We had to have our last breakfast in Quebec at Le Hobbit of course. We'd like to tell you that our French had improved but Dave didn't hear/process at all when the waiter asked 'combien personne?' and Jill heard 'comment allez-vous?' and got a puzzled look when that's what she replied to that! Then it was off to Ertz (as pronounced locally) to pick up the hire car. Ertz were charging us lots as we were not returning the car to Quebec and we were leaving it across the US border in Maine. We were surprised therefore to be handed the keys to a US car they wanted returning to the USA and of course no hire charge reduction was offered! A win for Ertz then who do have us over a barrel as they were the only company we could find that would let us take a car into the US.

Anyway, off we went with Jill navigating us out of Quebec City with her usual aplomb. We were soon over the St. Lawrence and heading up the opposite side in a north-easterly direction. Rivière-du-Loup was the point at which we were to leave the St. Lawrence and turn inland so we made this our lunch stop. There was a gentle river-side path which allowed us to stretch our legs and the cafe at the end gave Dave the chance, at last, to try "poutine" - see the photo if you really want to know!

Inland we were quickly in rolling, forested hills with straight, largely empty roads. Another couple of hours drive and we made our stop-over at Grand Falls. We stayed at the quaintly named Maple Tourist Home which not surprisingly was, well quaint, and narrowly avoided a serious drenching as we watched a huge thunderstorm and downpour from our restaurant window.