A trip through the streets of North America’s second oldest French-speaking city will provide you with a chance to appreciate all the charm of the city of Trois-Rivières, located about halfway between Montréal and Québec City. Beyond bistros and restaurants with welcoming outdoor dining, you will uncover traces of the past as you walk through the old city streets.

1. At the Trois-Rivières tourist information office, you can get all the information you need about a region and city with a rich historical background. Should you wish, city tours are also organized and led by colourful historic guides. But for an overview of the area, follow this proposed itinerary.

2. Upon leaving the tourist information office, get on Forges Boulevard and head towards the river and Trois-Rivières Harbourfront Park. From here, you will enjoy an exceptional view of the St. Lawrence River, the port and Laviolette Bridge.

3. Hug the river until Hôpital Street, which will lead you to Ursulines Street. There you will find yourself in front of the Ursulines Museum. This establishment highlights heritage in relation to local history, and more specifically, the history of the Ursulines, which was the first religious community to settle in Trois-Rivières in order to education young women and care for the sick.

4. When you finish your visit of the museum, continue easterly down Ursulines Street to see old buildings like the Tonnancourt Manor, Médard Chouart des Groseillers’ home or the De Gannes House. At the end of the street, you will find Terrasse Turcotte and Le Flambeau, a sculpture offered to the city to commemorate its 300th anniversary by the city’s youth.

5. From this point, take a right on Caserne and Notre-Dame streets to find yourself on Laviolette Street. By continuing on to the left, you will find yourself at the Québec Museum of Folk Culture and Old Prison. The museum has bold, unconventional exhibitions related to Québec culture. Adjoining the museum, the Old Prison of Trois-Rivières, which is a historic monument, offers an experience tour in the company of guides, many of whom are ex-inmates.

6. Your tour continues down Hart Street. Just a few steps further, you will find yourself alongside Champlain Park, a lively site favoured for holding huge events that is popular with many musicians. Just on the opposite side of the park, you can catch sight of L’Assomption Cathedral, featuring neo-Gothic architecture and stained-glass windows by Guido Nincheri.

7. The end of the circuit will bring you to your point of departure on Forges Boulevard, one of the liveliest places in the city. At sunset, the boulevard closes to motor traffic, so pedestrians can sit at a lovely terrace savouring a delicious meal or raising a glass to a day of exceptional discovery.