The Most Beautiful Villages of Quebec

One of my original ideas about bike touring through French Canada was to plan a trip that would hit small artisan towns. Villages that specialized in some for of agriculture or food production; no different than tourist who flock to Napa, California each year for the wine; except without the car.

At the time I really had not though about the term Agritourism (AgroTourism) but I started seeing reference to it in some websites. I remember the early days growing up in Southern California, when Knott's Berry Farm was really a farm that grew berries. The rides were originally built just to get people to come and buy their berries. Dairy farms were located just outside of town. In fact the road to Tijuana which is now the beautiful Interstate 5 used to be lined with dairy farms.

Somehow we have lost our agricultural roots; tomato past made in giant factories, beef fattened up on feed lots, and beer made in Colorado. Most of the towns centered around local agricultural products, historical architectural heritage, and include vistas and access to water.

The idea for "the most beautiful villages" originally comes from France with over 32,000 certified villages. The idea is to preserve and display towns and villages which have preserved their geographic, historic and cultural characteristics.

As describe on their website the villages also expect a level of responsibility from tourists given their small character. Some guidelines include:

1. The Most Beautiful Villages of Quebec are ideally visited on foot or by bicycle. Consider parking your car at the entrance or at the centre of a village, and enjoy a leisurely tour.
   
   
2. Local businesses strive to preserve smaller, more approachable operations, allowing you to engage in conversation and to learn more about local life and history. Supporting artisans, artists, farmers and other local businesses not only ensures the survival of traditional village life, but also, and quite importantly, the pleasure of human contact and the authenticity of products.
   
   
3. Our villagers are gracious hosts, proud of their homes, and honoured by your visit. It is their pleasure to engage you in conversation: let them share a bit of themselves with you, and share a bit of yourself with them. However, please refrain from creating a disturbance by speeding, parking outside designated areas, or excessive noise. Also, please respect private property.
   
   
4. Heritage buildings and their surrounding property are generally not open to the public. Access is limited, except with authorization.
   
   
5. Our villages offer a wide range of inns, bed and breakfasts, and farmhouse accommodations that will allow you to spend some time with the townspeople. Please feel free to ask them questions about local life, village history, and things to see and do.
   
   
6. Generally, villages to not offer as wide a range of products as in large urban centres, and the cost of supplies may vary accordingly. Please take this into account when planning your stay.

The province specializes in cheeses, ciders, herbs, sugar shacks, and pasture fed grazing animals. The website for Agritourism in Quebec offers an interactive way to plan you trip.

The Most Beautiful Villages of Quebec
Agrotourism in Quebec
The Most Beautiful Village of Quebec - Google My Maps