Discover Quebec by Rail featuring Montreal, VIA Rail's Chaleur, The Gaspe Peninsula, Charlevoix and Quebec City
10 days, 14 meals

From the chic boutiques of Montreal to the gannets’ cries on the far shores of Gaspé, this 10 day Québec tour explores the diverse joys of the province. Enjoy three Fairmont properties – The Queen Elizabeth in Montreal; Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu in Charlevoix; and the Fairmont Chateau Frontenac, itself a symbol of Old Quebec. Visit the shrine at St. Anne de Beaupre. Travel via overnight train on VIA Rail’s Chaleur to the Gaspe Region. This tour includes visits to 4 Economuseums, devoted to preserving cultural heritage and handcrafts.

Tour Highlights:
Montreal, VIA Rail's Chaleur, Perce, Bonaventure Island Whale Watching Cruise, Charlevoix, Quebec City

Tour Experiences:
Spend two nights in the incomparable Fairmont Chateau Frontenac and soak in the European style and grandeur.
Relive the nostalgia of a bygone era as you travel via overnight train on VIA Rail's Chaleur.
Visit Bonaventure Island and witness thousands of gannets, the largest known colony in the world.
Enjoy two nights at the regal Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu, towering majestically over the Charlevoix region.

Day 1: Arrive Montreal, Quebec - Tour Begins

Day 2: Montreal - VIA Rail
Embark on a panoramic sightseeing tour of Montreal, viewing the gorgeous Notre Dame Cathedral. Stroll the cobblestone streets of Old Montreal. This afternoon, climb aboard VIA Rail's Chaleur. Relax as you travel by train overnight toward the Gaspe Peninsula.

Day 3: VIA Rail - Gaspe Region - Perce
This morning you wind past coastlines and fishing villages, arriving in the Gaspe Peninsula. Visit the Micmac Indian Village and learn about the culture and way of life of this tribe in the 17th century, including a presentation on their historic tools and habitats. Continue to the seaside town of Perce.

Day 4: Bonaventure Island - Gaspe Region - Perce
This morning, visit one of the best-preserved general stores in Canada, with oak shelves stocked with authentic merchandise. Locals in period costumes tell stories about the rich fishing heritage of Gaspe. Depart on a cruise, sailing around the famous Perce Rock, which was carved by the tides. Circle Bonaventure Island for a once-in-a- lifetime view of the largest gannet colony in the world! Disembark on the island if you choose.

Day 5: Perce - Forillon National Park - Rimouski
Visit Forillon National Park at the farthest reach of the Gaspe Peninsula. Its majestic landscape is carved out of the sea, cliffs and mountains. Continue to the quaint fishing village of Rimouski.

Day 6: Rimouski - Whale Watching - Pointe-au-Pic
Depart Rimouski and approach the banks of the mighty St. Lawrence River and Baie-Ste-Catherine to embark on a whale-watching expedition. Discover one of the most beautiful whale watching sites as a naturalist guide introduces you to the many species of marine mammals in the St. Lawrence River. On the other side of the St. Lawrence, continue to the Charlevoix region and the Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu, your home for the next two nights.

Day 7: Charlevoix Region
Explore the Charlevoix region, renowned for awe-inspiring landscapes that have won the hearts of artists for hundreds of years. Visit the ECONOMUSEUM Laiterie Charlevoix and learn about the process of turning milk into cheese; sample some of their products, among the best in the region! Visit Baie-Saint-Paul, one of the oldest towns in Quebec, boasting two-hundred-year-old houses, art galleries and boutiques. After some leisure time, board a ferry to L'isle-aux-Coudres, an island in the St. Lawrence. Visit the ECONOMUSEUM Verger Pedneault, an award-winning orchard, and learn about the history of apples, techniques of harvesting and production that result in products including apple butter, hard cider and iced wines. Another ECONOMUSEUM on the island, Les Moulins de l'isle-aux-Coudres, boasts beautifully restored 19th century watermills and the miller's house. See the old way of grinding wheat with grindstones.

Day 8: Pointe-au-Pic - Quebec City
Journey south through Quebec. Visit the Musee de l'abeille, the ECONOMUSEUM of honey. An exhibition reveals how honey was once gathered and how beekeeping has changed through the ages. See bees at work in glass-enclosed hives and sample mead produced on-site. Arrive in Quebec and the majestic Fairmont Château Frontenac, your home for the next two nights.

Day 9: Quebec City
This morning, enjoy breakfast at a sugar shack nestled in the Quebec countryside. Learn about the traditions of maple syrup-making and enjoy sampling many traditional foods made with it. Try a favorite regional treat - maple taffy in the snow! Later, experience the history of Old and New Quebec with a fascinating sightseeing tour. Your tour includes the Parliament, the St. Louis Arch and Place Royale, a UNESCO World Heritage site inside the old walled city. Enjoy leisure time to explore Quebec…perhaps take one of the horse-drawn carriage rides. Enjoy a farewell dinner in Quebec to toast an unforgettable vacation.

Day 10: Quebec City - Tour Ends

Included Features:
9 Nights Accommodations
9 Breakfasts, 5 Dinners
Whale Watching Cruise
Sugar Shack
Beekeeping Demonstration
Micmac Indian Village
Services of a professional tour manager
Bag handling from hotel to hotel

Hotels used for the tour:
Night 1 - Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel, Montreal, QC
Night 2 - Via Rail Chaleur, Toronto, ON
Nights 3 & 4 - Riotel Perce, Perce, QC
Night 5 - Hotel Rimouski, Rimouski, QC
Nights 6 & 7 - Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu, Pointe-au-Pic, QC
Nights 8 & 9 - Fairmont Chateau Frontenac, Quebec City, QC
On some dates alternative hotels may be used.

DEPARTURE DATES
June - September

PRICES
From approx $2,499 US per person based on double occupancy
Departures on or within the seasons shown will determine the price