and the last city of Sept Iles (Seven Islands), a harbour of six islands (and a peninsula misidentified as the 7th island). Here the route becomes a secondary but still entirely paved highway. About half way to the end of the road the Minganie Islands National Preserve will be encountered. These are a series of hundreds of curvateous granite islands shaped by the glaciers, well worth the short boat trip out to them in spring through fall. Natasquan is currently the end of the road, but there the real adventure begins. Your car is put in a container and lifted onto a freighter-ferry by crane, where you'll spend 36 hours travelling from outport to outport, picking up fish and dropping off weekly supplies. The Gulf of St. Lawrence is home to a beautiful landscape of undulating granite hills sottened by the glaciers. One of the outports, Harrington Harbour, has no roads, but all the buildings and homes are connected by wide boardwalks. The ferry ends near where the road begins again, at Blanc Sablon, near the Labrador border and the eastern terminus of the TLH.
The Nordik Express is the freighter ferry required to traverse the Lower North Shore, and a one-of-a-kind experence.. The ferry and freight is just under $700 for two people and their car, and includes all meals and 2-berths in a 4-person cabin. Upgraded cabins cost more. Space is limited on the popular ferry, and reservations must be made several months in advance if you want a cabin. The author took this ferry in 2004, it is a very cool trip.
Getting There
Quebec City can be reached via A-40 or A-20 from I-87, I-91 and I-93. Alternatively, Quebec City may be reached via A-73 and US-201 from Maine. The eastern end of the route is at Blanc-Sablon, QC, on the border with Labrador. Blanc-Sablon can be reached via the St. Barbe ferry from Newfoundland on the Viking Trail, or via the Trans-Labrador Highway.
Alternatives / Spurs
The route can be shortened by turning around at Natasquan and heading back. Otherwise it is intended to be combined with either the TLH or Viking Trail trips.
The Shouth Shore can be used to access the North Shore (or vice-versa) by ferry at Matane to Baie-Comeau, or at Rimouski to Sept-Iles/Havre St. Pierre also via the Nordik Express freighter-ferry. Note that Sept-Iles is only a stop on the downstream trip.
Anticosti Island, a unique trip in itself, is hard to get to and only reached via ferry from Rimouski or Sept-Iles/Havre-St-Pierre. Overnight stays on the island are possible by leaving and returning via the North Shore, in which case it likely makes sense to leave the car on the mainland, saving ferry costs. Cars can be rented on Anticosti Island and a road exists to traverse to the eastern end, where one of the world's largest wind farms is located, along with wildlife preserves.
Sights / Attractions
Quebec City, Canyon Ste. Anne, Mont Ste. Anne, Saguenay River and Fjord, beluga whales, Minganie Islands, North Shore Ferry, Harrington Harbour.
Claims to Fame
The Nordik Express ferry became quite popular in the French-speaking world after the 2003 movie Seducing Doctor Lewis shot to fame. The movie was shot at Harrington Harbour.
Estimates
Typically 4 days one-way heading downstream from NYC, including the 2 days on the ferry. Typically 3 days heading upstream including 1 day on the ferry. (21 hours driving). If turning around at Natasquan (and not taking the ferry), the drive is 2 days one way.
The Nordik Express loops the St. Lawrence and the Gulf only once per week. It can be boarded going eastward (downstream) at Natasquan on Thursday mornings, or going westward (upstream) at Blanc Sablon Friday evenings. The downstream trip is 2 days/1 night, while the upstream trip is 2 nights/1day. The ferry runs from April to January. Outside of this period, the trip is still driveable to Natasquan.
If combined with the Trans-Labrador Highway, the loop should be done counter-clockwise to spend only 1 day on the South Coast. In the clockwise direction, 3 days would be required, but this offers an opportunity to add the Viking Trail as a spur. Allow one more day for more extensive sight-seeing.