Tourism in Mauricie facts for kids

The Mauricie region in Quebec, Canada, is a super popular place for visitors! Every year, about 1.2 to 1.5 million people come to explore its beautiful sights. They spend millions of nights here and enjoy all the fun things to do. Most visitors are from Quebec, but many also come from other parts of Canada and the United States.

Discovering the Mauricie Region

The Mauricie region is huge, covering about 40,000 square kilometers! It's mostly covered in boreal forest with lots of lakes and rivers, all connected by the main Saint-Maurice River. This means it's a perfect spot for nature lovers and outdoor adventures.

One of the oldest cities in Quebec, Trois-Rivières, is located here. It was founded way back in 1634 and was the second-largest city in New France. The region has a rich history, from fur trading to forestry and big industries. So, Mauricie is also known for its amazing history and culture.

Mauricie is one of Quebec's 22 special tourist areas. It's located between Montreal and Quebec City. The region is divided into six smaller areas: Trois-Rivières, Shawinigan, La Tuque, Maskinongé, Les Chenaux Regional County Municipality, and Mekinac Regional County Municipality. In total, there are 42 towns and 7 special territories for visitors to explore.

The region gets its name from the Saint-Maurice River, which flows all the way from the north down to the Saint Lawrence River.

Mauricie Tourism Organization

"Mauricie Tourism" is the official group that helps make the region a great place for visitors. They work to develop and improve all the fun things to do and see. It's a non-profit group, and their main goal is to tell everyone about the wonderful experiences Mauricie offers.

A Look Back: History of Tourism

Tourism in Mauricie has a long and interesting history! Back in 1634, Samuel de Champlain sent a person named Sieur de Laviolette to build a new fort. This fort was also a place where people traded furs. The name "Mauricie" was first used in 1933 by Bishop Albert Tessier. Before that, people just called it the Saint-Maurice Valley.

People have been visiting Mauricie for a very long time. Imagine traveling from France to Quebec in 1671! It was a big adventure back then.

In the 1700s, people in Mauricie were known for being very welcoming. Travelers on the Chemin du Roy (King's Road), which was the first major road in the area, always felt at home. A Swedish traveler named Pehr Kalm wrote in 1749 that people in Canada were incredibly polite and welcoming. Later, in 1796, an Irish traveler named Isaac Weld said that the inns along the Chemin du Roy were the best in all of North America.

In 1760, a British magazine even showed a beautiful picture of Trois-Rivières, talking about its lovely location and friendly people. This was like one of the first travel ads for the area! By 1825, travel guides were already talking about the amazing Shawinigan Falls. An unfinished hotel was even built there in 1858 to attract American tourists.

Later, a place called Saint-Léon became famous for health tourism, with a huge hotel that had 154 rooms! Rich families from Canada and the United States would come to relax and enjoy the area.

Mauricie's forests have always attracted hunters and fishermen. Famous visitors, like the family of John F. Kennedy, even came to private hunting clubs here. These clubs later became ZECs (controlled hunting zones), Quebec Wildlife Reserves, and outfitters, including the famous La Mauricie National Park.

For religious visitors, the Notre-Dame-du-Cap Basilica became a popular pilgrimage site after a miracle in 1888. Another site, the replica of the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem at Saint-Élie-de-Caxton, also attracted many religious tourists. Buses from the United States and other parts of Canada would visit these special places.

By 1936, Mauricie was already a very popular spot. Today, it's still one of the busiest tourist areas in Quebec. In 2010, over 1.5 million tourists visited, spending a lot of money and helping the local economy. The region is still loved for its natural beauty, cultural sites, and exciting adventure tourism.

Mauricie's Tourist Areas

The Mauricie region is divided into six main tourist areas. These areas match the three big cities and three regional county municipalities.

Trois-Rivières

The city of Trois-Rivières includes six former towns that joined together in 2002. These are Sainte-Marthe-du-Cap, Cap-de-la-Madeleine, Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières-Ouest, Pointe-du-Lac, and Saint-Louis-de-France.

Shawinigan

The city of Shawinigan also grew in 2002 by combining eight former towns. These include Shawinigan, Shawinigan-Sud, Lac-à-la-Tortue, Saint-Georges, Saint-Gérard-des-Laurentides, Saint-Jean-des-Piles, and Grand-Mère, which already included Sainte-Flore.

La Tuque Agglomeration

The La Tuque (urban agglomeration) was formed in 2006. It includes the city of La Tuque, the towns of La Bostonnais and Lac-Édouard, and three Indian reserves: Coucoucache, Obedjiwan, and Wemotaci.

The city of La Tuque itself is made up of three former towns and eight unorganized territories that merged in 2002 and 2006.

Les Chenaux

The Les Chenaux tourist area is the same as the regional county municipality of the same name. It has ten towns: Batiscan, Champlain, Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel, Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade, Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan, Saint-Luc-de-Vincennes, Saint-Maurice, Saint-Narcisse, Saint-Prosper, and Saint-Stanislas.

