Domaine Joly de Lotbinière is a picturesque-style cultural landscape ensemble designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 2002. This combination of designed landscape and heritage offers a distinctive way to discover the region: rather than focusing on a single object, visitors can explore an ensemble. If you are interested in historic landscape design, this is a clear place to start.

Explore heritage on foot or by bike

Lotbinière’s heritage circuit also has a clear focus: it includes eight heritage sites classified by Québec’s Ministry of Culture and Communications. You can explore the circuit on foot or by bike; there is a rest stop for cyclists at the Centre Chartier-de-Lotbinière. The classification and number of sites give the circuit a different character from Domaine Joly: here, eight individual heritage sites shape the discovery, while there the cultural landscape ensemble takes centre stage. This lets you choose between a landscape ensemble and a circuit featuring several classified heritage sites when planning your cultural activities.

Regional products and a look at how they are made

The culinary experiences vary according to what you can do on site. La Charloise in Lotbinière produces wines and rosés and sells its products directly on site. If you plan to visit the sales outlet, check the current opening arrangements in advance. At Oxymore Microbrasserie, a tasting room and guided tours add to the experience. The tours explain the various stages of brewing and beer production. If you plan to take a tour, check the current visiting arrangements before you arrive. Vallée Bleue Distillery in Val-Alain offers blueberry picking. The activity is seasonal; check in advance whether the current picking season coincides with your visit. These options offer different focuses: direct sales of wine and rosé, a guided explanation of the brewing process, or seasonal blueberry picking.

Activities at Mont Sainte-Marguerite and the Rivière du Chêne

At Mont Sainte-Marguerite, Mont Radar has more than 4 km of trails. Activities on offer include hiking, aerial ropes courses, swimming, ATV riding, snowmobiling and snowshoeing. There are also Austrian-style toboggan runs, a rail toboggan, and the chance to explore military remains. The selection ranges from activities on foot to motorized options and toboggan runs; some activities may be seasonal. Bear this potential seasonality in mind when planning your visit.

A different perspective is offered by the heritage-listed Moulin du Portage, set between the cliffs and meanders of the Rivière du Chêne. The mill building invites visitors to take walks; the program may vary by season. Unlike the wide range of activities at Mont Radar, the focus here is on the historic mill building and its riverside setting. You can plan your outing according to whether you want to explore a variety of activities or combine a walk with an artistic discovery.

More places in Lotbinière: Saint-Antoine-De-Tilly, Laurier-Station, Leclercville, Saint-Apollinaire, Sainte-Agathe-de-Lotbinière. Discover more destinations: Témiscamingue, D'autray, Les Laurentides.

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