Founded on July 4, 1634, by Sieur de Laviolette, Trois-Rivières became one of the first permanent French settlements in North America. Its name refers to the archipelago at the mouth of the Saint-Maurice River, where the waterway splits into three distinct channels before flowing into the Saint Lawrence River. This strategic location made Trois-Rivières a major fur trade hub before it became known as the “Paper Capital of the World”.
Its downtown area, located in the historic heart of the city, features around thirty heritage buildings and traces of human presence dating back to prehistoric times. Proclaimed “Poetry Capital” in 1985 under the impetus of Félix Leclerc, Trois-Rivières celebrates creativity through its Festival international de la poésie (International Poetry Festival). Architectural gems such as the Old Prison of Trois-Rivières (Musée POP museum), the Musée des Ursulines museum in Trois-Rivières, the Manoir Boucher de Niverville and Boréalis, transport visitors to a captivating past.
Just a short distance from the city, Lake Saint-Pierre, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, highlights the region’s rich natural heritage. Today, the second oldest city in the province of Quebec combines heritage with vitality. It features a vibrant downtown core, rich cultural institutions and an incomparable effervescence.
Attractions, restaurants and accommodations
Musée des Ursulines de Trois-Rivières
A cloister, a school, a hospital… Visit a place more than 300 years old and immerse yourself in the experience of the Ursulines. Testimonies recalling a time when walls surrounded the monastery and where prayer, education and care for the sick were part of the daily life of these nuns.
Musée POP
This museum bears witness to the unique identity of Québec society in its diversity and development. Enlightening and thought-provoking exhibitions. In part of the Museum complex, the Old Prison of Trois-Rivières (1822), a classified historical monument offering tours you won’t soon forget!
Vieille prison de Trois-Rivières (Musée POP)
Being part of the Musée POP building, the Old Prison of Trois-Rivières (1822–1986) is presenting a new tour combining technology and real-life stories, showcasing the premises and living conditions in this 19th century institution.
HOTEL OUI GO !
Hotel Oui GO! is located in a heritage building and provides an experience that combines the authenticity of the past with modern chic. Guests can expect attentive and personalized service in a relaxed atmosphere in the heart of downtown Trois-Rivières.
Boréalis - Musée de l'industrie papetière
Major regional attraction, this museum and historic site offers visitors, fun interactive experiences through its high-calibre exhibitions. Plus, it presents activities based on themes such as the forest, log driving, lumberjacks, the emergence of the working class, and the pulp and paper industry.
DELTA TROIS-RIVIÈRES HÔTEL ET CENTRE DES CONGRÈS
Fabrique de théâtre insolite
Les Sages Fous are working on a major project to convert the site of Récollets-Saint-James into The Factory of Unusual Theatre; an international pole for the creation of visual theatre (official opening June 2024).
Manoir Boucher de Niverville
Take in the unique atmosphere of the oldest manor in Trois-Rivières during a guided tour! Immerse yourself in the world of Marie-Josephte Chastelain and her husband, Joseph-Claude Boucher de Niverville, a bourgeois couple from the time of New France. Food, clothes, customs… and much more!