Side Quest From Montréal To Trois-Rivières, Québec City, And Île d’Orléans
Published July 20, 2025
Last updated December 30, 2025
This blog post was proudly created without the use of generative AI. It was 100% written and edited by a human, for humans. Enjoy, and thanks for your support!
If you’re planning a trip to Montréal for a week or more, I recommend going on a little “side quest” up to Québec City for a few days! That’s exactly what two friends and I did on our ten-day visit to Montréal this summer. Along the way, we stopped in the small city of Trois-Rivières, and we also did a day trip out to the lush Île d’Orléans (Orleans Island) on the outskirts of Québec City.
This post will highlight what we were able to see during our three-day “trip within a trip.” To skip down to any particular destination, click or tap the corresponding link below!
Trois-Rivières
The first stop we made after leaving Montréal was Trois-Rivières. It has a population of around 150,000 and is located halfway between Montréal and Québec City on the St. Lawrence River. Trois-Rivières means “Three Rivers” in English, and the city’s name comes from the fact that the Saint-Maurice River appears to flow into the St. Lawrence River in three different places due to the islands located at the confluence (see map below).
We only stayed in Trois-Rivières for about 24 hours, but this was enough time to see the city’s main attractions. Read on to see what we did!
Areas We Explored in Trois-Rivières
The St. Lawrence Riverwalk
Trois-Rivières has a cute little promenade overlooking the St. Lawrence River. It runs alongside Rue du Fleuve and is adjacent to a few small parks, including Parc Hector-Langevin and Parc du Platon. The weather was overcast while we were here, but it was still a nice place to go for a short walk.
Downtown Trois-Rivières
After checking out the St. Lawrence River, we walked two or three blocks inland to the city center of Trois-Rivières. As you can see in the photos below, this area is beautifully maintained. Some of downtown’s most prominent features include red brick buildings, colorful murals, and distinctive rounded street lamps.
Historic Architecture on Rue des Ursulines
According to this post on Flickr, some of the oldest buildings in Trois-Rivières are clustered around Rue des Ursulines due to a 20th century fire that presumably destroyed much of the downtown area. The “Musée des Ursulines” (website | location) is one of the most noteworthy buildings in this compact neighborhood. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to go in and check out the exhibits, but I enjoyed strolling along Rue des Ursulines nonetheless.
What We Ate in Trois-Rivières
Poutine & Wings from Faste Fou Resto-Bar
Address: 30 Rue des Forges, Trois-Rivières, QC G9A 6E3, Canada
Website: https://fastefou.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Faste-Fou-Resto-Bar-155134581222001/
Our first meal (or maybe half-meal) in Trois-Rivières was basically a happy hour with poutine, wings, and beer at Faste Fou. This was pretty standard pub fare served in a chill, casual space.
West African Cuisine from La Calebasse
Address: 4370 Bd des Forges, Trois-Rivières, QC G8Y 1W4, Canada
Website: https://www.lacalebasse.ca/trois-rivieres/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Calzonequebec/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/la_calebasse_/
This restaurant is not really near the center of Trois-Rivières, but I am always willing to go out of my way for some delicious West African cuisine! Ismael, one of the friends I went on this trip with, introduced me to West African food a few years back (Senegalese in particular), and I’ve loved it ever since.
We went all out and ordered as much as we could at La Calebasse, including tieboudienne (pictured first above), mafé (peanut stew with chicken), and a few cooked veggie dishes. If I remember correctly, we got one bowl made from sweet potato leaf and one made of okra. Every bite here was tasty, but those veggie stews were especially rich and satisfying. If you’re looking for a culinary adventure, go try La Calebasse!
Québec City
Québec City was the main destination of our side quest from Montréal. We stayed here for two nights, but we really only got one full day to see Québec City because our second day in town was spent exploring Île d’Orléans.
To be honest, Québec City is big enough that a day or two here isn’t really enough to see the city in its entirety. With that said, we still made the most of our limited time in the charming capital city of Québec province.
