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Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Trois-Rivières
Give Trois-Rivières one night as a stop between Montréal and Québec City: old quarter, prison museum and river walk fit in a half day.
Trois-Rivières is the second-oldest city in Quebec, founded in 1634, and sits almost halfway between Montréal (about 130 km) and Québec City (about 120 km) on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence. The saved old quarter around Rue des Ursulines is small and walkable; the rest of the city is spread out along Autoroute 40 and the Saint-Maurice River. It works as a one-night break on the Montréal–Québec City run, or as a base for the Mauricie region and La Mauricie National Park.
- Country
- Canada
- Best months
- Jun–Sep for the old quarter, river parks and the Forges site; early Aug for the Grand Prix; early Sep for the canoe race
- Avoid
- Nov–Apr (cold, snow, several sights on weekend-only hours); late Oct–Mar for the Forges site, which is seasonal
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CAD
- Money
- Currency is the Canadian dollar (CAD, $). Cards and tap-to-pay are accepted almost everywhere.
- Daily spend
- Budget C$90–140 excl. bed · Mid C$150–230 excl. bed · High C$250+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Rogers, Bell and Telus plus cheaper brands (Fido, Koodo, Public Mobile); prepaid SIMs in malls and stores. Canadian data is expensive — an eSIM is often cheaper.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Info-Santé / health advice 811
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Same as the US.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: 15–20% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: CAD 1–2 per drink.; Taxi: 10–15%.; Housekeeping: CAD 3–5 a night.; Guide: 10–20% of the tour price.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable; treat water from lakes and streams (giardia).
- Toilets
- Free in malls, Tim Hortons, stations and park visitor centres.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | C$2–5 |
| Diner breakfast | C$10–18 |
| Museum entry (Old Prison or Popular Culture) | C$13–15 adult |
| Joint ticket, Old Prison + Popular Culture museum | C$21 adult |
| Bistro main with soup, dessert and coffee | C$7–12 |
| Three-course dinner | C$46 |
| Draught beer in a bar | C$7–10 |
| STTR single bus ticket | C$3.50 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YRQ · Trois-Rivières Airport
- Private and general aviation only; no scheduled airline service. Most visitors arrive via Montréal-Trudeau (YUL) or Québec City (YQB) and continue by bus or car.
Typical fares
- Bus Montréal → Trois-Rivières (Orléans Express)
- about 1 h 45 min–2 h 15 min; fare check
- Bus Québec City → Trois-Rivières (Orléans Express)
- about 1 h 45 min–2 h; fare check
- Bus Shawinigan → Trois-Rivières
- about 30 min, daily; fare check
- STTR single ticket
- C$3.50, or C$3.30 with the Cité card
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
The old quarter, museums and riverfront are walkable in 15–20 minutes. STTR buses run 14 daytime routes and 6 in the evening; some routes do not run on Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays. Taxis and Uber cover the rest. A car helps for the Forges du Saint-Maurice site, La Mauricie National Park and the Bécancour shore.
See and do
Known for
- Old Trois-Rivières and Rue des Ursulines
- Old Prison of Trois-Rivières
- Forges du Saint-Maurice National Historic Site
- Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières street race
- Mauricie gateway and La Mauricie National Park
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Shawinigan | Bus (Transport collectif Haut St-Maurice) or Autoroute 55 north by car | About 30–45 min |
| La Mauricie National Park | Car north from the city, about 45 km (28 mi)Car north from the city, about 28 mi (45 km) | About 45–60 min |
| Montréal | Orléans Express bus, or Autoroute 40 by car | About 2–2.5 h |
| Québec City | Orléans Express bus, or Autoroute 40 by car | About 2 h |
Sleep
- Downtown / old quarter (Rue des Forges, Rue Hart, Rue Bonaventure)
- Walk to the old quarter, museums and the bar strip on Rue des Forges; best for one night without a car.
- Boulevard des Forges / Highway 40 corridor
- Chain hotels and free parking; 5–10 min drive to the old quarter, easier with a car.
- Bécancour (south shore)
- Across the river, about 10 min drive from downtown; resort-style hotels with spa and golf.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello / Good day | Bonjourbon-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Mercimair-SEE |
| How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ?kom-BYEN sa KOOT |
| Can I pay by card? | Puis-je payer par carte ?pweezh pay-YAY par KART |
| Where is the toilet? | Où sont les toilettes ?oo son lay twa-LET |
| I don't speak French | Je ne parle pas françaiszhuh nuh PARL pah fran-SAY |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; 'Bonjour' first in Québec; avoid: Assuming everyone speaks English
- Queues: Line up and wait your turn; avoid: Pushing in
- Apologising: 'Sorry' is politeness, not admission of fault; avoid: Loud confrontation
- Canada vs US: Treat Canada as its own country; avoid: Calling Canadians American
- Indigenous culture: Buy from Indigenous-owned businesses and ask before photos at ceremonies; avoid: Wearing headdresses as costume
Scams and watch-outs
- The Forges du Saint-Maurice site is seasonal (late June to early September, 10:00–17:00): check dates before you build a day around it.
- Several museums switch to Wednesday–Sunday or weekend-only hours outside summer: check the day you plan to visit.
- Winter ice-skating trails on Île Saint-Quentin depend on the season and on rental reopening: check locally.
- The Grand Prix closes downtown streets for two weekends in early August: book beds early or avoid those dates if you want quiet.
- Prices in Quebec are shown before sales tax (GST + QST), so the bill is higher than the menu.
A calm, low-risk small city; the real issues are winter ice on pavements, driving distances after dark, and the usual bar-strip care on Rue des Forges. 911 for anything urgent.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Trois-Rivières yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Old Trois-Rivières and Rue des Ursulines
- Old Prison of Trois-Rivières
- Forges du Saint-Maurice National Historic Site
- Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières street race
- Mauricie gateway and La Mauricie National Park
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Ville de Trois-Rivières — official site: www.v3r.net/
- Tourisme Trois-Rivières: www.troisrivieres.ca/
- Société de transport de Trois-Rivières (STTR): sttr.qc.ca
- Orléans Express: www.orleansexpress.com/en/
- Autobus La Québécoise: www.autobus.qc.ca/
- Transport collectif Haut St-Maurice: www.ctachsm.org/intermunicipal
- Forges du Saint-Maurice National Historic Site (Parks Canada): www.pc.gc.ca/en/lhn-nhs/qc/saintmaurice
- Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières: gp3r.com
- Wikivoyage: Trois-Rivières, revision 5236452 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5236452
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Trois-Rivières
À cette adresse, s'il vous plaît
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
No embassies here; the US consulate general is in Montréal, and most other countries keep embassies in Ottawa or consulates in Montréal.
French is the everyday language in Trois-Rivières; a short greeting in French goes a long way.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/trois-rivieres). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.