Wow....that's a lot of questions to answer......but being a very proud Quebecker, I'll try to answer some of them. All this depends on how much time you have. Doing Montreal, Quebec City, and the Gaspé Peninsula would require at least a month in my books. Bicycle trails in and around the Montreal area are abundant. They're relatively safe, very picturesque, but to really appreciate them, you're adding on more time to your trip. If you want to head to Quebec City first and Montreal on your way back, I would suggest taking a day trip to the Charlevoix region when you're doing the Quebec City thing. This is on the north shore of the St. Lawrence. It's very mountainous, and the river views are spectacular. The more I think of it, I would save the Gaspé for a whole other trip. If possible I would try and hit Montreal during either the Jazz Fest, or the Just For Laughs Fest. Montreal (my home town) really rocks during the summer. As far as your 'American French' I wouldn't worry about it. My experience is, if you make an effort, the Quebecois people respect that very much, and will look at you in a whole different light. We realize how important the tourists are to our livelihood and welcome outsiders with open arms, especially if you're willing to try to speak the language. I hope this helps.

Gary B in Montreal