Cycling the Covered Bridges of Old Gatineau

Length: 38 km – approx. 30 km on separate pathways.

GPX file: the covered bridges of Old Gatineau Komoot link: Covered Bridges in Old Gatineau

Always be careful when you share the road or when crossing a road, even if it is a signalised intersection.

Two of the three covered bridges are just of the route, but I included them in the GPX tracks. you just have to make a U turn at the bridge. There is a small picnic place right after the second bridge

This tour starts and finishes in Gatineau. I start this tour at the car parking lot of Parc de la Baie if you come from afar. Do check if there is no festival happening on the day you want to bike this loop because parking will be impossible. For example, the hot air balloon festival is usually end of August (August long weekend) and you won’t be able to park. Instead, park for example closer to the McDonald-Cartier bridge and bike a few extra km or take Light Rail to Parliament Station or Rideau and leave from there. As it is a loop, you can start from anywhere really, your GPX gadget will know where you are. Obviously, many people in Gatineau can start more or less at their own front door.

A woman cycling on a pathway next to a road.. On her right is the Ottawa river, with a marina.

If you want to start from downtown Ottawa, follow the route across the Alexandra bridge (an old railway bridge), turn immediately right after the bridge towards the greenspaces along the Gatineau river and start the ride at the Lady Aberdeen bridge, which is about 5 km from the war memorial in downtown Ottawa.

A bit of gravel at the covered bridges

It is a bit different than the other tours because there is a bit of gravel riding in here, along a creek called Riviere Blanche. It is very doable as we did it on our city/road bikes, with me having 700 x 28 regular tires on my bike. There are some short, steeper sections in that ravine, and combined with the gravel, an upright e-bike might not be the best idea (weight), unless you are really a master of your e-bike.

a woman cycles on a bridge, separated from motor traffic
After this bridge, turn left and immediately left again into a nearly invisible path and you are in the ravine of the Riviere Blanche. It is easy to miss.

Covered bridges

The three covered bridges were a surprise to us. I found them by accident, while poring over the map creating this route. You can find them in the ravine of the Blanche river. They are quite new, from 2010, 2014 and 2020.

The ravine might be partially closed due to spring flooding, but there are several ways to get around it; it requires a bit of map reading though. The closed signs might still be up in August (they were when we were there), but it might actually accessible, depending on the latest downpour I guess.

a woman cycles on an unpaved gravel path between lush green trees and bushes.
Karen gravel cycling in the ravine
A woman cycling on a improvised pathway. There is lots of green in the background
Kudos to Gatineau for this impromptu bit of bike infrastructure. Basically a widened sidewalk to solve a short missing link between a quiet residential road and the continuation of the ravine pathway
And we are back on the pathway again along the Blanche river

Where you will be cycling

a cycling pathway crosses a rail track and a bus track. there are black and yellow gates as well as a large red and white railway crossing sign
Be careful. I am not even sure if there is a train, but there are definitely buses crossing your path

Of the 38 km, about 30 km is separate from traffic, that includes the gravel part, a stretch along the Gatineau and Ottawa rivers and a separate bike track through a more industrial and retail area along Blvd De La Gappe as well as a long path along a bus rapid corridor. De la Gappe isn’t the greatest place to bike with the many exits and side roads, so be careful, despite being on a separate pathway.

A woman cycles on a pathway next to a rapid bus corridor
The brand new bus corridor also has a new multi use pathway and a very loooooong fence

The road sections are quiet. While Komoot (which uses OpenStreetMap) suggest it is a ‘cycleway’ along Blvd Hurtbise and Rue Notre Dame, you are in fact cycling on the road for about 5 km, but it is a quiet residential road with some traffic calming measures. That route is part of Quebec’s Route Verte.

Main Street appears to have lost some of its shine to the malls. You’ll be turning left just before that massive hill. There is an bike store at the intersection ahead, on the right in the yellowish building

You’ll find several places to eat/drink along the way from several McDonalds to some places along De la Gappe. There are several grocery stores where you can pop in too along the route.

Short detours to waterfronts

I created a quick side trip of a few 100 meters towards Baie McLaurin and into Parc du Lac Beauchamp, a lovely oasis in the suburbs, with a small beach and picnic tables and possible (likely) washrooms.

A man holds a road bike in front of him while standing on a boat ramp at a small lake
Baie McLaurin: do I still look 25 or what? The discarded bike was a find near Karen’s work, I only had to put new tires and tape on. It is also a size too small for me, but hey, free!

Be cautious when you hit Blvd Lorrain at the bus station hub, where you cycle on a busier road for a 100 meters. You could consider walking your bike for that short stretch. I hope they will configure something for bikes around that tight stretch of road eventually.

A park overlooking a small lake, there are several picnic tables. It is a sunny day but early and most tables are not being used yet
Parc du Lac Beauchamp was a nice surprise on this Sunday morning

Finally, there are a few places where you could take a shortcut if you find it too long, for example at Blvd Saint Rene Est.

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