by Craig Nicholson
Turn-Key Planning Itinerary For Your 3-Day Saddlebag Ride…
As The Intrepid Snowmobiler, I share my 3-day snowmobile itinerary in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Quebec. Discover my adventure! This Abitibi-Témiscamingue Quebec Snowmobile Snapshot is a quick overview of most everything you need to know to plan your own saddlebag ride staging out of Ville Marie, Quebec. It’s a 3-day, 850-km circle loop around a region with 3,500 km of FCMQ snowmobile Trails and an annual average snow depth of about 220 cm.
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Top Tips For Riding Abitibi-Témiscamingue Quebec
Region is very bilingual.
For the beginning or end of the season, consider moving your route to a more northern starting point in accommodations with direct access to trails such as Amos (Amosphère, Rodeway Inn, Mont-Video), Val-d'Or (Hôtel Forestel, Station Boréale), Rouyn-Noranda (Comfort Inn, Le Mistral). Alternatively, stage day rides from either Amos or Val-d’Or.
Early or late season, a high miler option is to delete the more southern Ville Marie to Louvicourt ride (Day 2) and replace it with the more northern loop to Mattagami (Senneterre/Lebel-sur-Quévillon/Mattagami/Amos – 411km).
Make reservations well in advance for all accommodations and confirm on site truck & trailer parking at your staging hotel, especially for nights you are not staying there.
Good fuel & services throughout the region for worry-free riding.
Decent snow & trail conditions can begin at Christmas and extend to late March.
Always ride in Quebec with a valid FCMQ Trail Permit and mirrors on your sled.
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How To Access Abitibi-Témiscamingue Quebec By Road
Ontario to Western Abitibi-Témiscamingue
North Bay to Témiscaming or Ville-Marie – Hwys 11/63/101
Temiskaming Shores (New Liskeard) to Notre-Dame du Nord – Hwys 11/65
Kirkland Lake to Rouyn-Noranda – Hwys 11/66/117
Quebec to Eastern Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Gatineau to Val-D’Or – Hwys 105/117
Montréal to Val-D’Or – Hwys 15/117
How To Access Abitibi-Témiscamingue Québec By Trail
- TQ = Trans-Québec (blue)
RT = Regional Trail (green)
Local trail (orange)
Ontario to Western Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Pembroke area to Témiscaming – TOP A to A101Q (at Rolphton) to TQ43 to TQ63
North Bay area to Témiscaming – A102Q to TQ63
Temiskaming Shores (New Liskeard) to Notre-Dame-du-Nord – A107Q to TQ83
Earlton to Notre-Dame-du-Nord – A108Q to TQ83
Kirkland Lake to Rouyn-Noranda – A110Q to TQ93
Quebec to Western Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Gatineau area to Témiscaming – TQ13 to TQ43
Mont-Laurier to Ville-Marie – TQ13 to RT322 to TQ63
Quebec to Eastern Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Mont-Laurier to Val-d’Or – TQ13 to RT322 to TQ63 to RT386 to TQ83 or TQ13 to TQ 83
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Abitibi-Témiscamingue Quebec Snowmobile Itinerary
To access the itinerary on the interactive map, follow this link!
Day One: Arrival at Ville-Marie
Drive Distance: 509 km north of Toronto
Lodging: La Bannik, Ville Marie
Restaurant: order delivery dinner from town using menu in chalet. Light continental breakfast on site.
Fuel: arrive with full sled tanks and caddies
Road Access: Hwy 101
Trail Access: Local Trail to hotel west from TQ63
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Day Two: Ville-Marie to Louvicourt
Ride: Ville Marie to Louvicourt – 280 km via Club Trail/TQ63/RT303/TQ63/RT309/Club Trail around Val D’Or/TQ83/RT386 to motel
Point of Interest: Vue Panoramique Lac Lemoine (23 km south of Val D’Or on RT309
Fuel on Route: La Force RT 309), Winneway (RT 309), Val-d’Or (only direct trail access: Shell north of TQ83 via club trail, then RT309 south back to 83), Louvicourt (on trail). Note: distance from La Force to Val-d’Or gas 135 km; to Louvicourt gas 167 km).
