Discover Sainte-Catherine-De-La-Jacques-Cartier

Sainte-Catherine-De-La-Jacques-Cartier brings together the Rivière Jacques-Cartier, seasonal trails, literary stops, and a year-round resort on Lac Saint-Joseph. The river runs through the town from north to south. This gives you a choice of activities by the water, routes on foot or by bike, and a range of winter offerings for your vacation. This variety offers concrete points of reference to help you decide what to focus on during your trip.

Riverside scenery and activities on the water

Access to the Rivière Jacques-Cartier is through Parc du Grand-Héron. The river offers opportunities for trout fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. There are several ways to experience the riverside scenery: with a fishing rod, or from a canoe or kayak. The river's very good water quality also made it possible to reintroduce Atlantic salmon. So, alongside recreational activities, the river is also part of a tangible ecological story.

Biking, skiing, and literature on the trails

The 68 km-long Vélopiste Jacques-Cartier / Portneuf passes through Sainte-Catherine-De-La-Jacques-Cartier. In Parc du Grand-Héron, Chemin de La Liseuse offers walkers and cyclists a 15 km out-and-back route to the Dansereau trail in Pont-Rouge. This connection also offers the option of a 30 km round trip. The difference in route lengths makes the desired duration and distance of an active day a practical factor in planning.

Use of Chemin de La Liseuse also changes with the seasons: in summer, it is a biking route; in winter, a skiing route. Six stops featuring texts by Anne Hébert and Hector de Saint-Denys Garneau add a literary dimension to the trail. The route can therefore be considered not only in terms of its length, but also its cultural emphasis. Those who like to shape their days around different themes will find both activity and literature along the same trail.

Winter options and a year-round resort

In winter, Parc régional linéaire Jacques-Cartier/Portneuf becomes a snowmobile trail; its route also passes through the town. Station touristique Duchesnay is a year-round resort on the shore of Lac Saint-Joseph. It has a network of 65.4 km of linear trails. The Parc régional route and Duchesnay's trail network are two measured points of reference for planning; their seasonal uses and the resort's lakeside location each offer a distinct focus.

Summer market and finding a vacation rental

During the summer season, Marché public de Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier brings together producers and artisans and also welcomes visitors. The 2026 season has already ended. If you would like to include the market in a future trip, check the dates for the summer season relevant to your visit.

To plan your vacation together, you can first decide what you want your days to focus on: activities on the Rivière with access through Parc du Grand-Héron, trails with different seasonal uses, or Duchesnay on Lac Saint-Joseph. These priorities can help you tailor your search for a vacation rental to your plans.

Discover more destinations: Sainte-Brigitte-De-Laval, Shannon, Saint-Gabriel-De-Valcartier, Stoneham

Return to the main travel overview: La Jacques-Cartier.