CYCLING C EST BON in the Laurentians JULY 16TH - 19TH 2017 Start with a quaint auberge in la belle province, add in a terrific cycling trail, don t forget delicious French cuisine and mix together with the Cyclopaths and you have a perfect recipe for a cycling getaway in July. Our summer cycling adventure takes us to the village of Val David in the Laurentians. Our three night stay is at the Auberge du Vieux Foyer just a few kilometers from the heart of the village and the bike trail Le P tit Train du Nord. Cycle the trail in the mornings and then enjoy the village and auberge in the afternoon. There s a pool, hot tub and spa and a small lake for canoeing as well lots of green space to relax in the quiet surroundings. Your cycling Great Escape $595 per person based on double occupancy includes: three nights at Auberge du Vieux Foyer - each room has either a king bed or two singles (no mini fridge or coffee makers- sorry) 3 delicious breakfasts and 3 fabulous dinners at the auberge 1 lunch at a local bistro in the village welcome drink all taxes and service charges a few extra Great Escapes goodies great cycling with great people Book now! Space for 36 enthusiastic Cyclopaths... Email Bev Hanna-Jones to confirm your spot bevhj@sympatico.ca or call 613 827 5961 Payments through Marlin Travel in Belleville (613 962 9227) Deposit $150 per person by March 10th and balance due May 31st Please note that cancellation penalties do apply...you can purchase cancellation insurance at time of booking with Marlin Travel or with your preferred insurance provider..
AUBERGE DU VIEUX FOYER... The auberge is just a few kilometers from the heart of Val David...enjoy a comfortable room, fantastic cuisine, an outdoor pool & spa. Cycle Le P tit Train du Nord and then relax in the lovely setting of the auberge. VAL DAVID is a tiny village located 40 km south of Tremblant. It features many cafes & Quebec artisans. During our stay there s a fantastic ceramic exhibit 1001 Pots in town..a must see! LE P TIT TRAIN DU NORD is considered one of the best cycling trails in Canada. Built on an old railway line in the Laurentians, it is now used year round by cyclists, cross country skiers & walkers. The surface is mainly crushed stone but in the Mont-Tremblant section (you could drive there to access it) it is paved. The 232 km trail offers superb landscapes, villages, waterways...nature at its best. Want to cycle a longer distance on the trail? There is a bike autobus that will shuttle you and your bike to a spot on the trail.. you ride back to Val David... a great way to get in extra miles!
DAY BY DAY on YOUR GREAT ESCAPE Sunday July 16th... Arrive in Val David and check in at the Auberge du Vieux!!! Foyer mid afternoon (come earlier if you like and enjoy the!!! facilities)...meet for drinks before dinner and then enjoy a!!! delicious dinner in the dining room. Monday July 17th... Enjoy a full buffet breakfast and then let s go biking! We will start!!! in the village and go in one direction on the trail and then return!!! to the village for lunch at a local bistro. Relax, shop, take!!! a swim or take a paddle boat or canoe on the small lake in!!! the afternoon. Another great table d hote dinner tonight! Tuesday July 18th... You have a few choices today for riding...you can go the other!!! direction on the trail from Val David or drive the short distance!!! to Mont Tremblant and ride on the paved section of the!!! trail...spend your afternoon in the mountain village filled with!!! restaurants and shops! We ll enjoy another get together before!!! dinner at the auberge. Wednesday July 19th.. Check out is at 11 am...still time for a morning ride or walk or a!!! swim!
My Tandem Experience My first cycling tour in Val David was in the summer of 2010. The Cyclopaths had a great time at La Sapiniere (now closed). On our second day of biking David suggested we rent a tandem from the local bike shop...sounded like a neat idea so I was excited for this new experience. One word...fun. I really liked it...sitting at the back, I was able to look around and really enjoy the scenery. I even took a video! We had such a good time that on our way home we decided that we would buy our own tandem...super!. Cycling with the love of my life...is there anything better than that? WELL... So we bought a decent used tandem. David tweaked & tuned it to his standards and away we went in the Northumberland countryside. Shortly into the ride I felt a burning sensation in my parts that touched the saddle...i had never experienced this before but I rode on thinking it was just a fluke. You know...being in the beautiful countryside of Quebec on Le P Tit Train du Nord is not the same as cycling the hills of Northumberland. I was working a lot harder to keep up with the love of my life. David would often say Are you even pedaling? What did he think I was doing...filing my nails!! The burning was getting more intense, the scenery more of a blur and the downhills were sheer terror ( I asked David So just how fast are we going? He told me not to worry and he was in control...ahhh CONTROL! That was it...i had lost control. The burning in my crotch was because it was almost impossible to shift my weight, I was not able to steer the bike, I had the same boring view for the whole ride unless you like looking at your partner s back for 40 km, and I could not bike at the speed that I liked!!! David was in control all the way! HATED IT. Long story short...we tried it a few more times and then I said no more. The pretty blue tandem now hangs in our garage. I would like to sell it but David insists on keeping it. What is he waiting for...the next woman in his life?? If you want to try a tandem please feel free to borrow ours anytime and if you really, really like it (and many cyclists do)...it is yours for a reasonable price... Don t tell David. Your Fearless Leader, Bev