Traveling Quebec to Montreal
Leclercville, St. Michel, Ste. Croix, St. Antoine Add Village Charm
Churches and shrines in villages like Leclercville, St. Michel, St. Antoine de Tilly, Ste. Croix and enchanting views of St. Lawrence River highlight Route 132 drives.
The drive along the southern shore of the St. Lawrence River from Quebec City to Montreal is one of the most pleasant in North America. For after crossing Pont Quebec and leaving the city limits behind, Route 132 becomes a narrow grey ribbon tying together a series of off-the-beaten-tourist-path delights.
West of the village of St. Antoine de Tilly, small farms with split rail fences and huge barns dot the landscape. On weekends, equestrians in their English riding habits and judges shaded by striped awnings participate in roadside gymkhanas. Houses are of stone or stucco, with painted shutters and lace curtains at their windows.
Some of the roofs are sharply peaked Norman style. However, in Quebec they flair out at the bottom, a necessary adaptation to keep winter's accumulations of snow from falling on people below. Most of the other roofs are mansard style. But whatever the roof line, porches extend out from every front door. On Sundays or fine evenings when the work is done, if no one is sitting on the porch, they're probably in the sturdy wooden swings and chairs that are standard equipment on every side lawn.
Roadside Signs and Shrines
Each of the farms has its name painted on a sign or silo -- Ferme Belle Vue, Ferme Bonne Terre, Ferme Fleur de Lys. And speaking of fleur de lys, along the route you'll see a good many flagpoles with the blue and white Quebec fleur de lys waving from them.
Crucifixes and shrines line the road. Village churches are often large as cathedrals. Ste. Emmilia, the bright blue church in Leclercville, and St. Michel in Yamaska are two of the prettiest. You'll occasionally spot a small directional sign pointing to a local museum, such as le Musee de Religions in Nicolet. They're marvelous places for learning more about the area and picking up a bit of local color.
Although you won't be in sight of the St. Lawrence River for the entire drive, the road follows it most of the way. When it does, you'll be treated to a panorama of sailboats and freighters; of storybook villages on the opposite shore.
Pastoral though it may be, Route 132 isn't without its fast food -- look for signs advertising poulet frite (fried chicken) and biere froide (cold beer). Or stop at a small town boulangerie (bakery) and charcuterie (meat market/deli) to buy the makings for a picnic by the river. You will find some nicely situated tables in a little park between St. Antoine de Tilly and Ste. Croix
The Seasons
Each season along Route 132 brings its special pleasures. In spring, apple, plum and cherry trees blossom in the sudden flashes of glory. Lilacs scent the air and whole fields of dandelions carpet the ground with brilliant yellow. When summer comes, the roadside farmers unshutter the family produce stands and pile them high with ripe tomatoes, fat yellow asparagus, crates of strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. Farmhouse signs advertise chickens, rabbits (an important ingredient in many Quebecois dishes), honey and cheese for sale.
Autumn brings bright orange pumpkins and the startling gold and scarlet of elm, oak, ash and maple. The huge stacks of wood in the farmyards grow bigger in anticipation of days ahead.
The winter cold and snow, transforming Quebec into a province of skating rinks and cross-country ski trails, can make driving hazardous. So check road conditions before you set out (The drive takes about three hours without stops).
