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Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Saint-Tite-des-Caps
Base here 1–2 nights only if you are hiking the Sentier des Caps; otherwise pass through on Route 138 between Québec City and Baie-Saint-Paul.
Saint-Tite-des-Caps is a village of about 1,500 people on the north shore of the St. Lawrence, 52 km east of Québec City on Route 138. It is the main access point for the Sentier des Caps de Charlevoix, a 51 km cliff-top trail between Cap Tourmente and Petite-Rivière-Saint-François. There is no old town and no beach strip: the draw is the trail, the river views and the quiet. Most travellers see it in half a day; hikers stay one or two nights in a refuge or a gîte.
- Country
- Canada
- Best months
- Jun–Oct for hiking; Feb–Mar for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing
- Avoid
- Nov–Apr for the trail (ice, snow, some access closed); mid-Oct for the busiest fall weekends
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CAD
- Money
- Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget C$90–140 excl. bed · Mid C$140–220 excl. bed · High C$220+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Info-Santé (24 h health advice) 811
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
- Toilets
- Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | C$2.50–5 |
| Grocery sandwich or soup | C$8–15 |
| Restaurant main course | C$18–32 |
| Beer: draught in a bar / can at the grocery | C$7–10 / C$2.50–4 |
| Petrol, 1 litre | C$1.50–1.80 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | C$20–40 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YQB · Québec City Jean Lesage International
- About 50 min by car via Route 138; no direct public transport to the village.
Typical fares
- Intercar Québec City → Saint-Tite-des-Caps
- about C$15–25 one way, about 1 h (check)
- Taxi Québec City → village
- C$90–130 (check)
- Sentier des Caps access right
- about C$15 per person (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Route 138 runs through the village southwest to northeast; Route 360 comes in from Beaupré and Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges and ends at Route 138. There is no local bus: walk the village, drive or cycle for everything else. Intercar coaches stop at the Dépanneur des Caps, 300 route 138, on the Québec City–Baie-Comeau run. A car is the practical choice for the trailheads, the lake and the farms.
See and do
Known for
- Sentier des Caps de Charlevoix
- St. Lawrence River clifftop views
- Nature museum (Musée de la nature)
- Route 138 stop between Québec City and Charlevoix
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Reserve | Drive Route 138 southwest, about 15 km (9.3 mi)Drive Route 138 southwest, about 9.3 mi (15 km) | About 20 min |
| Mont-Sainte-Anne | Route 360 via Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, about 25 km (16 mi)Route 360 via Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, about 16 mi (25 km) | About 30 min |
| Baie-Saint-Paul | Route 138 northeast, about 40 km (25 mi)Route 138 northeast, about 25 mi (40 km) | About 35 min |
| Québec City | Route 138 southwest, about 52 km (32 mi)Route 138 southwest, about 32 mi (52 km) | About 40 min |
| Sault-au-Cochon | Trail access from the Sentier des Caps network | Varies by section |
Sleep
- Village centre (avenue Royale / Route 138)
- Gîtes, the grocery store, the restaurant and the trail reception within a short walk; best if you have no car.
- Lac Saint-Tite area (chemin du Curé / rue Ceinture du Lac)
- Chalets and lake swimming; about 3 km (1.9 mi) from the village, so you need a car.Chalets and lake swimming; about 1.9 mi (3 km) from the village, so you need a car.
- Route 138 north end (toward Saint-Joachim)
- A few gîtes and farm stays; quietest option, still on the bus line.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbon-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Mercimair-SEE |
| How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ?kom-BYEN sa KOOT |
| I would like a coffee, please | Un café, s'il vous plaîtun ka-FAY seel voo PLEH |
| Where is the trailhead? | Où est le départ du sentier ?oo eh luh day-PAR doo sahn-TYAY |
| Can I pay by card? | Est-ce que je peux payer par carte ?ess kuh zhuh puh pay-YAY par KART |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
- Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
- Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
- Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume
Scams and watch-outs
- No taxi rank and no rideshare coverage in the village; arrange your ride before you arrive.
- Cell signal is patchy on parts of the Sentier des Caps; download your map and trail info before you start.
- The trail is a one-way route with refuges: book access and any refuge bed online in advance, then validate at the Saint-Tite-des-Caps reception.
- Winter closes or reroutes sections; check trail status before setting out.
- Black flies and mosquitoes are heavy in June and July near the forest and the lake.
Very safe. The real risks are the trail itself (cliffs, weather changes, no cell signal), wildlife on the roads at dawn and dusk, and winter driving on Route 138.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Saint-Tite-des-Caps yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Sentier des Caps de Charlevoix
- St. Lawrence River clifftop views
- Nature museum (Musée de la nature)
- Route 138 stop between Québec City and Charlevoix
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Sentier des Caps de Charlevoix: www.sentierdescaps.com/
- Intercar: intercar.ca/
- Wikivoyage: Saint-Tite-des-Caps, revision 5314617 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5314617
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Saint-Tite-des-Caps
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies in the village; the US consulate general and most other missions are in Québec City or Montréal.
French is the everyday language here; a short bonjour before a question goes a long way.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/saint-tite-des-caps). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.