Why Québec Is Canada’s Best eMTB Destination: A Rider’s Real Experience

The First Ride: A Perfect Introduction

The next morning our guide, Marc Andre, picked us up and drove us to the first trailhead. The e-bikes were a little heavier than what I ride at home, and I’ll admit I had a moment of “okay… this is different.” But once we started climbing and I felt the assist kick in, the nerves disappeared.

We rode up to a lookout over the valley, and the view stopped me cold. Endless green, rolling hills, crisp air. The weather was perfect — warm sun, cool breeze, that fresh forest smell you wish you could bottle.

That evening, Marc Andre invited us to his cabin and cooked a home-made meal. Sitting there, tired in the best possible way, eating incredible food after a big ride day, felt like the kind of travel moment you can’t plan — it just happens when you’re in the right place with the right people.

Riding Québec: Bigger, Better, Bolder

Québec is an incredible place to ride. Every day we explored a new trail network, and each one had its own personality. As an intermediate rider, I found the trails challenging in the best way — technical enough to demand focus, flowy enough to keep me grinning.

The trails were beautifully maintained. You can feel the pride in the trail building. My favourite areas were Sentiers du Moulin and Empire 47. Sentiers du Moulin felt like a playground for riders — sculpted berms, smooth flow, and features that pushed me just outside my comfort zone. Empire 47 had this fun, welcoming energy that made me want to lap everything twice.

And I did something I never thought I’d do: I rode the biggest berm of my life. I came into it unsure, followed Marc Andre’s line, committed… and came out laughing. It was one of those pure adrenaline moments where you surprise yourself.

Fear → Focus → Triumph

There were moments that scared me. Narrow bridges. Steep downhills that looked bigger from the top than they ever do on camera. I hesitated more than once.

But riding behind Marc Andre changed everything. Watching his body position, his speed control, his calm confidence — it gave me something to trust. I followed his lead, breathed, and pedalled away. Each time I made it through, the fear turned into a huge wave of accomplishment. That emotional swing is addictive.

The Guide Makes the Trip

Marc Andre didn’t just guide us — he elevated the entire experience. He handled all the transportation, curated the trails for our skill level, cooked meals, and somehow always knew when we needed a break or one more lap.

And the post-ride ritual became sacred: dirty beers at the end of the day. Sitting around dusty and tired, replaying sections of trail and near-misses, laughing about what scared us that morning — those were some of my favourite moments of the trip.

My one regret? I wish I’d asked Marc Andre to take more photos of us riding. Especially the big berms. Some moments deserve proof.

Off-Bike Magic

The accommodations were as memorable as the riding. Marc’s cabin felt cozy and personal. The small hotel run by a former bike racer had stories in every corner. Even the monastery stay was peaceful in a way I didn’t expect on a bike trip.

At first, I was disappointed we were the only guests on the trip. I love meeting other riders. But in hindsight, the private experience was a gift. We rode at our pace without pressure, and honestly, we might have slowed down a faster group. The trip adapted to us, not the other way around.

If I could convince my friends to come, I’d do this trip again in a heartbeat.

What I Took Home

Québec gave me more than great riding. It reminded me how good it feels to be challenged, supported, and completely immersed in a place.

By the end of the week I felt stronger, braver, and deeply satisfied — the kind of tired that means you lived fully for a few days.

If I had to sum up the emotional feeling of the trip in three words?

Invigorating. Challenging. Thrilling.

Join us in Quebec, this September 21-26, 2026 and make your own mountain bike trip magic happen!