Testimonials

The Baie Sainte-Marie Fondo is a destination event that will not disappoint, whether you are a veteran cyclist or a first timer. From the moment you arrive in the community, the warm Acadian culture and salty air embrace you and make you feel welcome. Shop owners and locals are all welcoming, and the organizing committee is well prepared. Check-in is efficient, and the day of the event is filled with enthusiasm and support from volunteers and families along the route. The finish line makes everyone feel like a champion, and the community meal is served with a smile to ensure you consider a return visit to this gem of a community. Clare and district, thanks for the hospitality - I will be back along with a peleton of my cycling friends.

I’d heard about this event years ago and finally got the chance to ride it – and it exceeded every expectation. From the seamless organization to the incredible support from residents cheering us on along the beautiful route, every detail was spot on. And the lobster - so sweet. So glad I finally made it!

The Gran Fondo Baie Sainte-Marie was an incredible experience. The event was so well organized, the scenery along the route was absolutely spectacular, and the post-race food was excellent. What stood out most for me was the warmth and enthusiasm of the community — I was amazed at how many local families, of all ages, were out cheering and waving as we rode by. Their energy made the ride even more memorable. I can’t wait to come back!

2025 was my first year taking part in the Fondo. It was an exceptionally well planned out event with every detail taken care of. The community support was outstanding and made it all that more memorable. There was just a really great energy with everyone involved. Highly recommend adding it to your list of cycling trips, you won’t be disappointed.

The Baie Sainte-Marie Gran Fondo is both a serious cycling event and one of the nicest, most community focused events I've ever attended. Words fail when you try and describe the warm welcome we get from residents, volunteers, and organizers. We can't wait to come back for our fourth time.

An excellent scenic ride with a wonderful atmosphere, from the ride coordinators to the many local residents cheering the riders on. Acadian flags everywhere! And of course, finishing it off with a lobster dinner was great!

Well, we did it! Completed Atlantic Canadas largest bike ride! Baie Sainte-Marie Gran Fonda takes place on the French Coast of Nova Scotia, deep in the heart of l’Acadie! To say the route is hilly is an understatement! Rare are the flat surfaces in this Fondo. You’re either peddling uphill or down, rarely in between. And once you complete an ascent, there’s usually a short descent and before you know it, another hill to climb! But you may not notice the frequent ascents if you take a moment to check out the surroundings. Wow, wow and wow! Some of the ocean vistas are drop dead gorgeous, so much so, you may not hear your legs screaming HELP from the burn! And the organizers have this event down to a science. I started the 67km route precisely at 8:45AM as per the schedule. And volunteers are positioned at every junction point, so you can’t take a wrong turn! And as an added bonus, they must observe your progress with the chip timer, cause when I crossed the finish line 3 hours later, you clearly hear: Guy Sauvé from Île Perrot, Québec over the PA system! Nice touch! The icing on the cake of course is at the end of the ride, a lobster feast that can’t be beat with all the trimmings: potato salad, coleslaw, bread and a fresh baked cookie for desert! Loved it! If you’re a cyclist you won’t be disappointed by this Fondo! You have a choice of the Gran, Medio or Piccolo Fondo with distances of 128kms, 67kms or 37kms respectively. So something for everyone! We loved this experience, and you can’t beat the naturally welcoming character of the Acadian people. They are a proud, persistent, and have a never give up attitude. And they’re so grateful when you visit their region. Needless to say other things like fresh seafood and regional delicacies may also attract you here! Of course there’s the lobster, but also the dried fish, haddock and a local favourite rappie pie! Now this was a first for me! Rappie pie is a traditional Acadian dish, casserole like, made with grated potatoes, onions, broth and chicken, beef or pork base. The broth boiled potatoes transform into a gelatine like texture with a crusty edge, that has you wanting for more! Love it! We’re so enjoying the area, the Fondo and the welcoming experience, a repeat visit for next year is in the works! If only to sample the rappie pie, it would be worth a return trip!

My wife and I travelled from Prince Edward Island for our first ever Fondo. We would highly recommend the event! It was excellent! The course was beautiful, well marked, and lots of people cheering! Scenery was beautiful. The volunteers and mascot were awesome. The event was really well run, registration and swag pick up, the start/finish, the post event meal-all top notch! Can’t wait till next year!

The Gran Fondo Baie Sainte Marie is a terrific event! The setting along the water in Clare is beautiful and the route was fun to ride while also providing some challenging ascents. The Organizers run a smooth operation with plenty of volunteers and a very fun Lobster Dinner post-ride. The hospitality of the community is incredible! We traveled a long way to be part of this ride and are so happy to have been there - it was excellent! 5 stars to this group!

I love the Gran Fondo Baie Sainte-Marie! After I participated a few years ago (pre-Covid) I knew I would be back. This year, I convinced several of my cycling friends from Connecticut (CT) to join me. We had a wonderful and memorable journey up the coast and across the border. New Brunswick and Nova Scotia feel worlds away from southern New England: the expansive views, scenery, clean air, clear water along with the culture and history of the Acadian region - just spectacular. Everything about the event makes for a unique experience from start to finish, and we were fortunate to have perfect weather. To all the volunteers and everyone involved: Merci beaucoup!

Really enjoyable event for both professional and fun riders alike. Best lobster meal going for the price of the event. Can’t say enough about the volunteers from what I saw were just as excited as I was to participate. Lucked out on the weather making the scenery with coastal and forested sections a joy to roll by. I’ll certainly block this time for next year.

Look forward to this event every year! Love the region, the people and the atmosphere of fun and fellowship!

Challenging routes with beautiful scenery surrounded by Acadian culture and wonderful people. A must do bucket list event for cyclists.

This is an incredibly well-organized event! The ride itself is just challenging enough at every distance chosen. The encouraging spectating families and local people all along the route were much appreciated! Great organization, great ride, beautiful location, decent roads, great rest stations, and great food. Any level of cyclist should and would enjoy this Fondo.

This was on my bucket list for years. Finally completed the 128 km. Route was beautiful, challenging, and the organizing committee and volunteers went out of their way to make it a top-notch event! Thank you, I’ll be back!

This is the best Fondo. So well organized and the community welcomes you with open arms. Had the best time and can’t wait to come back next year!

Gran Fondo Baie Sainte-Marie is spectacular! Wonderful people, great course, well managed, beautiful setting and the Lobster, wow!

Truly well-organized concept and event. Iconic views and great route. After 60 years of visiting Nova Scotia in the summer, it was a unique experience and really fun. I look forward to next year. Many thanks to those who invest the time and energy in organizing the ride and related activities. Really brings some excitement to the community.

Gran Fondo Baie Sainte-Marie is an impressive organization that rivals any big event that we have done in Quebec. Tour de Iles Montreal, Défilé Métropolitain, Vélo Mag Eastern Townships Challenge are also events that we regularly take part in that are on the same level of organization. Bravo to everyone, from Clare, who worked on this.

A wonderful world class experience: beautiful scenery, friendly volunteers and a delicious lobster feast!

The GFBSM was a well organized and fun event! The route was challenging, and the scenery was awesome! Great, friendly people, wonderful volunteers and the lobster lunch was fantastic!

Great event, probably the best organized of all the rides in Atlantic Canada. Tremendous community involvement and participation.

I've done this event every year since inception, I keep coming back because of several factors: The organization and running of the actual event is flawless. There are LOTS of participants The volunteers are superb, the meal is very well thought out and delicious. Jerseys are always a great design. Community participation along the route is very encouraging.