Canada's Chemin des Sanctuaires

[sillydoll]

Notre-Dame Cathedral in Ottawa to St. Joseph's Oratory in Montreal: 12 days, 234 kilometres

http://www.sanctuaires.ca

 

[oursonpolaire]

Just by coincidence, there is an article in today's Ottawa Citizen on this (http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/fea ... 8acded937d).

 

[papajohn]

Has anyone on the forum done this? I just went to the website and am curious about anyones experience of this. thanks and buen camino. John

 

[MermaidLilli]

I jsut looked at the photo album of that website and I see all road walking! Sounds wonderful to do a walk here in North America, though.
Lillian

 

[Canuck]

Has anyone on the forum done this? I just went to the website and am curious about anyones experience of this. thanks and buen camino. John

I have done two legs.

1 - Montreal-Quebec City (Basilique Ste-Anne) 300km. All roads through nice typical French-Canadian villages along the St-Lawrence River.

2- Rimouski-Quebec City (Basilique St-Anne) 250km. All along the St Lawrence River on dirt path and cycle routes. Very beautiful scenery, lovely villages, parks, friendly people and historic sites of the birth of North America. A real treat in history and French-Canadian culture.

3 - I have yet to do Ottawa-Montreal. I guess I lived in both cities and travelled between the two for too long to be interested. Some day maybe.

Ciao!
Jean-Marc

 

[oursonpolaire]

The most recent Ottawa caminoholics meeting had two very interesting presentations on the chemin, one on the Ottawa-Montréal stretch, and the other on the Rimouski-Québec City walk (with slides). Both sounded fascinating, although participating in the Ottawa-Montréal route requires much advance planning (only 6-8 people per stage, as accommodation is limited). On the Rimouski-Québec City walk, much is done on green trails, which cover the province of Québec in a way to be emulated by other provinces (rails to trails, bike paths etc). They strike me as being caminoes which will interest those who cannot make the Atlantic crossing for time or money's sake, or who are very interested in French Canadian culture (and who can speak French, or manage somehow in French), or who are interested in the RC side of the pilgrimage experience.

 

[papajohn]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Can anyone speak to the accomodations and food arrangements. John

 

[Canuck]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Can anyone speak to the accomodations and food arrangements. John

There are two way to do it:

One is being registered through the official organization. Only four people a day hit the road and everything is looked after for you in terms of accomodations and meals.

The other way is to go as an independent and then you're on your own. The portion Montreal-Quebec City needs a good plan (which I have). The one Rimouski-Quebec City offers easy to find and plentiful sleeping and eating accomodations (I can also help here).

Cheers!
Jean-Marc

 

[dislp38]

Does anyone have any current information on this? I want to go in the fall but it look like it's a summer thing.

 

[Carole]

Below are the three pilgrimages that I have done. The one from Ottawa to Montreal is the shorter of the two and you can be up to six people a day for that walk the other two are four people a day. The only snag, because of the guidebook and the places we stay) is that you would need someone with you who can read and speak in French. I find they are a beautiful way to be part of the place you are visiting. It is mostly walking along a road - a time for reflection. It is only available in the spring. You must register for the walk - once your date has been accepted there is a registration fee required to keep your departure date. You pay around $20 a day for very basic lodging (community centers, church basements) and breakfast (sometimes it is provided). Every day for a couple of weeks a group of four or six leave the departure point so you must follow the guidebook.

Chemin des Navigateurs

Chemin des Sanctuaires Montréal/Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré


Chemin des Outaouais - Lectures

 

[owms2323]

I have done two legs.

1 - Montreal-Quebec City (Basilique Ste-Anne) 300km. All roads through nice typical French-Canadian villages along the St-Lawrence River.

2- Rimouski-Quebec City (Basilique St-Anne) 250km. All along the St Lawrence River on dirt path and cycle routes. Very beautiful scenery, lovely villages, parks, friendly people and historic sites of the birth of North America. A real treat in history and French-Canadian culture.

3 - I have yet to do Ottawa-Montreal. I guess I lived in both cities and travelled between the two for too long to be interested. Some day maybe.

Ciao!
Jean-Marc

On rhe 2nd one in Cnada along the St Lawrence-are there places to stay at night?

 

[Canuck]

On rhe 2nd one in Cnada along the St Lawrence-are there places to stay at night?

There are two way to do it:

One is being registered through the official organization. Only four people a day hit the road and everything is looked after for you in terms of accomodations and meals.

