Autumn Colour cruise in Laurentians, Quebec, Canada

Laurentian Mountains [Laurentides in French] 

The Laurentian mountains are one of the famous colored leaves spots in Quebec province in Canada.
The Laurentian Mountains are included in the "Maple Route" which is a famous route for autumn colours.
The Maple Route is about 800 km from Niagara to Quebec city.
Laurentians is located about 60 km north of Montreal.
It takes about 45 minutes to go to Laurentians from Montreal.
The tour bus arrived at Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts in Quebec province.

 

We took a tour bus from Montreal.

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Arrived in Sante-Agathe-des-Monts.

 

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We walked to the harbour.

It's 60 - 90 minutes boat cruise called "Lac des Sables".

We can enjoy the colored leaved of the Laurentian mountains.
The boat moves slowly on the Lake (Lac des Sables). 

 

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-  Lac des Sables Cruise - 

 

 

coloured Maple leaves of the Laurentian mountains.

(The view from the boat cruise) 

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Tour bus stopped by Saint Sauveur village.

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A beautiful Catholic church "Paroisse St-Sauver" 

in Saint Sauveur village.

The shops and houses in the town were decorated with Halloween goods.

 

 

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Tour bus came back to Montreal.

Episode of the Autumn colours tour of the Laurentian mountains

It was our dream to see the coloured leaves of Maple route in Quebec. So we booked the excursion for Laurentians at tourist information in Montreal.

We went to the Laurentian Mountains from Montreal by tour bus. It took about 45 minutes to go to Laurentians from Montreal.
The tour bus arrived at Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts in Quebec province. As soon as we got off the bus, we could see the colored leaves in the town. So we were already excited to see such a colourful scenery. But we were really looking forward to discovering a boat cruise in Laurentians, so we hurried to go to the harbor.
It's 60 - 90 minutes boat cruise on the lake called "Lac des Sables" in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts. The boat takes time and move slowly on the lake. At the beginning of the cruise, we were just surprised to see the huge scale of colored leaves of the Laurentian mountains. Maple leaves were coloured such as orange, yellow and red. Those colourful scenery spreaded all directions! We lost our words. We were captivated by the beauty of the maple trees of the Laurentian mountains.
The scenery was too beautiful from each angle and that made us to take photos at every moment. As a result, we took a lot of pictures.　:-)
After our excitement calmed down, we finally could enjoy the autumn colour quietly. The cruise was very calm, tranquil, relaxing and peaceful. We felt like that time stopped at that moment.

On the way to go back to Montreal, the tour bus stopped by Saint Sauveur village. We had a little bit of free time there so we walked around the town.
There was a beautiful Catholic church called "Paroisse St-Sauver" in Saint Sauveur village. The shops and houses in the town were decorated with Halloween goods, so we could enjoy the autumn more.
Saint Sauveur was very pretty town. Saint Sauveur has full of autumn colors.
We could also enjoy the peaceful time in Saint Sauveur. 

We really enjoyed the splendid and colourful Laurentian mountains. We had calm, relaxing and beautiful time in Laurentians, Quebec!


Information

The tour Tomo&Chouchou joined through the tourist information in Montreal.
The Autumn colours tour of the Laurentian mountains - Excursions

The boat cruise in Laurentians（50 - 90 minutes）
Croisières Alouette - Ste-Agathe-des-Monts, Laurentides
http://croisierealouette.com/en  (English or French)

Flåm in Norway

Bergen

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( By train "Bergen Express" )

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Voss

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( By bus )

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Gudvangen

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( By Ferry )

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 Flåm

 

The Flåm station

Cruise ships stop just beside the Flåm station.

 A big cruise ship goes through a narrow inlet "fjord".
 

We found someone who was making a wood sculpture in Flam village.

 

Episode of Flåm

To go to Flåm, we took a Bergen Express from Bergen to Voss, then we changed to the bus from Voss to Gudvangen, and then we took a ferry from Gudvangen to Flåm.
As soon as we arrive in Flåm, we found a big luxury cruise liner. Cruise ships were mooring just beside the Flåm station. We could see very big cruise ship went through a narrow inlet "fjord". It was worth to seeing it.