Areas We Explored in Québec City
Vieux-Québec (Old Québec)
Given our tight schedule, we really only had about an hour or two to check out Québec City’s historic district. This was probably the busiest spot we encountered on our three-day journey, with lots of other tourists out and about. Like the rest of the city, Vieux-Québec has lots of hills, so prepare for a mini workout if you’re planning to explore on foot.
The most notable structure in Old Québec is the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, shown in the two photos below. From such a close vantage point, my pictures of this hotel don’t really capture how grand and majestic it really is. The most stunning photos of it online seem to be taken from farther away. We briefly stepped into the lobby to see what it looked like, but it was very busy and hectic, so I didn’t take any photos inside.
Victoria Park and the Saint-Charles River
We spent a lot of our short stay in Québec City enjoying the greenery in Victoria Park and along the Saint-Charles River. This was mainly because our Airbnb was a few blocks away, but I’m glad it worked out that way. Compared to Vieux-Québec, Victoria Park offered a glimpse into local life in Québec City. The park was lively without the crowds of tourists that congregate closer to the city center.
What We Ate in Québec City
Breakfast at Le Buffet de l’Antiquaire
Address: 95 Rue Saint-Paul, Québec, QC G1K 3V8, Canada
Website: https://lebuffetdelantiquaire.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Buffetdelantiquaire/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buffetdelantiquaire/
At first glance, Québécois breakfast looked pretty familiar to me as an American. However, it’s not exactly the same as your typical breakfast in the US, so I recommend trying at least one full sit-down breakfast during a trip to Québec. The breakfast platters at Le Buffet de l’Antiquaire were scrumptious and high in protein. The most unique aspects of breakfast here were the tourtière (French-Canadian meat pie) and the toast with beans.
Crêpes from Le Billig
Address: 481 Rue Saint-Jean, Québec, QC G1R 1P4, Canada
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CreperiebistroLeBillig/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lebilligcreperiebistro/
If you’re a fan of crêpes, make sure to try them at Le Billig! Their menu has so many sweet and savory options with interesting toppings such as scallops. Because crêpes are a pretty light meal, we paired our food with beer and wine at Le Billig and sampled a few of their desserts as well.
Sandwiches and Coffee at Franky Johnny Saint-Sauveur / Borderon le Fils
Address: 208 Rue Saint-Vallier O, Québec, QC G1K 1K2, Canada
Website: https://www.frankyjohnny.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/frankyjohnnysandwich/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/franky.johnny/
When we first stepped into this little cafe for a quick breakfast, I figured we’d just get a quick coffee to go and maybe a pastry. But once we saw their sandwich menu, we knew we had to try them. The freshly-baked warm bread, deli meat, sweet jam, and creamy cheese on the sandwich I got were layered together perfectly.
Oysters and more from Sardines Restaurant
Many of the meals we ate in Canada on this trip were very heavy. As such, dinner at Sardines was a nice break from all the red meat we were eating. We got a combination of seafood, tapas-style plates, pasta, and some local natural wines. Everything here tasted fresh and delicious, and the service was excellent! It is quite a shame that Sardines closed only a month after we dined there.
A Magnificent Dinner Feast at "L'affaire Est Ketchup"
Address: 46 Rue Saint-Joseph E, Québec, QC G1K 3A5, Canada
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laffaireest.ketchup/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laffaireestketchup_/
This incredible restaurant was definitely the culinary highlight of our Québec City side quest, if not our entire Montréal trip. They pride themselves on being a “Pirate Restaurant,” which conjures up a number of different thoughts: boundless freedom, unbridled joy, the open seas, spontaneity, camaraderie, and so on. The restaurant isn’t actually pirate-themed (like with nautical decor), so I think it’s supposed to be more metaphorical than literal.
If you’re curious about the name, “L’affaire est Ketchup” is a Quebecois phrase that translates roughly to “it’s all good” according to blogs such as this and this.
