Montreal is lucky to be surrounded by some of the best driving roads in Canada. Ninety minutes from downtown, traffic disappears and either the Appalachians or the Laurentians begin. Here are the five routes we recommend to our weekend clients.
1. Route 112. Eastern Townships
From Granby toward Sherbrooke via Waterloo and Magog. A flowing layout, medium corners, gentle elevation changes. The kind of road the Audi R8 was designed for. Plan a stop at Domaine Château-Bromont or Balnea Spa for the afternoon. Round trip from Montreal: about 4 hours of driving, doable in a day.
2. Route du Nord. Mont-Tremblant
Autoroute 15 North from Montreal to Saint-Sauveur, then the 117 up to Mont-Tremblant. The Sainte-Adèle–Val-David stretch is particularly good: hairpin turns, lake views, chalets. Ideal in a Lamborghini Urus for luggage space or a Huracán Spyder if the weather cooperates.
3. Route 138. Charlevoix
From Quebec City toward Baie-Saint-Paul and La Malbaie. It's a bit further (4 hours from Montreal) but the section between Baie-Saint-Paul and Petite-Rivière-Saint-François is one of the most spectacular in the province: cliffs, river, plunging corners. Best done as a full weekend.
4. Chemin du Roy. Route 138 (western section)
The old royal road between Montreal and Trois-Rivières hugs the north shore of the St. Lawrence. Historic villages, gentle bends, very little traffic on weekdays. A nice option for a morning R8 drive with brunch in Neuville or Deschambault.
5. Laurentians loop. Route 329
From Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, take the 329 North toward Saint-Donat, then loop back via the 125. A 3-hour loop mostly composed of medium and fast corners through Lac Ouareau and Lac Archambault. Little known, very little traffic, excellent for testing what a supercar can do outside the city.
Practical tips
Fill up before leaving the island. Shell V-Power or Petro-Canada Ultra 94 stations are rarer in the countryside. Check road conditions between November and April (snow closes some sections). And if you want to capture the outing in photo/video, book a photoshoot car rental with meeting points planned in advance.