Sightseeing in Lanaudiere

The region of Lanaudiere is situated between the Saint Lawrence River and the Laurentian massif, between Mauricie and the Laurentians. Lanaudiere attracts a good deal of interest from vacationers due to its unique character founded largely on the harmony between its culture and the surrounding natural environment.

The altitude rises as one goes northwards; it is twenty meters near the Saint Lawrence River to almost 800 meters on the top of mountains near Saint-Donat and Saint-Zenon. With such an abundance of natural attractions, outdoor and sports enthusiasts will find all they need in the region: hiking, canoeing, kayak, adventure trails. Besides, visitors come to Lanaudiere to enjoy the vast open spaces of one of its six regional parks, as well as of Mont Tremblant National Park, the oldest and largest protected zone in Quebec.

For something different, come explore Lac Taureau regional Park. Lanaudiere also features many nature conservation areas. The Lac-Saint-Pierre Biosphere Reserve, located east of Berthierville, provides sanctuary for some 290 bird species. It’s the largest waterfowl staging area in North America.

The Rouge-Matawin and Mastigouche wildlife Reserves, three waterfall parks, the Chutes-Monte-a-Peine-et-des-Dalles, Park of the Falls Cascades and the Chutes-Dorwin offer up spectacular settings for family strolls and picnics. Many historic sites and museums attest to the rich history of the Lanaudiere region, bisected by the King’s Road, the oldest highway established in North America since the mid 17th Century.

The Ile-des-Moulins historic site in Terrebonne features historic sawmills flourmill and wool-carding mill. For fine art, the Art Museum of Joliette houses dazzling collections from the Middle Ages to modern times that will astonish visitors with their range and diversity. Last but not least, the Museum Gilles-Villeneuve honours the late Formula 1 race car driver.

The Museum Louis-Cyr recounts the exploits of the man once reputed to be the strongest in the world. Right on Montreal’s doorstep, Lanaudiere is a snowmobiler’s dream—not to mention a prime destination for hikers, cycle tourists, ATVers and winter sports enthusiasts (skiing, skating and tube sliding). The Festival de Lanaudiere is just the most prestigious classical music festival in Canada.

This Festival brings Joliette and its surrounding churches alive each summer. Lanaudiere also provides endless opportunity for sampling regional specialties as you roam its country roads. Note than Lanaudiere's road network has been developed according to three north south axes (25-125, 31-131, 347). All of them have few links with the neighbouring regions. Even though this network is almost exclusively composed of secondary roads, it is well-designed for long automobile trips or for biking.