Immediately upon entering the dining room at L’affaire est Ketchup, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into a grandmother’s cozy cottage. Most notably, the kitchen is fully open (i.e. not separated from the dining room), so guests can see, hear, and smell all the food being prepared only a few feet away. The servers at L’Affaire est Ketchup are also very outgoing and may even have a bit of wine with you while they work, which plays into the whole jolly pirate atmosphere.
If you zoom in on the image above, you’ll see the menu at L’affaire est Ketchup on the green chalkboard. It changes day to day, but a glance at the restaurant’s Instagram page reveals that they generally cook a consistent style of French-Québécois cuisine. As you can see, it’s heavy on the meat, but there are also elegant seafood options. We basically ordered 80% of the menu on the night we went, and each plate was a masterpiece. All of the sauces and marinades at L’affaire est Ketchup were rich and creamy, perfect for dipping bread in.
In terms of logistics, L’affaire est Ketchup requires a reservation in advance. They only offer two seatings per night, one at 6:00 p.m. and one at 8:30 p.m., so expect the meal to go for a few hours at least (and of course, those times could change especially for holidays or special occasions, so double-check your reservation). We did an 8:30 p.m. seating, and left the restaurant about two-and-a-half hours later.
Île d'Orléans
Île d’Orléans (or Orleans Island in English) was the last major stop we made on this side quest before returning to Montréal. It’s a large, rural island right on the edge of Québec City in the middle of the St. Lawrence River. Apparently, it was one of the first parts of Québec province to be colonized by the French, so there’s a lot of history here.
We visited Île d’Orléans as a day trip, which allowed us time to drive all the way around the island. To learn more about logistics, check out the section of this post about that below.
Vignoble Ste-Pétronille
Address: 8705 Chem. Royal, Sainte-Pétronille, QC G0A 4C0, Canada
Website: https://vs-p.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vignoblesp/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vignoblesp/
Our first stop on Île d’Orléans was this gorgeous winery only a few miles south of the Pont de l’Île, the bridge that connects the island with the mainland and Québec City. We ordered a colorful flight of wines and sipped them while looking out over the rolling green vineyards.
Saint-Jean-de-l'Île-d'Orléans
Quebec Route 368, also known as Chemin Royal, runs in a loop around Île d’Orléans. We drove on it counterclockwise, so the next place we stopped to stretch our legs for a bit was Saint-Jean. There’s a cafe here that we got some refreshments at, as well as a historic church right on the waterfront. Behind the chapel is a little beach area with a rocky ground that’s stratified into bright colored bands (as shown in the third picture below).
Sainte-Famille-de-l'Île-d'Orléans
According to the Île d’Orléans tourism website, the island has six distinct villages. We didn’t stop at all of them, but we did get out of the car at Sainte-Famille-de-l’Île-d’Orléans after driving around the northeast tip of the island. There’s another beautiful church here, a museum, and a restaurant where we had lunch.
Parc-des-Ancêtres
Address: 2485 Chem. Royal, Sainte-Famille, QC G0A 3P0, Canada
The museum in Sainte-Famille is called the House of Our Ancestors (Maison de nos Aïeux). It was either closed when we visited, or we simply didn’t have time to check it out. There is a park right next door called Ancestors’ Park (Parc-des-Ancêtres), which we did meander through. There is some cool artwork here, and the park offers a scenic view across the St. Lawrence River looking west.
Chez Mag
Address: 2460 Chem. Royal, Sainte-Famille, QC G0A 3P0, Canada
Website: https://www.chezmag.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ccchezmag/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chez_mag/
We got a pretty big lunch at Chez Mag. We found some recommendations for this spot online, and the food did not disappoint! Île d’Orléans has somewhat limited restaurant options, so Chez Mag is a good place to keep in mind especially if you don’t see anything else that appeals to you.
We ordered poutine, a lobster roll, and some hot dogs at Chez Mag, and the poutine was definitely a highlight thanks to that full layer of cheese curds on top of the fries! The hot dogs here were also unique, served in a split toasted slice of bread as you can see in the pictures below.
