Contrecœur: Nature, history and trails along the St. Lawrence River

Contrecœur combines the landscape of the St. Lawrence River with a remarkable local history. In the Réserve nationale de faune des Îles-de-Contrecœur, 22 low-lying islands and islets stretch for 10 km along the river. Marshes and aquatic plants surround them; the area is shared by the towns of Contrecœur and Lavaltrie. At the same time, a historic mill, a church and a former meeting house tell the story of the town. When looking for a vacation rental, it may therefore be important to consider whether you are mainly interested in nature, trails and water or in places of historical and cultural interest.

Islands, wetlands and nature trails

The island reserve is home to more than 78 bird species, 12 mammal species and more than 205 plant species. If you are interested in wildlife, you can include non-commercial wildlife observation from a boat in your travel plans. In designated areas, motorized boats are limited to a maximum speed of 10 km/h; non-commercial use of non-motorized boats is also permitted there. These rules are an important part of finding your way around when exploring the waterways.

The Parc de conservation Barbe-Denys-De La Trinité offers a different natural setting. The protected area covers about 5.3 million square feet and is open to the public as an easily accessible nature park. Its 4.6 km of marked multi-use trails are used for hiking, fat biking and snowshoeing. This gives you several ways to get active on the same marked trails; the activities listed range from walking to cycling and snowshoeing.

Along the shore and on the water

At Parc du Belvédère, a 150-metre-long boardwalk on stilts leads to the shores of the St. Lawrence River. It was inaugurated on July 15, 2004, and gives the public and visitors access to the waterfront. Parc nautique de Contrecœur can accommodate about 60 boats. Together with the rules for using the island reserve, these places give you reason to distinguish between waterfront experiences, boating and the nature trails in Parc Barbe-Denys-De La Trinité when planning your stay.

The Colonie des Grèves also welcomes groups. Chalets and pavilions can be rented on its riverside grounds; the site is intended, among other things, for company, association and family picnics, as well as outdoor days. For families planning to spend time outdoors together, this is another option alongside looking for a vacation rental. The information about the chalets and pavilions refers to the Colonie des Grèves.

Local history and culture

Maison Lenoblet-Du Plessis dates back to 1794. It belonged to Alexis-Carme Lenoblet du Plessis and served as a meeting place for the Patriots before the 1837 uprising. Today, the house hosts seasonal and permanent exhibitions, as well as cultural and historical interpretation of the building and the town’s history. Since 2012, La Cache des Patriotes has been located in the basement. The venue has about 40 seats; in fall and spring, it hosts a variety of performances, including music, storytelling and comedy.

Historic buildings include two windmills, each with its own story: Moulin à vent de Contrecoeur is a grain mill built in 1815. Moulin Chaput, in Parc du Moulin Chaput on the St. Lawrence River, is one of the last surviving original windmills in Québec. Église Sainte-Trinité is the fourth church built by the parishioners of Contrecœur. Its inscription commemorates the construction years 1726, 1818 and 1863 of the second, third and fourth stone churches. If you are focusing on local history and culture, you can explore both the mills and the documented building history of the church.

Getting around by bike

The Route verte passes through Contrecœur, and the town has 10 km of cycling paths. There are also four Cyclo-culture circuits to explore by bike. If you want to make cycling a priority when choosing where to stay, these offer additional options explicitly intended for cycling, alongside the nature trails in Parc Barbe-Denys-De La Trinité. Wildlife watching, historic sites and cycling routes offer different ways to shape your vacation rental search, without requiring one type of outing to define your stay.

If you’d like to compare other places as part of your search, you can find Boucherville, Varennes and Verchères here.

For the broader travel overview: Lajemmerais.