Looking Ahead

September 1

Gran Fondo Forillon

“We don’t have glaciers or deserts, but we have the rest covered,” says Bruce O’Connor about the Gaspe region. “It’s cycling at its best. If you’re not near the water, you’re in the forest. If you have your head up at the right time, you can see that whale or moose. It’s really quite stunning.”

O’Connor, who has been in Gaspe for 23 years (almost long enough to get his Gaspe passport, he jokes), represents Gran Fondo Forillon, a mass-start event in eastern Quebec. The scenic 95-km route starts in Gaspe itself and heads up a long gradual climb over to the Gulf side of the peninsula. Then it’s along the Gulf of St. Lawrence coast before heading south through Forillon National Park. The road back to town goes along the north side of Gaspe Bay. “I can’t imagine something more picturesque,” says O’Connor. “You also pedal through coastal villages that belong on postcards.”

For riders looking for a shorter ride, there’s the 40-km medio fondo, which only features 459 m of climbing in contrast to the 1,367 m of the longer ride. Kids can take part in the pico fondo, a short circuit run in the centre of Gaspe before the gran fondo.

The rides happen during the Bouette et Bitume festival, whose name translates into “mud and asphalt.” The fondos on Sept. 1 are, of course, the asphalt side of things. Aug. 31 is the day for the fat tires and mud. There’s a cross country race on a 6 km track, as well as a cross country criterium on a 500 m circuit. For those who want to stay off road, there are sight-seeing mountain bike rides on the day of the fondos.

Off the bike, the festival offers conferences on bikerelated topics. There’s local and regional food, which tends to lean toward the surf-and-turf side of things. There will be music, too. Last year, 500 visitors attended the festival and 214 cyclists participated in the two-wheeled events. For an event that’s only entering its second year, it’s already showing a lot of depth. For more information, visit

bouetteetbitume.com.