Cassis Monna & Filles
Address: 1225 Chem. Royal, Saint-Pierre, QC G0A 4E0, Canada
Website: https://www.cassismonna.com/en/
Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/cassismonna/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cassismonna/
A stop at this bustling estate was the perfect end to our day on Île d’Orléans! “Cassis” refers to blackcurrant, a berry that can be used to produce a wide variety of other goods. At Cassis Monna & Filles, they sell blackcurrant-based wines, liquors, and sauces, jams, and much more.
Cassis Monna & Filles also has a full restaurant onsite and a dairy bar that sells gelato and sorbet. Since we had lunch at Chez Mag right before coming here, we were too full to eat anything. However, we did try their drink samplers, pictured below. These were a great way to taste their most popular wine and liquor offerings!
How We Got Around
This trip involved mixed modes of transportation, and I’m happy to report that everything went smoothly! Check out the info below to see how we traveled on each leg of our journey.
Montréal to Trois-Rivières
For the first leg of our trip, we took an Orléans Express bus. We booked these tickets online about two months early, but I’m sure you could book closer to your travel date and be fine. Our bus was scheduled to travel from “Gare d’autocars de Montréal” to “Gare d’autocars de Trois-Rivières” with a travel time of one hour and 45 minutes. We left and arrived right on time, and the experience on board the bus was comfortable. The cost per person (as of July 2025) was 48.64 CAD.
Trois-Rivières to Québec City
The second leg of our trip was also an Orléans Express bus ride. Again, we booked these tickets a few months in advance, but don’t feel obligated to do this. We departed from “Gare d’autocars de Trois-Rivières” and arrived to “Terminus d’autobus de la Gare du Palais” in Québec City. Travel time was estimated to be one hour and 40 minutes; we left right on time and actually arrived about 20 minutes ahead of schedule. The cost per person (as of July 2025) was 48.64 CAD.
Day Trip to Île d'Orléans
In order to do a day trip from Québec City to Île d’Orléans, we rented a car via Turo. One of my friends I was with reserved the car, and I’ve never used the Turo app, so I can’t speak to what that process is like. However, the rental vehicle served us well for our drive around Île d’Orléans.
Despite Orleans Island’s proximity to Québec City, there don’t seem to be any public buses that service the island. You might be able to take a rideshare like Uber or Lyft out to Île d’Orléans from Québec City, but I think the chances that you’d get stranded out there without a ride back would be pretty high. With that in mind, a rental car definitely makes the most sense to visit Île d’Orléans.
Québec City to Montréal
Since we took two buses to visit Trois-Rivières and Québec City, we figured we’d try taking the train back to Montréal. Like the buses, riding the train was a pleasant experience. Estimated travel time was about three hours and twenty minutes between Québec City’s Gare du Palais and Montréal’s Gare Centrale. We took off right on schedule and got to Montréal within five minutes of our scheduled arrival time.
Upon reviewing our digital receipts, it looks like we booked these tickets through a third party, but that didn’t present any issues for us. We paid 85 USD per person for one-way tickets in July of 2025. The actual train operator is called VIA Rail Canada, so consider booking tickets directly with them for potentially cheaper rates.
Explore Québec Beyond Montréal 🇨🇦
I hope this blog post has provided some helpful info for anyone planning to venture north from Montréal to one of the other major cities along the St. Lawrence River! Montréal is a world-class destination on its own, but I’m so glad we left the metro area for a few days to see Trois-Rivières, Québec City, and Île d’Orléans!
Are you planning a trip to any of these beautiful destinations in Québec? If you’ve been to one or more of these spots, is there something I missed that I should go see on my next visit? Leave a comment below and let me know! I love hearing from all of you to see what other travelers are up to! Thanks for reading and bon voyage!
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This post was published on July 20, 2025
This post was updated on Dec 30, 2025
This blog post was proudly created without the use of generative AI. It was 100% written and edited by a human, for humans. Enjoy, and thanks for your support!
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