Discover Normandin: Nature, Winter and Craftsmanship

Those looking to get to know Normandin through nature experiences will find activities for different seasons at Les Grands Jardins. In winter, options range from the outdoor skating rink to snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and sledding. Trails along the Ashuapmushuan River, insights into craftsmanship and a historic park round out the picture. This can help you decide whether you want your trip to focus mainly on outdoor exercise, winter activities or culture.

Winter activities and trails at Les Grands Jardins

In winter, Les Grands Jardins has a 2 km snowshoe trail. For classic cross-country skiing, there are easy-rated trails with a total length of 3 km. If you would rather be on the ice, you can use the outdoor skating rink. There is also a sledding hill, where various sleds and toboggans are available free of charge. The activities vary in type and trail length, giving you several options for planning a winter day around your own interests.

Outside the winter season, you can also find hiking trails there in two wooded areas. They are described as easily accessible. There is also a 1.2 km trail made of stone dust that loops around the developed area. Access to Les Grands Jardins is free, and the site offers activities in a natural setting year-round. If you like to plan in stages and explore different types of trails, you can take these details into account when choosing activities, without combining the separate trails into a single loop.

River views and cycling

The 2.4 km Mask8àtik8iche trail runs along the Ashuapmushuan River. Lookouts offer views of the rapids at Grande Chute à l’Ours. Its length and named lookouts give the trail a clear profile for anyone who would like to include a river landscape in their trip.

The 2.7 km Arboretum riverain trail has three footbridges and almost 1 km of boardwalks. These features give it a distinct place among the nature activities described here. If you prefer cycling, note that the Véloroute des Bleuets also passes through Les Grands Jardins.

Craftsmanship, wildlife and local history

At L’Univers de Bilodeau Canada, an interactive tour lets you watch furrier-shoemakers and taxidermists at work. Another tour takes you through all the production departments. The BILODEAU Canada experience also includes a multisensory exhibition of taxidermied animals, depicting wildlife from around the world. It offers two distinct ways to engage: getting a glimpse of artisanal work and exploring an exhibition that brings together taxidermy and wildlife.

The Parc historique du Centenaire, a historic park, is located in the centre of Normandin. La Normandinoise offers another link to local work: the cheese dairy is artisan-run, farm-based and family-oriented, and comes from a dairy farm in Normandin. The farm’s history dates back to 1979. If you would like to include craftsmanship and local history alongside nature and activities on your trip, these are two distinct themes to explore.

Site touristique Chute à l’Ours offers cottages and motel rooms. When looking for a holiday rental or cottage in Normandin, your preferred experiences can help shape your choice of accommodation: the trails and winter activities appeal to different interests than the tours, exhibition and local history. You can first decide which side of Normandin matters most to your trip.

Discover more places

If you would like to consider other destinations too: Saint-Edmond-les-Plaines, Dolbeau-Mistassini, Péribonka and Girardville.

For the broader travel overview: Maria-Chapdelaine.