Eudoxie on a road trip in Canada

Last November’Canadian tourism office They stumbled upon our road trip in Sardinia, which we had organized with Splitchain. That's where they got the idea to offer us a mission: to come to Canada, more specifically to the southwestern part of the country, and inspire French people to go there by motorcycle, to discover its magnificent roads, landscapes, and activities. From there, the tourism office arranged for us to meet in Vancouver. On the agenda? A week-long road trip on Harley Davidsons. Here, we recount our adventure and share our best tips.

DAY 1

Road trip in Canada – THE ARRIVAL

After a 10-hour direct Air France flight from Paris, during which the landscapes unfolded one after another through the Airbus window, from the Greenland ice floes to the endless North Atlantic, we landed in Vancouver. Nicknamed "The Glass City," it certainly lives up to its name. A modern, dynamic, and cosmopolitan city, the Eldorado of the West Coast with its seemingly endless skyscrapers. The first thing we noticed upon arriving in the city was that we were surrounded by Asian restaurants on every corner; it's true that Asia isn't so far away on this side of the globe! On the roads, the XXL Canadian pickup trucks are supercharged! They're huge and enormous; a French car would be considered a microcar here! Fast & Furious-style Mustangs and Ferraris are also a common sight. Our hotel It has an 80s motel feel, pastel colors, a patio with palm trees, right in the heart of downtown; we quickly realize it's unique. The city is stunning, clean, and so modern. Strolling through the streets, we come face to face with a police officer on a Harley Davison who offers to take pictures of us on his motorcycle.

A little preview of what awaited us the next day, when we picked up our rental bikes. His motorcycle was stunning, black and white with lights everywhere, a real carnival attraction. He was lovely; we talked about motorcycles and explained why we'd come to his town.

Eudoxie Road Trip Canada

To combat the 9-hour time difference and keep us going until evening, the tourist office has concocted something for us. a boat trip on the port. Over there, there's a constant ballet of seaplanes landing and taking off: You just want to discover the country from this point of view!

The day will end with a cold beer at one of their microbreweries and dinner at 6 pm (local mealtimes there) before heading to the best diner in town for an unforgettable American-style burger and milkshake! The goal: to be in good shape the next day to recover and fuel the rest of the day.

DAY 2

Full throttle on the roads of Western Canada

Waking up at 6:30 a.m., partly due to jet lag, but also because of the police (or fire?) sirens echoing through the streets in the distance. After a morning spent exploring the city, we're bursting with excitement to discover the motorcycles we'll be assigned. This road trip will be on Harleys! Let's go! Eagle Rider, On the other side of Vancouver, you'll find the world's largest motorcycle rental company, with a strong presence in Western America. We're greeted with big smiles; it seems they're not used to seeing so many women riding such impressive machines. It's true that during the road trip, we realize that most of the few women we encounter on motorcycles are passengers. Without hesitation, we hop on. our jackets Eudoxie basking in the sun, it's time to get our hands on the motorcycles. They're quite imposing and heavy, and the parking lot is a bit sloped, so it's time for us to tame them. Mission accomplished! So, the four of us set off on… a Road Glide, a Street Glide, a Heritage Softail, and a Road King. If that doesn't get us ready for an epic road trip! First step: The office has booked us a private tour a few kilometers away, at a dealership that also serves as… motorcycle museum, And it's the 4th oldest dealership in the world, no less! You'll discover true marvels there, better preserved than works of art, and some over 100 years old. You might even get the chance to see Schwarzenegger's or Indiana Jones's motorcycle. After cruising through incredible roads at sunset, a wonderful surprise awaits. What's on the agenda tonight? Night in a tipi Maximum comfort with a jacuzzi by a river, no less! We're starting to understand that All Ways on Wheels, the travel agency who took care of all the organization really pampered us, can't wait to discover what's next!

