Condensed Course Guide

Updated November 23, 2003

Section 1

Stay on the bikepath (="BP") as long as you can. At 12 km a volunteer will direct you to the right along the street, 100 meters to the main bridge across the Lachine Canal. Cross the bridge and turn immediately left onto the BP.
After the Canal you'll find yourself on picturesque BP with the river to your left and a narrow canal to your right. Don't worry, you won't get stranded! Follow the BP to the absolute end, where it leads you up a winding walkway and over a humpback bridge. From there you go briefly along sidewalk, then quickly left back onto BP.
At 17 km the BP ends (entering Dorval). Continue along the street.

Section 2

All of Section 2 is on the road, the scenic drive around the Island. The only part not on the main road is 2 km after the Checkpoint: fork left onto the original Lakeshore Rd. Follow it around till you meet the main road, now called Beaconsfield Blvd. Turn left back onto it to continue skating parallel to the river.
12 km into Section 2 you're in the town of Ste Anne, about to turn around the westernmost part of the Island. Stay on the main street till you go under a big bridge, then look for a left turn toward or onto Senneville Rd, which continues the scenic drive parallel to the shore.
By 20 km the road is now called Gouin Blvd. Gatorback and one hill.
End of section is heralded by transition from countryside to civilization. A volunteer at 23.5 km will point you to turn right up Château Pierrefonds Ave.

Section 3

A little ways up Château Pierrefonds you'll see a BP sign pointing left to Pierrefonds Blvd. For the next 8.4 km you're on BP alongside this street.
After 8.4 km, at a major intersection with Sources Blvd, cross the street to continue along the right side of Pierrefonds (on the sidewalk), till the T with Gouin Blvd. Turn right onto Gouin.
At 10 km, just after RR tracks, a BP sign points across Gouin. Cross here, but instead of following the BP signs, continue beside Gouin till you can get onto the street angling to the left (Lalande). Follow this to another T with Gouin and turn left.
14 km into this section is the half-way mark.
At 16 km, ignore the BP sign pointing right. Just stay on Gouin.
At 19 km, after going under the bridge for Hwy 15, keep your eyes open for BP starting along the left side of Gouin. Cross to it as soon as you can, and follow the BP to the next Checkpoint.
Checkpoint 3 is at 28.8 km, after you go under the Pie-IX bridge.

Section 4

For the first 9 km, follow the BP on the left side of Gouin.
9.1 km, detour: turn left at 56th Ave and follow De Clichy St to the end, then turn left back onto Gouin.
Around 14 km, at hydro pylons, BP continues on the right side of Gouin. Cross to follow it.
At 15.8 km the BP is unpaved for a while, so skate on Gouin.
At 17 km you go under the bridge for Hwy 40. Just 100 meters after it turn right to follow the BP through forest/fields. This leads to a T with Hwy 138 (Sherbrooke St). Turn right along the path to the nearby Checkpoint. You have now rounded the north-east tip of Montreal Island, and are heading back towards the start.

Section 5

Cross Sherbrooke St and follow 81st Ave to Notre-Dame, then turn right.
For the next 20 km or so the way is simple, despite many twists and turns. Watch for the BP signs (and Défi markers), and follow the BP. You'll generally be skating on or parallel to Notre-Dame St., sometimes crossing it.
At about 11 km you're on BP in a park, with the St Lawrence River on your left. When you come to a fork in the path (there's just one), go right (the other way is a dead end). Ahead and to the right you'll see a MacDonald's across the street.
At 16.6 km (rue Dickson) the BP (which has been on sidewalk) crosses to the right side of Notre-Dame, to continue on real BP through a linear park. Skate on the BP, not on the street!
At 21.6 km, under the Jacques-Cartier Bridge, the intersection is painted blue. Cross to follow the BP on the left side of the street, which is now René Lévesque Blvd. Follow the BP till you see a BP "T" sign, at Berri St. Cross and turn left to head down towards the river. Be careful here: stop at all intersections, even if light is green!
BP leads you to the Old Port (you'll know it). Cross Commune St. and turn right onto the BP, proceeding all the way to the end of the Old Port.
Follow the BP to over the blue-green bridge at your left, going down slowly for the hairpin turn that winds left and under the bridge. The BP leads you to canal locks and a T. Turn right at the T, go about 100 meters straight (small canal on your right), and turn left at the first opportunity, leaving the BP.
This brings you to a T with Wellington St in Verdun, 2.5 km from the finish. Cross Wellington and turn left to skate on the right side of it into Verdun.
After 2km skating on Wellington, you'll see a Canadian Tire store (red sign) to the left. Turn left at the intersection, onto the BP.
Follow the BP to cross another road and turn right, then left a few meters further. This brings you to a fork in the BP, behind a baseball diamond. Go left here. Now the BP curves around the playing fields and back to the start/finish behind the Auditorium. You're home!