Maskinongé

The Maskinongé tourist area is also the same as its regional county municipality. It has seventeen towns: Charette, Louiseville, Maskinongé, Saint-Alexis-des-Monts, Saint-Barnabé, Saint-Boniface, Sainte-Angèle-de-Prémont, Saint-Édouard-de-Maskinongé, Saint-Élie-de-Caxton, Saint-Étienne-des-Grès, Sainte-Ursule, Saint-Justin, Saint-Léon-le-Grand, Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc, Saint-Paulin, Saint-Séverin, and Yamachiche.

Mekinac

The Mekinac tourist area is the same as its regional county municipality. It includes ten towns and four unorganized territories: Grandes-Piles, Hérouxville, Lac-aux-Sables, Lac-Boulé (unorganized territory), Lac-Masketsi (unorganized territory), Lac-Normand (unorganized territory), Notre-Dame-de-Montauban, Rivière-de-la-Savane (unorganized territory), Saint-Adelphe, Sainte-Thècle, Saint-Roch-de-Mékinac, Saint-Séverin, Saint-Tite, and Trois-Rives.

What Mauricie Offers

Mauricie has many different types of places for tourists to enjoy. Here's a quick look at some of them:

Top Attractions to See

Museums and Exhibition Centers

• Borealis, a history center about paper making
• Quebec Museum of Popular Culture
  • Old Prison of Trois-Rivières

Parks and Historic Sites

• Forges du Saint-Maurice National Historic Site of Canada
• Melville Island Park
• La Mauricie National Park
• Mastigouche Wildlife Reserve
• Saint-Maurice Wildlife Reserve
• Batiscan River Park

Lodges and Cottages

• Outfitter White Lake
• Hotel Sacacomie, Saint-Alexis-des-Monts
• Auberge Le Baluchon, Saint-Paulin
• Lordship of Triton, La Tuque
• Outfitter Club Odanak, Lac Castor, La Tuque
• Auberge Le Flores, Shawinigan
• Sugar Shack Chez Dany, Trois-Rivières

Famous Buildings

• Notre-Dame-du-Cap Basilica, in Trois-Rivières (Cap-de-la-Madeleine area)
• La Cité de l'Énergie (Energy City) in Shawinigan

Fun Activities

• Mattawin Adventure Centre, Trois-Rives
• Ice Fishing of Chenaux fishes, Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade

Exciting Events

• Festival International de Danse Encore (International Dance Festival), Trois-Rivières
• Grand Prix Automobile de Trois-Rivières (Car Race)
• Festival Western de Saint-Tite (Western Festival)
• Festival International de la Poésie (International Poetry Festival), Trois-Rivières
• Le FestiVoix de Trois-Rivières (Music Festival)
• Le Rendez-vous des peintres de Sainte-Flore (Painters' Meeting), Shawinigan

Tourist Routes to Explore

Two main routes are great for exploring Mauricie. The first is Chemin du Roi (King's Road), also known as Route 138. This was the first paved road in Canada and connects Quebec City and Montreal along the Saint Lawrence River. The second is the Route des Rivières, which highlights the many rivers, especially the Saint-Maurice River, and all the attractions along their banks.

Farm Fun: Agritourism

In Mauricie, there are over 100 farms and businesses that offer special experiences for visitors. You can visit farms, maple syrup producers, food shops, breweries, and gardens. Many places let you pick your own fruits or vegetables. You can also see different animals like goats, bison, wild boar, and deer. Some places offer local Mauricie products like cheeses, drinks, and meats.

Here are a few examples:

• Baker François Guay Inc, Trois-Rivières (Pointe-du-Lac area)
• Boutique Gourmande Amalthea, La Tuque
• Sugar Shack Chez Dany, Trois-Rivières
• Chèvrerie and Boutique Angélaine, Bécancour

Where to Stay

Mauricie has many different types of places for you to stay during your visit:

• Tourist homes, cottages, condos, studios (88 places)
• Outfitters (73 places)
• Hotels (68 places)
• Bed and breakfasts (63 places)
• Campgrounds (47 places)
• Holiday Centers (13 places)
• Unique accommodations (9 places)
• Youth Hostels (3 places)

Getting Around and Getting Help

Welcome and Information Centers

Tourism Mauricie has 4 offices open all year and 9 offices open during certain seasons to help visitors.

Permanent offices:

• Culture and Tourism Corporation Grand-Mère
• Tourism Committee of Saint-Alexis-des-Monts
• Tourism Trois-Rivières
• Tourist Information Office (TIO) Les Chenaux

Seasonal offices:

• Maskinongé
• Tourism Corporation Batiscan
• ILO CLD Shawinigan
• Tourist Office (TAO) Saint-Élie-de-Caxton
• Tourist information station (RIT) Louiseville, Parc des Ursulines
• RIT Saint-Édouard
• RIT Saint-Mathieu
• RIT Saint-Paulin
• Tourism Haut-Saint-Maurice, La Tuque

How to Get to Mauricie

You can reach Mauricie in several ways:

• By Air: For non-commercial flights.
• By Bus: There are 13 Orléans Express bus stops.
• By Car: Use highways 40 and 55, or roads 138, 153, 155, 157, and 159.
• By Train: Via Rail Canada has stations in La Tuque and Shawinigan.