Published on Aug 3, 2022
by Tourism Eastern Townships
Sherbrooke, Wednesday, August 3, 2022 – Calling all cyclists! Whether you’re a rank amateur or an expert, you’ll be delighted to learn that the Eastern Townships is adding more and more places where you can practice this popular sport. The region already has close to 350 km of designated cycle trails, more than 2,000 km of circuits suitable for cycling (on asphalt and gravel) and a dozen venues where you can enjoy the thrill of mountain biking. In addition to those, many other places are being added or upgraded.
Major construction work at the National Cycling Centre in Bromont
For many years, the Centre National de Cyclisme de Bromont has wanted to build a roof over its velodrome - one of the sites for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. The roof will become a reality this fall when the Vélodrome Sylvan Adams and the Centre Multisports Desjardins open to the public. The upgraded Cycling Centre will offer (among other things) an athletics track, an area for BMX, a gym, a training room, a spinning room and a communal kitchen.
The Véloroute Gourmande - a tasty bike trail (in both senses of the word!)
Following the Véloroute Gourmande gives cyclists an entirely new way of exploring the Eastern Townships and Montérégie. The bike route is dotted with places where you can find tasty food, attractions and accommodations and cycling through the countryside at your own pace, gives you plenty of time to admire the stunning landscapes in a safe, pleasurable manner!
New base camp at Bromont, mountain of experiences
Bromont, montagne d’experiences is adding a new base camp for mountain bikers, next to the reception area at the Versant du Lac slope. The base camp is accessible via the P5 trail and here you’ll find the ticket office, bike rental, instruction area and mountain bike school. A number of ski lifts (they allow you to transport your bike) are currently operating at the mountain, so you can get to the top in no time at all, before challenging the trail, all the way to the bottom!
Introduction to mountain biking at Mont Bellevue
The Regroupement du parc du Mont Bellevue (RPMB) now offers mountain biking lessons for beginners. Led by certified guides, novices familiarize themselves with the trails, learn the technical aspects of mountain biking and the code of conduct that will be in force when Mont Bellevue becomes an official nature reserve.
Coaticook expands its mountain bike trails
Parc de la Gorge de Coaticook was already a venue for mountain bikers, but thanks to major investments, enabling it to expand its offerings, the Park has created a new “family-friendly” trail – the idea being to encourage youngsters (i.e. the next generation of potential mountain bikers) to take up the sport. 22 km of mountain bike trails, laid out with bumps, gradients, jumps and various other obstacles, are now available to mountain bikers – from amateurs to experts.
Mountain bike trails at Mont Hatley
Starting this fall, Sentiers VMC (a non-profit organization) will open five kilometers of trails on the former site of Montjoye. It will be designed not only for beginners, intermediate mountain bikers and experts, but also for users of adaptive bikes – a first in Quebec according to Sentiers VMC. In due course, the Véloparc Mont Hatley will have six to seven mountain bike trails, totalling between 10 to 15 kilometres.
New circular bike routes
Estriade, a designated bike trail, is adding two short circuits – a 12-km round trip run between Waterloo and Vignoble La Belle Alliance and a 32-km loop that includes the challenging Davis Hill. Commerce Tourisme Granby Region is also launching a new, 2-km heritage circuit showcasing Granby and its past, with 13 points of interest along the way. In Brome-Missisquoi, there are two new circuits – Gravelvino (42 km on a gravel road flanked by vineyards) and Giro Magenta (a 62-km loop on a mostly paved road).
An additional bike-sharing station in Orford
After receiving a grant of approximately $50,000, the Municipality of Orford will add a new bike-sharing station with 10 eBikes, at the intersection of rue du Marché and Route 141. Owners with their own bikes can also recharge them at the self-service station.
Guided eBike tours in Sherbrooke
This summer, Vélectrik is offering guided electric bike tours that will route you through some of the most attractive (and fascinating) places in the “Queen City of the Townships”. Along the way, you’ll pass the Domaine-Howard Park, the marais Réal-Charbonneau wetlands, the murals (depicting Sherbrooke’s past), the Siboire microbrewery, the Marché de la Gare public market and the Lac-des-Nations promenade.
A new BMX venue in Val-Saint-François
Camping Plage McKenzie has created a new (paved) BMX practice track – an addition to the 12 bike parks that are already operating in the Townships. Plage McKenzie currently has 270 camping spots and this pump track allows vacationers to hone their skills while enjoying the many other activities offered at the site.
About Tourism Eastern Townships
Tourisme Cantons-de-l’Est (Tourism Eastern Townships) is one of 22 tourism associations (ATRs) in Quebec and the official representative of Quebec's Ministry of Tourism in the Eastern Townships. Since 1978, the TCE’s mission has been to promote tourism development, marketing the region within Quebec and internationally. TCE brings together more than 500 members throughout the 9 regional county municipalities (MRCs) and in all sectors of the tourism industry : accommodation, restaurants, attractions, activities and events.
The Eastern Townships is the fourth most popular tourist destination in Quebec. The region attracts some 10 million visitors every year, accounting for 6.5 million overnight stays and spending more than $900 million annually. The tourism sector is also the region’s fourth largest employer, accounting for 20,000 jobs.
Shanny Hallé
Media relations
