Every summer, thousands of cyclists converge on a tourist region to discover its scenery, roads, and attractions by bike.
This year, Vélo Québec’s Le Grand Tour recently explored some of the Eastern Townships’ most beautiful landscapes.
About 1,200 cycling enthusiasts rode routes that were not always easy but rewarded them with unforgettable views.
Le Grand Tour is an annual multi-day cycling event that allows participants to discover a region on two wheels.
Professional Support
The event is renowned for its friendly atmosphere, professional organization, frequent refreshment stops, and a variety of accommodation options, including camping and hotels. Its impressive tent village alone is worth seeing.
Many participants return year after year, eager to discover new landscapes and take on new cycling challenges. The 2026 edition certainly lived up to expectations, as the Eastern Townships are anything but flat.
Participants could choose routes that matched their abilities and interests. This year, they cycled through charming communities such as Ayer’s Cliff, Compton, Bonsecours, and Waterloo.
An Impressive Operation
One of the main base camps was set up at Central Park in Sherbrooke’s Rock Forest district—a truly impressive operation.
An enormous amount of planning goes into making the experience as enjoyable as possible. Meals, campgrounds for tents and RVs, live entertainment, bicycle mechanics, first aid, massage therapy, and many other services are available throughout the event.
An army of volunteers helps deliver this turnkey experience. Thanks to this well-coordinated organization, participants have only one thing to think about: enjoying their ride, whether cycling solo or with friends.
Voyager à vélo at the Service of Cyclists
One of this year’s new features invited participants to stop at local agri-food businesses located along the routes, where they could sample regional specialties.
Those who wished could also purchase local products.
That’s where Voyager à vélo stepped in. Since cyclists couldn’t carry their purchases during the ride, the company offered an end-of-day collection service. Participants could pick up their purchases later at the Grand Tour village in either Sherbrooke or Waterloo.
Voyager à vélo was entrusted with this initiative by Tourisme Cantons-de-l’Est to help cyclists discover local flavours without worrying about transporting their purchases during the ride.
Each purchase was labelled with the participant’s name and registration number to ensure everything was returned to the correct owner at the end of the day.
Have you been dreaming about a cycling vacation but aren’t sure where to start? Next year’s edition of Le Grand Tour will take place in the Mauricie region.
Le Grand Tour by Vélo Québec proves that a multi-day cycling adventure can be both accessible and enjoyable when the logistics are expertly handled. When every detail is taken care of, all that’s left to do is pedal, discover a new region, and fully enjoy the experience.