The other way is to go as an independent and then you're on your own. The portion Montreal-Quebec City needs a good plan (which I have). The one Rimouski-Quebec City offers easy to find and plentiful sleeping and eating accomodations (I can also help here).

Cheers!
Jean-Marc

 

[SYates]

The link in the first post doesn't work for me, has anybody here a more current link to the web site? Thanks! SY

 

[Canuck]

The link in the first post doesn't work for me, has anybody here a more current link to the web site? Thanks! SY

Try this one:
http://www.chemindessanctuaires.org/en/
Cheers!

 

[SYates]

Merci beaucoup! SY

 

[DougandSilvia]

I have done two legs.

1 - Montreal-Quebec City (Basilique Ste-Anne) 300km. All roads through nice typical French-Canadian villages along the St-Lawrence River.

2- Rimouski-Quebec City (Basilique St-Anne) 250km. All along the St Lawrence River on dirt path and cycle routes. Very beautiful scenery, lovely villages, parks, friendly people and historic sites of the birth of North America. A real treat in history and French-Canadian culture.

3 - I have yet to do Ottawa-Montreal. I guess I lived in both cities and travelled between the two for too long to be interested. Some day maybe.

Ciao!
Jean-Marc

Bonjour Canuck -- regarding your trip on the Rimouski-Quebec City camino. My wife and I are considering this walk, but have lots of questions, and are wondering if we could contact you about this? Doug & Silvia Smith, Fort Coulonge, Quebec

 

[Canuck]

Bonjour Canuck -- regarding your trip on the Rimouski-Quebec City camino. My wife and I are considering this walk, but have lots of questions, and are wondering if we could contact you about this? Doug & Silvia Smith, Fort Coulonge, Quebec

I'm presently in Spain for the next 40 days.
I would be more than happy to try to answer your questions, considering that I'm away from my documentation and it's been a few years since my trip on that camino.
Cheers,
Jean-Marc

 

[Carlita416]

Hola Bonjour!
This is an older thread .... but I'm walking the demi parcours of the Chemin des Sanctuaires in June! I'd love to hear from those who have done it if you're still posting here! I have survival level of French but am not really fluent enough for meaningful socializing. I know it won't be like the Camino but I think it will be beautiful.

 

[oursonpolaire]

Hola Bonjour!
This is an older thread .... but I'm walking the demi parcours of the Chemin des Sanctuaires in June! I'd love to hear from those who have done it if you're still posting here! I have survival level of French but am not really fluent enough for meaningful socializing. I know it won't be like the Camino but I think it will be beautiful.

My most recent contact is from 2015 but her information will be comparable to that which you find in the other posts. While you will find that there are others will have limited English, there will be some who will be fairly conversant, but generally speaking you will find that people are very helpful for those of us who stumble along with a feeble grasp of the imperfect and the conditional. As in Spain, the honest effort will be appreciated.

I have driven this route in the past and while the scenery is not dramatic, at least you will be spared mountains!

 

[Carlita416]

Yes it looks pretty flat until Ste Anne. I have been down that way many times, my Dad is from an anglophone area of Gaspé. But we would drive on the bigger highway. Autoroute Guy Lafleur I guess!

I met two others who will be walking the same stages on the same days in a Zoom call. They didn't attempt any English so I don't know their level. I may get bored with no real conversation but it's only 9 days! I may actually have people joining me for a day or two along the way. Including a guy I met on the Camino who lives in Quebec City. I did a French immersion summer in Quebec many years ago but have barely spoken French since moving to Toronto, malheureusement!

I'm intent on not eating too many casse croute meals! Like the Camino I'll go to grocery stores for lighter options.

I'm waiting for a surgery date so I'm hiking close to home for now. I'm sure I'll grow a lot from this!

 

[oursonpolaire]

The Bottes & Vélo youtube site contains several videos of Québec pilgrimage routes, for those who follow this arcane but fascinating topic-- https://www.youtube.com/c/bottesetveloreseau/videos

 

[Carlita416]

There's also the P'tit Train du Nord path in the Laurentians. I haven't walked or biked it but it looks nice.

update, I did half of the Chemin des Sanctuaires in June. I practice French in the weeks before and did ok, and found that a lot of people actually wanted to practice their English with me! lol. It was well organized and there was only one icky day of walking, the one walking into the suburbs to get to Saint Augustin. The next day from there to Quebec City along the fleuve was gorgeous though!