Lunch: snacks at Winneway or restaurant in Val-d’Or (at Hotel Forestel).
Lodging: Hotel-Motel Royal, Louvicourt (motel unit at the back, sleds parked in front of rooms)
Restaurant: on site for breakfast & dinner
Fuel: next door
Trail Access: Intersection of TQ83 & RT386 (cross river to motel).
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Day Three: Louvicourt to La Sarre
ide: Louvicourt to La Sarre – 285 km via RT386/TQ83/Club Trail at Senneterre/TQ93/Club Trail to motel
Fuel on Route: Senneterre, Barraute, Amos, Poularies, La Sarre
Lunch: Amosphere, complexe hôtelier, Amos
Lodging: Motel Villa Mon Repos, La Sarre
Restaurant: Boston Pizza on site for breakfast & dinner
Fuel: Sergaz at south end of town just south of TQ93 west, across the road from Dimension Expedition Ski-Doo dealer
Trail Access: TQ93 to west side of town / club trail eastbound ends several blocks north of hotel)
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Day Four: La Sarre to Ville-Marie
- Ride: La Sarre to Ville-Marie – 293 km via Club Trail/TQ93/TQ83/RT306/TQ63/Club Trail/TQ63/Club Trail to motel
- Points of Interest: Vue Panoramique Lac Abitibi (19 km south of La Sarre on TQ93), Covered Bridge (5 km east on TQ63 from intersection of TQ83 & TQ63) & Vue Panoramique (13 km east on TQ63 from intersection of TQ83 & TQ63), Vue Panoramique Lac Témiscamingue (7 km north on local trail north of Ville-Marie west of intersection of TQ63)
- Fuel on Route: Rouyn-Noranda (Petrocan where TQ93 crosses Hwy 101), Arntfield (TQ83 south after intersection with TQ93), Rollet, Guérin, Notre-Dame-du-Nord, Ville-Marie
- Lunch: Arntfield (TQ83 south after intersection with TQ93), Rollet, Guérin
- Lodging: La Bannik
- Restaurant: On-site bistro or have food delivered from the city using the menu available in your chalet. Light continental breakfast offered on site.
- Trail Access: Local trail to hotel west from TQ63
Day Five – Departure For Wherever Home Is
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If you’re looking for a Quebec destination that’s not too far away, this is it. It’s got super-wide trails, impeccable grooming and long-lasting snow. Plus bilingual hospitality and just the right mix of population centres and remote riding. Make your reservations today to ride Abitibi-Témiscamingue!
Informations utiles sur l'Abitibi-Témiscamingue
Abitibi-Témiscamingue Québec Snowmobile Dealers
Amos: Accent Plein Air (Ski-doo), Centre de Camping D’Amos (Polaris) Harricana Aventures (Yamaha)
La Sarre: Dimension Expédition (Ski-doo)
Rouyn-Noranda: Imperium (Ski-doo), Marine Lamy (Arctic Cat), Moto-Sport du Cuivre (Yamaha), A.B. Sports (Ski-doo), Moto-Sport de La Capitale (Polaris)
Val-d’Or: Béric Sport (Ski-doo), Gauthier Marine/Barbin Sport (Arctic Cat, Yamaha), Martin Tout Terrain (Polaris)
Ville-Marie: Automobile Paquin (Ski-doo), Scie et Marine Ferron (Arctic Cat, Yamaha)
Abitibi-Témiscamingue Quebec Contact Info
The tips and advice in this blog are the opinions of the author, may not work in every situation and are intended only for the convenience and interest of the reader, who has the personal responsibility to confirm the validity, accuracy and relevancy of this information prior to putting it to their own use.
