Hotels near Route 362, Baie-Saint-Paul to La Malbaie

Route 362 is the best of the five for colour set against water. It runs 50 km from Baie-Saint-Paul to La Malbaie on two paved lanes, through Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive, Les Eboulements and Saint-Irenee, with the St Lawrence widening below you almost the whole way. Allow half a day rather than the 1 hour 15 the distance suggests. Peak colour here is forecast for the second week of October 2026, a week later than Quebec City itself.

The stop to build in is Le Massif de Charlevoix at 1350 rue Principale, Petite-Riviere-Saint-Francois, QC G0A 2L0, whose gondola runs daily 10:00 to 16:00 with last departure at 15:30, at 33 dollars for adults, 24 for ages 13 to 17 and 17 for 7 to 12, with under-sixes free. It is cashless. The season ends on 12 October 2026, which is Thanksgiving Monday, so the final day of operation is also the single busiest day of Charlevoix's peak week.

Two honest downsides. The descent from Les Eboulements to Saint-Joseph-de-la-Rive is a steep, tight grade with a truck-restriction history, and it is a poor choice in a large motorhome. And on Thanksgiving weekend the road backs up behind slow traffic with few passing opportunities, while restaurants in La Malbaie and Baie-Saint-Paul run full. Book a table before you leave.

Pro Tip: Drive Route 362 north-east, from Baie-Saint-Paul toward La Malbaie, so the river is on your right and every lookout is a right turn off the road rather than a left across traffic. Go on the Tuesday or Wednesday after Thanksgiving, when the colour holds and the weekend traffic has gone.