Cycle to the Chutes a Michel in Saint Felicien, Quebec

When we arrived in Saint Felicien, Quebec (Canada) with bikes and sea kayaks, wondering what to do and where to go, several locals asked, "Have you been to the Chutes a Michel yet? No? You really should go. You'll like it."

So we did. We changed our tentative plans to cycle the Veloroute des Bluets around Lac Saint Jean and headed off trail to find the rapids and falls.

When more than one person is convinced you'll enjoy the place, your curiosity won't let you pass it by. We easily found the almost hidden access to the cycle trail that leads to the falls with directions from the owner of Maison Banville Bistro where we were having lunch in Saint Felicien, and now I'll help you find it too: The Chutes a Michel on Rivière Ashuapmushuan.

From downtown Saint Felicien follow rue Sacre Coeur (street) towards Beaudoin Street. At the end of rue Sacre Coeur in a quiet residential neighborhood, look for the little off-road trail hidden in the trees and bushes. It feels like a trail only the locals would know about. And that's how we found it. Locals told us about it.
The first thing you'll come across are formidable walls of raspberry bushes flanking the trail. In season, in late summer, they are full of large, ripe, sweet, delicious raspberries.
Stay on this trail, about 3.5 kilometres until you reach the lookout at the Chutes a Michel. You can Google it with the GPS coordinates at: N48.6853,W-72.4871

This is a pleasant wooded trail on packed gravel, and makes for a nice cool cycle on a hot day. But, what impresses me more than the cascading water at the falls are the massive granite outcroppings surrounding the area. They are an incredible sculpted work of nature's art and worth a visit.

And of course, this neat spot inspires a yoga pose or two on the imposing granite.
From downtown Saint Felicien to the Chutes a Michel it's about a 6 kilometre cycle so you can enjoy an easy, scenic round-trip 12 kilometre cycle and a waterfront picnic.

Enjoy!

You can click on the link below if you'd like to read more of my stories about Saint Felicien:

Where to stay and eat in Saint Felicien for kayakers and cyclists

Happy trails.
The BaffinPaddler

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