Sorel-Tracy

Sorel-Tracy is a city in Montérégie, Quebec, Canada. It is also the economic, industrial and cultural capital of the regional county municipality of Pierre-De Saurel.

In terms of recreational tourism, the main attractions of Sorel-Tracy are:
 * its great Indigenous history following the melting of the glaciers, which began nearly 12,000 years ago in the valley of the St. Lawrence River;
 * its great history since the passage of Jacques-Cartier in 1535; the Pierre-de-Saurel Historical Society contributes to historical research and disseminates it to the public; the main museums and educational places for visitors are the House of Governors and the Biophare;
 * its particular geographical location, at the confluence of the Richelieu River and the St. Lawrence River, and facing the Îles-de-Sorel, thus offering boaters a magnificent riparian and river landscape, as well as an exceptional environment for navigation boating through the islands, the channels, Lake Saint-Pierre, the St. Lawrence River and the Richelieu River; the passage of migratory birds (spring and autumn) offers quite a fluvial spectacle;
 * its recreational infrastructure: Parc régional des Grèves, Club de Golf Sorel-Tracy Les Dunes, Parc Nautique Regard sur le Fleuve, marinas, boat launches, bike paths, municipal parks, Carré Royal; and
 * its picturesque and modern built heritage, which testifies to various eras and various vocations of the city (industrial, maritime, commercial, institutional, religious, residential).

Understand




History
Jacques Cartier passed by the site of the present city in 1535, as did and Samuel de Champlain in 1608 and he led the battle of Cap de la Victoire on June 19, 1610 at Contrecoeur.

In 1642, Charles Huault de Montmagny, governor of New France, erected a fort at the confluence of the Richelieu River and the St. Lawrence River. This fort was abandoned in 1647, for lack of resources. In 1665, following the decision of King Louis XIV to take over New France after the dissolution of the Compagnie des cent associés, the sustainable exploitation of the lands of Sorel began.

The city of Sorel was built on the site of Fort Richelieu, at the mouth of the Richelieu River in the 17th century. Formerly this river was designated river of the Iroquois. This toponym evokes the life work of Cardinal de Richelieu (1585-1642), minister of Louis XIII. The toponym of the city evokes Captain Pierre de Saurel, who chose to leave the military career to settle in New France with his friends: Antoine Pécaudy de Contrecoeur, Pierre de Saint-Ours, Jacques de Chambly, Alexandre Berthier, René Gaultier de Varennes and François Jarret de Vercheres. Each of them was assigned a seigneury, in accordance with the rules of the seigneurial system in New France. The seigneury of Pierre de Saurel was granted to him in 1672.

In 1781, the first illuminated Christmas tree was presented at the Governors' House in Sorel-Tracy; this custom quickly took root in Canada.

Throughout the 18th century, shipbuilding proved to be the city's main economic vocation. Related industries begin their operation. In 1740, a first factory, a tar factory was established there. The seigniory then had 800 inhabitants.

After the Conquest of New France by the English army, the de Ramezay family sold the seigneury of Sorel to John Bondfield, an Englishman. In 1780, the British Crown acquired the seigneury of Sorel. Subsequently, the city continued to expand, except during the Great Depression which began in 1929.

By car

 * From Montréal (80 km, time: 60 min). Take the Jacques-Cartier bridge (east); take route 132 (eastbound) to Varennes; take Chemin du Pays-Brûlé (eastbound); take Autoroute 30 (northbound) to Sorel-Tracy.
 * From Quebec (197 km, time: 2 hr 30 min). Take Autoroute 40 (westbound) to Berthier; take Highway 158 (east); take the Saint-Ignace-de-Loyola-Sorel ferry.

Eat
Several restaurants or dining rooms in the Montérégie have transformed the mode of meals at the tables into take-out or delivery service. In general, restaurateurs have demonstrated great resilience by updating their website, integrating interactive and automated applications for remote orders, as well as the display of the menu, opening hours, their mode of operation (e.g. by reservation, drive-thru service), required health measures, other services (e.g., caterer, shops, accommodation, access for disabled, wi-fi, take-out, delivery), contact details and often the history of the restaurant or site. It is recommended that customers inquire with each establishment by consulting their respective websites.

Go next

 * — This park is a protected area managed with the aim of ensuring the conservation of landscapes at the same time as organizing recreational activities. This park offers various outdoor activities, in all seasons.
 * — Recreational and commercial navigation is intense on the St. Lawrence River, facing Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel, as well as on the Richelieu River.
 * — Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel is a popular recreational tourism destination, in particular thanks to its shore, on the south side of the St. Lawrence River, and to the Sorel Islands, many of which are on its territory, notably Île de Grâce and Île of the Monk. Recreational boating is popular in the channels between the islands, heading east towards Lac Saint-Pierre.
 * — Saint-Robert is renowned for its rural landscape, its agrotourism, its picturesque residences, its airfield, its Petite rivière Pot au Beurre and its river Saint Louis. Its cycle and pedestrian path on the old railway line along Route 132 is worth the detour.
 * — Municipality bordering the Richelieu River. Its offer of recreational tourism services is focused on pleasure boating, agrotourism, camping and golf.
 * — Renowned for its ferry (which is replaced in winter by an ice road) linking Saint-Ours, its Deschaillons island, its picturesque built heritage.
 * — Contrecoeur is renowned as a site to admire the shows offered by the river and the magnificent sunsets. Visitors can admire the countryside and river landscapes. Contrecoeur has a great history to discover.
 * — A town with a great history. Its main attractions are boating and hunting migratory birds in the fall on the flats of the river. Visitors can visit the Forest and Wood Discovery Center, practise at the Berthier Golf Club, stop at the Domaine Féodal cheese dairy or at the Chemin Grande Côte roadside rest area, visit the old Sainte-Geneviève church or stop at the Rang Sainte-Philomène plantation.
 * — This locality is a river paradise for vacationing, pleasure boating, observation of flora, avifauna and riparian habitats. Its wetlands (e.g., the Girodeau Islands) are ideal for protecting birds, nesting and hunting migratory birds in the fall.