A notable cultural landmark in Tracadie-Sheila is the Musée Historique de Tracadie: it is the only museum in Canada to tell the story of a 19th-century leprosarium. The Our Lady of La Salette Sanctuary and two cycling routes with different profiles round out the attractions. The season also shapes your plans: the Country Market is described as a summer offering, while the arena’s activities are offered during the winter season.
Cultural History Between the Lazaretto and the Sanctuary
The Musée Historique de Tracadie focuses on more than just the lazaretto. Its exhibits also cover the work of the Religieuses Hospitalières de Saint-Joseph and their contributions to healthcare, education, culture and charity. This extends the story from the history of the leprosarium to the order’s various activities. The museum is located at 399 Rue du Couvent, on the second floor of the Académie Ste-Famille. Check the current visiting arrangements before your visit.
The Our Lady of La Salette Sanctuary is in Sheila, behind the parish church at 934 Rue Louis G. Daigle. It recreates the 1846 apparition of Our Lady of La Salette in the French Alps. The display includes mountains, a large illuminated cross and several statues. While the museum focuses on a lazaretto and the work of a religious order, the sanctuary turns your attention to a religious event. Activities there begin around Father’s Day in June and end with the parish festival on the first Sunday in September. Check current dates and religious offerings with the community or parish.
Cycling: Two Different Routes
Circuit 9, “Tracadie – Between Bays, Bogs and Forest,” is 33 km long and runs in one direction; an optional 17 km extension is available. Circuit 18 of the Véloroute de la Péninsule Acadienne is called Ville de Tracadie and can be ridden through the town at your own pace. You can weigh whether Circuit 9’s stated distance, with its optional extension, or Circuit 18’s ride through town at your own pace better suits your plans. Check the current route and conditions before setting out.
Seasonal Planning: Summer Market and Winter Arena
During the summer months, the Tracadie Country Market brings artisans, vendors and locals together every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. It offers fresh produce, local products, homemade foods and specialties, as well as crafts and performances by local artists. The market therefore features both products and food, as well as art and local performances. Check the dates for the relevant summer before your trip.
During the winter season, the arena at Complexe S.A. Dionne offers public skating, senior, youth and recreational hockey, as well as figure skating. The municipal program may vary by season, so check the current information before visiting. For trip planning, the seasonal distinction is clear: the Saturday market from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. during the summer months, or the arena’s winter-season offerings.
Discover more destinations: Bathurst, Salmon Beach, Inkerman, Beresford, Pointe-Verte, Bertrand, Caraquet, Shippagan.
For the broader travel overview: Gloucester County.
