It was part of my recent express road trip through the southwestern portion of the province of Quebec. I stayed overnight in Trois Rivieres, Quebec on my short two day tour that also took me through Montreal, Granby, Sherbrooke, Drummondville and Shawinigan in Quebec, along with Belleville and Cornwall in Ontario. The primary focus of the trip was video but I did get a chance to do a little photography in the evening.
I’ve mentioned before on this site that my family comes from the Eastern Townships in Quebec and I am the only one born in Ontario. My experience with the province as a kid was grueling weekend drives from London, Ontario to the other side of Montreal to visit relatives for a short time then turn around and go home. As a result, I never really saw much of what the province had to offer and learned to regret going there.
But then, I grew up and with most family either passed on or moved on from Quebec, I returned as a tourist. What formerly was boring as hell for me suddenly became a beautiful and exciting part of Canada to visit. This latest visit, although limited in time, was a real reminder of what the rest of Canada is missing out on if they don’t get in the car (or airplane) and visit this province. The landscape is diverse and the cityscapes are unique, fitting more into a European look than something you’d find anywhere else on this continent.
See below for more information about Trois Rivieres and a video driving tour of the downtown area. Also, if you’re visiting, I would recommend the hotel I stayed at. The Comfort Inn Trois Rivieres is conveniently located near the junction of highway 40 and highway 55. The hotel is a short drive from the Pont Laviolette (Laviolette Bridge) seen in some of the images below and is an easy drive from the main downtown area. This is a clean, safe hotel with nice rooms and is CONSIDERABLY less expensive than if you stayed in Quebec City or Montreal.
Trois Rivieres, Quebec Image Gallery
As with everywhere on this whirlwind journey, I would have liked to spend more time taking photos. The following gallery is what I came up with after I arrived at the hotel for the night. For full-size, high resolution versions for any of the photos in the image gallery, simply click on the individual pictures. It was such a treat at the bridge – just as I arrived, the amazing sunset light lit up the bridge.
Trois Rivieres, Quebec
Trois Rivieres (Three Rivers as my Quebec born and raised but English parents called it) is located approximately halfway between Montreal and Quebec City in the Canadian province of Quebec. The city is not actually named for three rivers but for the three mouths of the Saint Maurice River as it empties into the St. Lawrence River. The three mouths are a result of two small islands sitting in the middle of the river.
The city was founded on July 4, 1634 and was incorporated on June 10, 1857. Located in the Mauricie Region of Quebec, Trois Rivieres has a population of 137,000 (152,000 metro). Located at the junction of highway 40 and highway 55, the city is 140 kilometres northeast of Montreal and 129 kilometres southwest of Quebec City.
The Pont Laviolette (Laviolette Bridge) is the only bridge crossing the St. Lawrence River between Montreal and Quebec City. Opened on December 20, 1967, the bridge is 2,707 metres or 8,881 feet in length. There are four lanes crossing and, unlike a number of other bridge across this river, there is not toll. Previous to its construction, the crossing was served by ferry boat.
Trois Rivieres, Quebec Downtown Driving Tour Video
The video below was taken at around 6am. This explains the lack of human life. If you like what you see, please give it a ‘Thumb’s Up’ in YouTube. If you love what see, consider subscribing to our YouTube Channel for similar videos.
