Madawaska County: History Along the River and Trails in Nature

Madawaska County combines historic places with river scenery and outdoor activities. This can be seen at a range of stops: a blockhouse overlooks the confluence of two rivers, a historic house stands along the Saint John River, and paddling and fishing are associated with specific locations on the lakes. If you’re looking for a vacation rental, you can choose your home base according to the experiences you want to make the focus of your trip.

History in Houses, Churches, and Workshops

In Edmundston, the P’tit Sault Blockhouse was built in 1841 on a hill overlooking the confluence of the Saint John River and the Madawaska River. The St. John the Baptist Church Provincial Heritage Place also tells the story of a particular period of construction: the church was built between 1878 and 1887 and is considered the northernmost example of Anglican Bishop John Medley’s Gothic Revival church-building project.

In Saint-Basile, the Cyr Historical House was built by Alexis Cyr between 1825 and 1830. It is considered the oldest house in Madawaska County. The Forge Jos B. Michaud in Saint-François was built in 1894 and operated for at least 100 years before passing to the blacksmith’s son. Through its tools and the story of its former owner, Joseph B. Michaud, the Musée de la Forge Jos B. Michaud offers insights into the blacksmithing trade.

Other stops offer different points of interest: the Site historique de Clair is housed in the 1848 Maison Daigle-Saint-Jean along the Saint John River. The 150th Anniversary Heritage Room Museum preserves artifacts, religious objects, and personal belongings of pioneers and their descendants. Ledges… Place des Pionniers presents the former village of Saint-François, formerly known as Ledges, as a scale model. Its buildings include a home, a church, a farm, a post office, a school, and a general store; a trail passes among historic buildings dedicated to the pioneers of the Saint-François District.

River Views, Gardens, and Outdoor Activities

The New Brunswick Botanical Garden is located along the Madawaska River and features twelve themed gardens across more than eight hectares (20 acres). At the nature park in the Ward of Saint-François, families can combine picnics with time outdoors; the park offers views of the Saint John River. These places give a trip different points of focus: landscaped gardens on one hand, and a park with river views on the other.

Two lakes offer similar activities: Lac Unique and Lac Glazier are both associated with canoeing, kayaking, and fishing. There are snowshoeing and hiking trails in the Ward of Baker-Brook. Every ward in Haut-Madawaska also has ATV trails; the ATV Club of Haut-Madawaska is listed as a contact. This gives you a range of options, from quiet time by the water to trails for active days, without tying all activities to the same place.

The Petit-Témis Interprovincial Linear Park offers a longer route: it connects Edmundston in New Brunswick with Rivière-du-Loup in Québec via more than 130 kilometers of trails. The Edmundston Visitor Information Centre is located in a former CP railway station, built in 1930 and completely renovated in 2005, beside a bike path along this route. There are numerous rest areas along the Petit-Témis, and the gradient is no more than four percent. In the wider region, the historic River Valley Scenic Drive runs 512 kilometers along the Saint John River, from Edmundston to Saint John.

Festivals and Memories of the Place

Events also bring people together through shared activities and local history. A festival in the Saint-Hilaire District includes a visit to the Maxime-Albert Museum and activities recalling notable moments in Saint-Hilaire’s history. Les Festivités du Demi-Marathon de Saint-François includes dancing, inflatable games, walking or running, a family afternoon, and vendor booths. These events offer a different experience from visiting historic houses or spending a day at a lake.

Choosing a Home Base to Suit Your Interests

When looking for a vacation rental, it helps to first map out the places you want to visit and the focus of your trip. If you’re primarily interested in houses, churches, and traditional crafts, Edmundston, Saint-Basile, and Saint-François offer specific place names to use in your planning. For days spent in nature and by the water, options include the garden along the Madawaska River, the nature park in the Ward of Saint-François, and Lac Unique and Lac Glazier. If you’d like to include trails and outdoor activities, you can also consider the hiking and snowshoeing trails in Baker-Brook or the Petit-Témis regional route.

Discover More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Edmundston, Saint-André, Rivière-Verte, Lac Baker, Saint Hilaire, Kent County, Charlotte County, Albert County.

For the regional travel overview: New Brunswick.