Types of roadways: segments on paved roads with shoulders of varying widths, forest roads with sections that may include rocks, sand, and mud depending on the amount of precipitation received—or lack thereof—and steep, rocky double-track trails, where you may need to push your bike in some places. 50 mm wide tires are recommended. Consult the map below and pay particular attention to the information bubbles (POIs) it contains. It is your responsibility to be well prepared!
IMPORTANT NOTICE—HUNTING: during moose hunting season, which this year runs from September 20 to October 26, for the safety of users, we recommend wearing an orange vest, staying on the course, and riding between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m.
Venture into the heart of the Charlevoix astrobleme and the labyrinthine sanctuary of the Pied-des-Monts sector!
Encompassing and intersecting the entire Pousse-Pioche course, this circuit offers a more technical challenge with an approach and return on the Friche forest road, from which it takes its name…and all its roughness!
From the parking lot of the Menaud Brewery & Distillery, you start by going up the Malbaie River to the edge of the Resolute Pulp Mill in Clermont, then tackle the climb up Chemin du Friche to the entrance of this rustic forest road, which is about ten kilometers long and joins the Route des Montagnes in Saint-Aimé-des-Lacs, and, about 3 kilometers further north on this paved section, the starting point of the Pousse-Pioche loop, near the intersection of Chemin Pied-des-Monts. So, after enjoying this 30-kilometer loop that winds its way through cultivated and wooded valleys at the northern edge of our astrobleme, crisscrossed by picturesque Charlevoisian rural roads and pleasant forest paths, we retrace our steps along “le Friche” in the opposite direction for a completely different experience and perspective and… return to Menaud’s lair and his exquisite elixirs, which we will have earned, deserved!
