We continue riding the authentic route that follows the history of New France into the 21st century. The weather is good, the highway (mostly H138) is well marked with the King’s Road symbols, and the villages, manors, and ancestral homes are stunning. We stop in Cap-de-la-Madeleine at the Sanctuaire Notre-Dame-du-Cap (Shrine of Our Lady of the Cape), an important 17th-century shrine and the national shrine of the Madonna and pilgrimage site today. It is a beautiful place with extensive grounds to accommodate huge crowds, although this morning it is quiet. The Cathedral has impressive stained-glass windows and an imposing Casavant organ. There is even a RV site on the St. Lawrence and these pilgrims have the best camping spot for miles around!
There are so many well-maintained rest stops with great views of the river and farm markets with all kinds of food that we are reminded of the one regret we have as motorcyclists, that we are unable to carry or purchase food enroute so impromptu picnics are difficult.
Travelling the King’s Road is a step back in time and when we stop in Batiscan for gas (because we’ve not seen many stations) the busy pumps are not set up for credit cards. All motorcyclists pump their own gas (full-service or not) and before Barry has removed the nozzle an old man is screeching “onze dollars bla-bla-bla” in our faces. We finally understand that he is reminding us that we owe him $11.83, as he precedes me into the station yelling all the way. The young man at the till (perhaps his grandson) blithely ignores him and I pay in cash because I don‘t wish to incur further embarrassment by fumbling through a credit card transaction. We eat an excellent lunch in the restaurant adjoining where we can watch the old guy do his number on other travellers. The restaurant does not accept credit cards either but we have lots of cash as we always travel prepared!
Beyond Batiscan there are bluffs along the St. Lawrence and increasingly the picturesque villages are perched on cliff tops. Some of these villages conceal magnificent stone homes built from the 17th to 19th centuries, a legacy of the French Regime. Inns, restaurants, artisans' studios and old-time general stores could keep you busy for days in these historic buildings. We ride, with occasional stops, through the architectural heritage of Champlain, Deschambault, La Perade, St. Charles-des-Grondines, Donnacona, Cap-Santé and Neuville. Many of these villages are members of the Most Beautiful Villages of Québec network and they certainly live up to their reputation.
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