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Trois-Rivières sits halfway between Montreal and Quebec City, where the Saint-Maurice River meets the St. Lawrence. Founded in 1634, it is the second-oldest French city in North America, and for much of the twentieth century it was a major center of the pulp and paper industry. The name refers to the channels that split the Saint-Maurice at its mouth.
Old Trois-Rivières, centered on Rue des Ursulines, preserves the city's French colonial past, with the Manoir Boucher de Niverville and the Musée des Ursulines, run in connection with the long-established convent. The Musée québécois de culture populaire explores everyday Quebec culture, and next door, guided tours of the Old Prison of Trois-Rivières offer a vivid look at incarceration in another era. Borealis, set in a former paper mill filtration plant, tells the story of the forest industry. Just outside downtown, the Forges du Saint-Maurice National Historic Site marks the first ironworks in Canada, and Our Lady of the Cape Shrine draws pilgrims across the river.
Trois-Rivières suits history lovers and road trippers looking for a manageable city stop. Parc de l'île Saint-Quentin offers a beach and riverside trails, and the Moulin seigneurial de Tonnancour adds another heritage site. Summer festivals bring extra life to the riverfront.
WiserMap travel guideTrois-Rivières Quebec Old Quarter and Historic ForgesPlan your trip to Trois-Rivières, Quebec, with old quarter streets, museums, the Forges du Saint-Maurice, local food, stay areas and a simple two day itinerary.Read the guide
The historic heart of Trois-Rivières, one of the oldest cities in Canada, with Rue des Ursulines lined with old houses, the Ursuline monastery and small parks, close to the waterfront park on the St. Lawrence. Walk the old streets, then continue to the riverside promenade and its terraces.
A museum in the Ursuline monastery, founded in 1697, telling the story of the nuns who ran a school and hospital in Trois-Rivières, with religious art, textiles and objects. The domed chapel is a highlight. Allow about an hour, and look at the monastery's sundial and gardens outside.
The Quebec museum of popular culture, with lively temporary exhibitions on everyday life, music, toys, television and other subjects close to people's experience. It shares a site with the old prison. Buy a combined ticket for both, and allow about three hours for the visit.
A stone prison from the early 19th century that operated until 1986, now open for tours, some led by former inmates who share their experience of life behind bars. Cells, the yard and the dungeon are preserved. Tours are in French and English at set times; book ahead in summer.
A museum on the history of the paper industry, set in the former filtration plant of a pulp and paper mill on the riverfront, explaining how Trois-Rivières became a world paper capital. Visitors can explore the underground water tanks. Allow about two hours; the terrace has river views.
An 18th-century manor house in the old town, among the oldest buildings in Trois-Rivières, with thick stone walls and a steep roof typical of New France. It hosts exhibitions and the local tourist information. Step inside to see the old structure, and pick up a walking tour map.
The site of Canada's first industrial ironworks, founded in the 1730s on the Saint-Maurice River north of downtown, with the remains of the blast furnace, the ironmaster's house and trails. Exhibits explain how iron was made in New France. Open in summer; allow about two hours.
A restored seigneurial grist mill from the 18th century in the Pointe-du-Lac sector, on a river near Lac Saint-Pierre, with exhibits on milling and a gallery. It is a pleasant stop on the drive west of the city. Check summer opening hours, and walk to the nearby lakeshore afterward.
The Sanctuaire Notre-Dame-du-Cap in the Cap-de-la-Madeleine sector, a major Marian pilgrimage site with a large modern basilica, a small 18th-century stone shrine and gardens by the St. Lawrence. Thousands of pilgrims visit each year. Stroll the gardens and visit the old shrine, which is the oldest part.
The Catholic cathedral of Trois-Rivières, a 19th-century neo-Gothic church on Rue Bonaventure, notable for its stained-glass windows by Guido Nincheri. It faces the leafy Champlain Park. Visit outside Mass times, and take time to look at the colourful windows on a sunny day.
A park on an island at the mouth of the Saint-Maurice River, with a sandy beach, picnic areas, trails, a marina and winter skating paths through the woods. It is reached by a short road from the city. Bring a picnic on a summer day, and try the skating trail in winter.
A motor racing event held on a street circuit in the city each summer, with several racing series and a festival atmosphere. It is one of Canada's oldest street races and draws large crowds. Book accommodation early if you plan to attend, and bring ear protection for the races.
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