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Major city · Canada

Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc

Go for 2 nights if you want La Mauricie National Park's southwest gate; skip as a base if you have no car — there is no bus.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
CAD
Best months
Jun–Sep for the park and lakes; late Feb–Mar for snowmobile and sugar-shack season
avoid Nov (mud, closed trails, most lodgings shut); Apr (sugar shacks close, lakes still cold)
Airports
YUL · YQB
Nights
2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 6Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • Canada ↗Visa-exempt travellers flying to or through Canada usually need an eTA; check your passport on the official Government of Canada site (canada.ca) and apply only there.
  • Canada ↗A Parks Canada pass is needed to stop in national parks such as Banff and Jasper; some spots (for example Moraine Lake) are reached only by shuttle or tour, so book ahead.
  • Canada ↗Keep well away from bears, elk and moose; carry bear spray on Rockies trails and follow trail closures.

Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc is a village of about 1,400 people on Route 351, 25 km from Shawinigan and the last stop before the southwest entrance of La Mauricie National Park. It is a car-and-chalet place: 80 lakes, a covered bridge, an esker, sugar shacks in spring and the national park gate at the end of Chemin Saint-François. Two nights covers the park plus the village; one night works if you are only passing through to the park.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeC$2.50–4.50 (≈ US$2–4)
  • Street or quick mealCassecroûte meal (snack bar)C$12–20 (≈ US$9–15)
  • Beerdraught in a village bar / can at the groceryC$7–9 (≈ US$6–7)C$2.50–4 (≈ US$2–3)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a weekC$20–40 (≈ US$15–30)
  • Budget bedWhole chalet (up to 5), a night, per roomC$180 (≈ US$140)
  • Mid-range bedGîte or inn double room, a night, per roomC$160 (≈ US$120)
  • High-end bedGîte or inn double room, a night, per roomC$260 (≈ US$190)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget C$90 (≈ US$70) · Mid C$160 (≈ US$120) · High C$280 (≈ US$250)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

La Mauricie National Park southwest gateCovered bridge over the Shawinigan River80 lakes and the Saint-Mathieu eskerSugar shacks (cabane à sucre) in springMokotakan Indigenous culture site and wildlife museum
Airports
YUL Montréal-Trudeau (About 2 h 10 min by car via Autoroute 40 and Route 351; no direct bus to the village.) · YQB Québec City Jean Lesage (About 2 h by car via Autoroute 40 and Route 359/153.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

−7°C

−18°C

14 rd

Feb

−5°C

−16°C

11 rd

Mar

2°C

−9°C

11 rd

Apr

10°C

−1°C

11 rd

May

18°C

6°C

12 rd

Jun

23°C

11°C

12 rd

Jul

25°C

14°C

12 rd

Aug

24°C

13°C

12 rd

Sep

19°C

8°C

12 rd

Oct

12°C

3°C

13 rd

Nov

4°C

−3°C

14 rd

Dec

−3°C

−12°C

15 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

A car is effectively required: there is no public transit in the municipality and no bus from Shawinigan or Trois-Rivières. Route 351 runs through the village; Chemin Saint-François leads to the La Mauricie National Park gate. A 240 V charging terminal sits at 1890 chemin Déziel. In winter, snowmobiles and ATVs use the same road network.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

La Mauricie National Park

go

Door to door: About 15–20 min

Car via Chemin Saint-François to the Saint-Mathieu entrance

150+ lakes, hiking, cycling and canoeing; reserve entry and camping on the Parks Canada site.

Shawinigan

go

Door to door: About 30 min

Car via Route 351 north

Closest full-service town: supermarkets, hospital, Cité de l'Énergie.

Saint-Élie-de-Caxton

go

Door to door: About 20 min

Car via Route 351 east

Village of storyteller Fred Pellerin; bakery, café and summer events.

Trois-Rivières

go

Door to door: About 1 h

Car via Route 351 and Autoroute 55

Old town, museums and the St. Lawrence waterfront; good rainy-day option.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Village centre (Chemin Principal)

Gîtes, B&B, the Auberge Mandala hostel and the two restaurants; walkable, 5 min to the grocery store.

Chemin Saint-François

Closest to the national park gate and the Mokotakan site; you need a car for everything.

Lake shores (Bellemare, Goulet, Jackson, McLaren)

Chalets and campgrounds; quiet, often no cell signal, 10–20 min drive from the village.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
C$90–140 (≈ US$70–110) excl. bed
Mid
C$150–230 (≈ US$110–170) excl. bed
High
C$250 (≈ US$190)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Gîte or inn double room1 × 2 nights × C$160C$320
Food, local transport, entries2 × 2 days × C$160C$640
La Mauricie National Park day entry, per vehicle1 × C$11 · checkC$11
Canoe or kayak rental, half day2 × C$45 · checkC$90
eSIM, about a week of data2 × C$25C$50
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeC$111
Trip total≈ C$306 per person per day, bed includedC$1,222≈ US$900

2026 estimate in Canadian dollars; car rental and fuel excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

CoffeeC$2.50–4.50 (≈ US$2–4)
Cassecroûte meal (snack bar)C$12–20 (≈ US$9–15)
Grocery basket for two, one dayC$40–60 (≈ US$30–45)
Beer: draught in a village bar / can at the groceryC$7–9 (≈ US$6–7) / C$2.50–4 (≈ US$2–3)
Gasoline, per litreC$1.50–1.80 (≈ US$2) (check)
Sugar-shack meal, per personC$25–40 (≈ US$19–30) (check)
eSIM or data SIM, about a weekC$20–40 (≈ US$15–30)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Low-crime rural municipality; the real risks are driving Route 351 at night (moose and deer), cold lake water, and no cell signal at some chalets. 911 works everywhere.
  • No public transport: without a car you are limited to the village core.
  • Cell coverage is weak or absent at several lake chalets; download maps and park info before you arrive.
  • La Mauricie National Park has day-use limits in summer: reserve entry and camping on the Parks Canada site.
  • Many chalets and campgrounds close from October to May: confirm dates before booking.
  • Wildlife (moose, deer, bears) on Route 351 and Chemin Saint-François, especially at dawn and dusk.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Saint-Mathieu-du-ParcSaint-Mathieu-du-Parc

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

À cette adresse, s'il vous plaîtTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies in the village; the US consulate general is in Montréal and most embassies are in Ottawa.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • YUL → Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc by car: about 164 km, 2 h 10 min (check)
  • YQB → Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc by car: about 171 km, 2 h (check)
  • Shawinigan → village by car: about 25 km, 30 min (check)

Say or show

  • Bonjour — Hello (bon-ZHOOR)
  • Merci — Thank you (mair-SEE)
  • Combien ça coûte ? — How much is it? (kom-BYEN sa KOOT)
  • Une table pour deux, s'il vous plaît — A table for two, please (ewn TABL poor DUH seel voo PLEH)
  • Où est l'entrée du parc national ? — Where is the national park entrance? (oo eh lahn-TRAY dew PARK na-syo-NAL)
  • Puis-je payer par carte ? — Can I pay by card? (pweezh pay-YAY par KART)

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jun–Sep for the park and lakes; late Feb–Mar for snowmobile and sugar-shack season · avoid Nov (mud, closed trails, most lodgings shut); Apr (sugar shacks close, lakes still cold) · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for YUL and YQB: last rental-car desk hours, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: village centre, covered bridge, park gate, Mokotakan.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (park gate, Mokotakan, covered bridge) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Winter fixtures so snowmobile and sugar-shack gates can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Canada

Sources