eudoxie road trip in canada

DAY 3

Canadian immersion

Eudoxie Roadtrip Canada

Day 3 wake-up. We felt like we were in a dream all night. A railway with freight trains lulled us to sleep, making it hard to tell if we were dreaming or real. The surroundings are simply incredible, with dense forests and abundant wildlife. Before going to bed the night before, we were told to leave NO food outside the tipi to avoid bears or grizzlies... Quite a change from our stray cats! Ready to go, we left Hope and headed towards Lillooet. This time, the tourist office arranged for us to meet a young Indigenous woman near a river. She would teach us about the history of the reserves and tribes, as well as wild salmon fishing, a traditional activity in Canada. It's pretty amazing to find ourselves so immersed in this country. 200 km later, having arrived in the small town of Lillooet, we spotted a souped-up Volkswagen Beetle at a gas station. It was quite improbable, since the town is a sort of reservation, almost straight out of a cowboy comic. The two drivers, who had come from Vancouver, approached us and told us they would be at the Vic Bar that evening to play a concert. Finding them wasn't too difficult; it seemed to be the only one in town. We arranged to meet, and at 9 pm, the group headed to this sort of saloon. It was empty; we were the only audience for "Baby Harry." Only an old man playing Keno and eager for a game of pool was there. They were all smiles, though, and asked us about our trip over our buckets of beer. Personally, I was envious of the singer's cowboy boots!

DAY 4

our dose of thrills

Let's get ready for more breathtaking scenery. After a restless night in a sort of motel, we hit the road towards Whistler, one of the largest ski resorts in North America. A legendary place renowned for skiing and snowboarding in the winter, but also the downhill mountain biking capital in the summer.

To get there, you travel through desert landscapes with straight roads stretching as far as the eye can see and past turquoise mountain lakes. I get chills just thinking about it. For that day, the tourist office had a big surprise in store for us as soon as we arrived at the station: From the zipline. But what is it? A zipline is a kind of zip line, and this one happens to be the longest and highest in North America, no less. During our chairlift ride up, we even had the chance to see a black bear, which was incredible for us as tourists. Once we got to the top, we rushed to tell our guide, "Wow, we saw a bear right there!" His immediate response was, "Cool, there was one in my backyard last week." Oh really… That's the Canadian spirit! As the departure approached, the team split up; some were thrilled about the activity, others a little more anxious… I was in the second category—we were really, really high up!… The departure was impressive; it's never easy to throw yourself into the void, but the 1.5km descent at over 100km/h above a valley with breathtaking mountain views was truly exhilarating! It was an incredible experience!

After this unique experience, and with night already fallen, it's our taste buds that will take a beating: A table is reserved for us at Bearfoot Bistro, An incredible gourmet restaurant. There, we'll have the opportunity to visit their wine cellar, filled with numerous French bottles, the most expensive of which costs a whopping $28,000. We'll also learn how to saber champagne, and between the delicious dishes and the succession of courses, we'll taste a whisky with maple syrup. No after-dinner drinks here! Without hesitation, we're whisked away, bundled up in heavy coats, and enter an ice bar, a bar at -32°C covered in ice from floor to ceiling (as the name suggests), where we sip vodka that becomes syrupy at that temperature… A wonderful evening of celebration at a must-visit spot!

DAY 5

Who run the world? Girls.

The next day, the sky was hazy, just like our minds! But it was time to hit the road again despite the rain. We had to return the motorcycles in Vancouver before the end of the day, and we still had a long way to go. Team Eudoxie and I donned our rain gear: Efficiency 1 – Style 0. Luckily, the sky cleared just as we reached the Sea to Sky Highway, the most beautiful road in North America. We found ourselves on the edge of a vast lake, which turned out to be a Pacific fjord! Once again, the scenery was breathtaking, and the fog made it even more incredible. Back in Vancouver and at Eaglerider, it was time for us to say goodbye to these nearly 400 kg motorcycles, which had been faithful companions on this almost 900 km loop. As a side note, on the way back, we ended up chatting with two bikers who turned out to be the drivers for Beyoncé's tour, which was in Vancouver that very evening! In our wildest dreams, we would have gone there, but instead we headed to Granville Island to explore a neighborhood showcasing Indigenous crafts, then strolled along the marina to a local brewery. False Creek Craft Beer Market, A typical place with countless beers. A touch of nostalgia as we returned to our hotel, our last night in this magnificent country.

DAY 6

the icing on the cake

Time to head home! We buy a few souvenirs at the airport, including an articulated teddy bear, which will be our new mascot, Jacky! And as if this crazy road trip wasn't enough, the grand finale is on the flight home… Mid-flight, one of us opens her window shade and there… the Northern Lights stretching as far as the eye can see. A sky of ever-changing colors. A perfect ending! Thanks again to Destination Canada for introducing us to this country that has captivated us all at 100%!

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PS: And if you have a motorcycle, tell us the model in the comments! We looooove knowing which bikes are part of the EUDOXIE team!

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