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Voykit pocket guide · Canada
Varennes
Skip as a base: Varennes is a 30-min drive from Montréal with one riverside village, a quay and a summer river shuttle. Half a day, or a stop on the Route 132 run.
Varennes is a small Montérégie town on the south shore of the St. Lawrence, 29 km east of Montréal along Route 132. Its draw is the river: a 10-km shoreline, a cluster of about twenty islands facing the town, a summer passenger-and-bike shuttle across to Pointe-aux-Trembles and Repentigny, and Vieux-Varennes, the old village between the water and the highway. Everything else is suburban: arenas, pools, sugar shacks and horse farms. Plan half a day, or one night if you want the river at sunrise.
- Country
- Canada
- Best months
- Jun–Sep for the river shuttle, quay and cycling; late Sep–Oct for vineyard and sugar-shack country
- Avoid
- Nov–Apr (cold, ice, most river activity closed); mid-winter unless you want the skating rink and sliding hill
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
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$70–110 excl. bed · Mid C$110–190 excl. bed · High C$190+ 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 (24 h health line) 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$2.50–5 |
| Breakfast diner plate | C$14–22 |
| Poutine or fast-food combo | C$12–18 |
| Restaurant main course | C$20–35 |
| Draught beer in a bar | C$7–10 |
| 5 km taxi3.1 mi taxi | C$15–22 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | C$15–35 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- YUL · Montréal–Trudeau
- About 40 min by car via Highway 20 and Route 132; no direct transit link to Varennes
- YMX · Montréal–Mirabel
- Cargo and general aviation; not a practical arrival point
Typical fares
- Taxi YUL → Varennes
- C$70–95, about 40 min (check)
- River shuttle Varennes → Pointe-aux-Trembles
- about C$8 one way, seasonal (check)
- Driving Montréal → Varennes
- 29 km via Route 132 and the Jacques-Cartier bridge, about 30 min18 mi via Route 132 and the Jacques-Cartier bridge, about 30 min
Get around
A car is the practical answer: sights are spread over 15 km of Route 132 and rang roads, and buses are thin. Route 132 and Autoroute 30 are the two spines. In summer a passenger-and-bike river shuttle links Varennes with Pointe-aux-Trembles (Montréal) and Repentigny — check the season's timetable before you plan around it. Cycling works on the flat riverside roads.A car is the practical answer: sights are spread over 9.3 mi of Route 132 and rang roads, and buses are thin. Route 132 and Autoroute 30 are the two spines. In summer a passenger-and-bike river shuttle links Varennes with Pointe-aux-Trembles (Montréal) and Repentigny — check the season's timetable before you plan around it. Cycling works on the flat riverside roads.
See and do
Known for
- St. Lawrence River shoreline and quay
- Île Sainte-Thérèse and the Varennes archipelago
- Summer river shuttle to Montréal and Repentigny
- Vieux-Varennes and the Sainte-Anne church
- Sugar shacks and vineyards on the Cordon road
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Montréal | Drive Route 132 west then the Jacques-Cartier bridge, about 29 kmDrive Route 132 west then the Jacques-Cartier bridge, about 18 mi | About 45–60 min |
| Verchères | Route 132 east along the river, about 15 kmRoute 132 east along the river, about 9.3 mi | About 20 min |
| Sainte-Julie | Autoroute 30 west, then local roads | About 20 min |
| Saint-Amable | Route 229 south, about 12 kmRoute 229 south, about 7.5 mi | About 15 min |
| Contrecoeur | Autoroute 30 east then Route 132, about 30 kmAutoroute 30 east then Route 132, about 19 mi | About 30 min |
| Calixa-Lavallée | Route 229 north, about 10 kmRoute 229 north, about 6.2 mi | About 15 min |
Sleep
- Vieux-Varennes (Sainte-Anne and Saint-Charles streets)
- The old village between the river and Route 132; walk to the quay, church and restaurants. Very few beds.
- Route Marie-Victorin / Route 132 strip
- Motels and gîtes along the highway; you need a car for everything.
- Montréal or Longueuil
- Stay in the city and drive out for half a day; the honest choice for most trips.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbon-ZHOOR |
| Thank you | Mercimair-SEE |
| How much is it? | Combien ça coûte ?kom-BYEN sa KOOT |
| Where is the quay? | Où est le quai ?oo ay luh kay |
| Can I pay by card? | Puis-je payer par carte ?pweezh pay-YAY par kart |
| Excuse me | Excusez-moiex-koo-zay MWA |
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
- Most river activity, the quay services and the shuttle run only in the warm months; check dates before travelling for them.
- Route 132 and Autoroute 30 carry fast traffic; cross only at marked points.
- Restaurants are few and close early on weeknights; check hours before driving out.
- Sugar shacks operate mainly in late winter and spring — outside that window they are closed.
- Winter ice on the St. Lawrence is not safe to walk on.
Varennes is a low-crime suburban town and safe to walk in daylight. The real risks are the fast traffic on Route 132 and Autoroute 30, winter ice, and the fact that most services shut early — plan your last meal and fuel before 21:00.Varennes is a low-crime suburban town and safe to walk in daylight. The real risks are the fast traffic on Route 132 and Autoroute 30, winter ice, and the fact that most services shut early — plan your last meal and fuel before 9:00 PM.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Varennes yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- St. Lawrence River shoreline and quay
- Île Sainte-Thérèse and the Varennes archipelago
- Summer river shuttle to Montréal and Repentigny
- Vieux-Varennes and the Sainte-Anne church
- Sugar shacks and vineyards on the Cordon road
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 Varennes — official site: ville.varennes.qc.ca/
- Ville de Varennes — aquatic complex and sports: www.ville.varennes.qc.ca/activites/loisirs-et-sports/complexe-aquatique
- Bibliothèque Jacques-Lemoyne-de-Sainte-Marie: biblio.ville.varennes.qc.ca/
- Sainte-Anne-de-Varennes parish: upmarguerite.ca/varennes-sainte-anne/
- Wikivoyage: Varennes, revision 5259589 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5259589
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/varennes). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.