Flåm station is a starting point of the Flåm Line [=Norwegian: Flåmsbana].
So the dark-green train of mountain railway "Flåm Line" was stopped on the railroad.
Flåm is a small peaceful village at the inner end of the Aurlandsfjorden.

There are the large green nature and very clear river in Flåm.

We found someone who was making a wood sculpture in Flåm village.

Tomo & Chouchou did mountain biking in Flåm valley. We could see the Flåm Church and Brekkefossen waterfall on the way. It was very tough to go up by bike because it was a steep and long slope. We made effort to go to the halfway point of the mountain. We could see the moment that Flåm Line [Flåmsbana] ran through the mountains at the halfway point.
We went down from the mountain and passed Flåm station, then we biked to the village called Aurland. That road was not a slope so it was easier than mountain roads.  Anyway we biked 8 km from Flåm to Aurland, and we went back the same road. So we were tired after biking.

Tomo & Chouchou stayed in the camping site in Flåm.

Flåm was a good place to enjoy mountain biking and watching fjord & cruise liners, we think.

Relating articles

* Lysefjord hiking

* Bergen

Hakone in Kanagawa, Japan

<<Owakudani>> 

aerial lift "Hakone Ropeway" [Japanese: 箱根ロープウェー]

to go to Owakudani [Japanese: 大涌谷]

 

Mt.Fuji* from the window of Hakone Ropeway

*Mt.Fuji is the highest mountains in Japan and world heritage.

volcanic valley "Owakudani"[Japanese: Ōwakudani; 大涌谷].

the specialty of Owakudani "Kuro Tamago"(=black egg) 

 

Eggs become black naturally after boiling in the hot springs for one hour.

"Eating black egg" is said "to increase longevity".
"Eating one black egg" is said "to add seven years to your life".
 

They sell warm Kuro-Tamago [Japanese: 黒たまご] 

in the special paper bag.

  

 

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<< Lake Ashinoko>>

Hakone sightseeing cruise [Japanese: 箱根海賊船] 

in Lake Ashi [Japanese: Ashinoko; 芦ノ湖]

 
The boat goes between Hakonemachi [Japanese: 箱根町] 

and Togendai [Japanese: 桃源台].
 We can choose single cruise or return cruise.
 

 

Episode of Hakone [箱根]

Onsen (=Hot springs) is the best in winter! So, Tomo&Chouchou went to Hakone for enjoying hot springs.
Hakone onsen [Japanese: 箱根温泉] is located in Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo district in Kanagawa prefecture [神奈川県足柄下郡箱根町]. Tomo&Chouchou stayed in Hakone Yumoto onsen [Japanese: 箱根湯本温泉] where was the entrance of Hakone hot spring resorts. Hakone Yumoto Onsen was located close to the Hakone Yumoto station [Japanese: 箱根湯本駅] of Hakone Tozan Tetsudō (=the Hakone Tozan Railway)[Japanese: 箱根登山鉄道]. So it was very convenient.
Hakone Yumoto hot spring is effective for neuralgia, arthralgia and poor blood circulation. The hot spring water was transparant. The skin became smooth.
 mous spot to see Mt.Fuji.

