Trois-Rivières

Trois-Rivières (historically and rarely Three Rivers) is the second-oldest city in Quebec, founded in 1634. It lies almost half-way between Montreal and Quebec City and can make a nice stopover on travel between those two cities. Trois-Rivières is the regional capital of the Mauricie administrative region of Quebec, a vast area of 39,748 km². Located at the junction of two economic regions, Trois-Rivières has a population of 137,000 (2016), with almost 475,000 people in its metropolitan area. It is 130 km from Montreal and 120 km from Quebec City on ​​the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River.

Understand
The Saint-Maurice River, 587 km long, is the main river of the Mauricie administrative region. The waters of four rivers bathe the magnificent Laurentian plain. St. Anne, Batiscan, Du Loup River and Maskinongé River are also important for economic and recreational tourism development in the region. Lake Saint Pierre has been part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves of UNESCO since 2000. Lake Saint Pierre is a rare example of sustainable development alongside a major international shipping route, as the lake forms part of the busy St. Lawrence Seaway.

History
The city was founded in 1634, but the location it occupies was first known to the French in 1535, when Jacques Cartier, in a trip along the St. Lawrence, stopped to plant a cross on Saint-Quentin Island. But the Three Rivers name was used for the first time in 1599 by Sieur François Gravé Du Pont, a geographer working with explorer Samuel de Champlain, who confirmed the name in 1603. Sieur Gravé Du Pont as he sailed river towards Montreal, saw a first tributary of the river, a strip of land, a second tributary, another strip of land, and finally a third tributary he took to be a different river. He did not know then that two large islands divide the course of the Saint-Maurice River in three parts where the latter flows into the St. Lawrence River. The name Trois-Rivières has stayed through the years, and the city was incorporated as such in 1857. Location of a major fur trade during the first 25 years of its existence, Trois-Rivières remained the cradle of many travellers, explorers and trappers.

By car
Autoroute 40 between Quebec and Montreal passes through Trois-Rivières.

By bus

 * Operates bus service between Trois-Rivières and Sherbrooke including a stop in Drummondville. Travel time to Trois-Rivières from Sherbrooke is 2.25-2.5 hours and from Drummondville is 1-1.25 hours. Operates several days per week.
 * Operates bus route multiple times per day between Montreal and Quebec City including a stop in Trois-Rivières. Travel time to Trois-Rivières from Montreal is 1.75-2.25 hours and from Quebec City is 1.75-2 hours.

See




Do

 * Biennale nationale de sculpture contemporaine
 * Festival International Danse Encore
 * Festival International de la Poésie
 * FestiVoix de Trois-Rivières
 * Rendez-vous des coureurs des bois de Trois-Rivières
 * Les délices d’automne
 * FestiVoix de Trois-Rivières
 * Rendez-vous des coureurs des bois de Trois-Rivières
 * Les délices d’automne

Eat




Drink
The main bar strip is located on rue des Forges between the Saint Lawrence River and rue Royale.



Sleep

 * Auberge Godefroy Hotel-Spa-Golf. Becancour. Four-star hotel 10 minutes' drive from downtown Trois-Rivieres. Has a fine restaurant and health center. 17 575 boul. +1-800-361-1620 www.aubergegodefroy.com
 * Auberge Godefroy Hotel-Spa-Golf. Becancour. Four-star hotel 10 minutes' drive from downtown Trois-Rivieres. Has a fine restaurant and health center. 17 575 boul. +1-800-361-1620 www.aubergegodefroy.com

Go next

 * La Mauricie National Park - 45 km north