Trois-Rivieres Old Town

The Second Oldest Town In Quebec, Founded In 1634, With A Small Old Quarter Of 18th Century Houses, The Ursuline Convent And The Museum Of Quebec Culture. Nearby Are The Vieilles Forges Du Saint Maurice National Historic Site, An 18th Century Ironworks, And The Sanctuaire Of Cap De La Madeleine. A Quiet Stop Between The Big Cities. · Trois-Rivieres, Quebec

Trois-Rivieres is the second-oldest town in Quebec, founded in 1634, and its old quarter sits on the north shore of the St Lawrence where the Saint-Maurice River meets the big river. It is small. A few streets of 18th-century houses, the area around the Rue des Ursulines and the Ursuline convent, the Museum of Quebec Culture and a riverfront promenade make up the heart of it, and you can see the lot in two or three hours. Nearby are the Vieilles Forges du Saint-Maurice National Historic Site, an 18th-century ironworks (confirm season), and the Sanctuaire Notre-Dame-du-Cap, a pilgrimage church just outside town. The city is French-speaking, and in summer it hosts festivals and Grand Prix events that fill the streets and hotels, so confirm dates. It suits travellers driving between Montreal and Quebec City, each about 1.5 hours away, who want a quiet stop rather than a headline destination. Expect calm streets, not crowds, outside event weekends.

Old quarter on the north shore of the St Lawrence at the mouth of the Saint-Maurice River, midway between Montreal and Quebec City, with the Rue des Ursulines, the Museum of Quebec Culture and the riverfront, Trois-Rivieres, Quebec, Canada

The old town is an open street area with no gate, so you can walk it at any hour, but the individual sites keep their own hours. The Museum of Quebec Culture and the Ursuline buildings usually open on set days with shorter winter hours and may close one or two days a week, so confirm before you go. Cafes and restaurants are busiest at lunch and in the evening, and some close early on weekdays outside summer. The Vieilles Forges du Saint-Maurice site and the Sanctuaire Notre-Dame-du-Cap follow their own seasonal calendars, with the ironworks often open only in the warmer months. During festival and Grand Prix weekends, streets can be closed to traffic and parking is hard. Check each site and event listing before you travel.

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