We also enjoyed sightseeing in Hakone. Owakudani [大涌谷] is a famous place in Hakone. So we decided to go there. We took Hakone Tozan Railway at Hakone Yumoto station to Gora station [Japanese: 強羅駅]. Then we took aerial lift "Hakone Ropeway [箱根ロープウェイ]” to Owakudani. While going up by the ropeway, we could enjoy the view from the window. When we looked down Owakudani from the lift, we could see the wideness of Owakudani. We could also see volcanic smoke. We could understood it was still active. We could luckily see Mt.Fuji from the ropeway.
As soon as we arrived at Owakudani, we smelled sulfur strongly. We could feel the power of the nature a lot. To get the energy from the nature, we bought the famous specialty of Ōwakudani "Kuro Tamago" (=black egg) there. The staff boils eggs in the hot springs. We could buy warm black eggs there. They gave the salt for Kuro Tamago. We tasted Kuro-Tamago at Owakdani. It was good! We felt our life was extended. :-)
We went down from Owakudani to Togendai station by Hakone Ropeway.
Hakone sightseeing cruise in Ashinoko (=Lake Ashi) is also popular sightseeing spot in Hakone. So we went to Togendai port [Togendai-ko; 桃源台港]to take a ship. We bought the single cruise tickets. We enjoyed Lake Ashinoko. It was the peaceful cruise. The ship was very beautiful. It was enjoyable and relaxing cruise. We got off the ship at Hakonemachi port [Hakonemachi-ko; 箱根町港].

Then we visited Hakone Sekisho [Japanese: 箱根関所]. We experienced Old Japan there. 

Hakone was full of things to see. We really enjoyed Hakone!

 

Travel information
Access to Hakone,
by Romancecar (Odakyu Electric Railway) [小田急電鉄 ロマンスカー]
by Hakone Tozan bus or Izu Hakone bus [箱根登山バス or 伊豆箱根バス]
by Hakone Tozan Railway [箱根登山鉄道]

Reference
Hakone Tozen Railway [箱根登山鉄道]
Odawara station - Hakone yumoto station [箱根湯本駅] : one-way fare 300yen
Odawara station [小田原駅] - Gōra station [強羅駅] : one- way fare 650yen
Hakone yumoto station - Gōra station: one-way fare 390yen  (2013.March)

Hakone Tozan Cable Car [箱根登山ケーブルカー]
Gōra station - Sounzan station [早雲山駅] : fare (one-way) 410yen  (2013.March)

Hakone Ropeway [箱根登山ロープウェイ]
Sounzan station - Owakudani station [大涌谷駅] (about 8min.) :
one-way fare 820yen,  round trip fare 1470yen

Sounzan station - Togendai station [桃源台駅] (about 25min.):
one-way fare 1330yen round trip fare 2340yen

Owakudani station - Togendai station (about 16min.)
one-way fare 1020yen round trip fare 1830yen  (2013.March)

cf1) To go to Owakudani by car is very crowded. Ropeway is recommended.
cf2) Togendai is close to Lake Ashi (Ashinoko).
Togendai is accessible to Hakone sightseeing cruise (=Hakone Kaizoku sen).

Hakone Sightseeing Cruise (=Hakone Kaizoku Sen; 箱根海賊船)
Togendai port [桃源台港]- Moto-Hakone port [元箱根港] (30min.):
one way fare 970yen round trip 1780yen
Togendai port - Hakone-machi port [箱根町港] (30min.):
one way fare 970yen round trip 1780yen..... (2013.March)
time table: every 40 or 50 min.

Hakone Freepass
2 days pass (from Shinjyuku station): adult 5000yen child 1500yen
3 days pass (from Shinjyuku station): adult 5500yen child 1750yen..(2013.March)

Hakone Freepass is very convenient and profitable to go around Hakone.

Round trip of Odakyu Line + free ride of 8 transportation + discount
With Hakone Freepass, you can freely get on and off as often as you want as follows;
* Hakone Tozan Railway  * Hakone Tozan Cable Car  
* Hakone Ropeway  * Hakone Sightseeing Cruise etc...
You will also get discounts with Hakone Freepass at over 50 facilities
such as hot springs, restaurants, shopping, museums and so on.

Purchase Hakone Freepass at each station of Odakyu Line,
some station of hakone tozan railway or big travel agencies such as
JTB, KNT, Nippon Travel Agency.

＊In 2019, Mt.Hakone was very active. In 2020, Hakone was damaged by typhoon. In 2020, Owakudani area was damaged by heavy rain. So please check the latest condition before going to Hakone.