Les Forges-du-St-Maurice

Eastern Townships & Mauricie


About 7km northwest of central Trois-Rivières (take bus 4), Les Forges-du-St-Maurice is a National Historic Site preserving the 18th-century birthplace of the Canadian iron industry. Costumed guides take you around the grounds and into the blast furnace, while a sound-and-light show reveals the daily operations of Canada's first ironworks.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Eastern Townships & Mauricie attractions

1. Cathédrale de l'Assomption

6.64 MILES

Church fans should make a beeline for this colossal cathedral, a soaring neo-Gothic confection with exquisite sculpture and 125 intricate Florentine…

2. Musée Québécois de Culture Populaire

6.73 MILES

One of the most interesting stops in the area, this museum's changing exhibits cover the gamut from folk art to pop culture, delving into the social and…

3. Vieille Prison

6.75 MILES

Tour guides, including some former inmates, bring the harsh realities of the lockup vividly to life during 90-minute tours that include a stop at dank…

4. Musée des Ursulines

6.92 MILES

For a slice of the town's religious history, stop at this former hospital founded by Ursuline nuns in 1639. It forms a pretty backdrop for the fine…

5. Sanctuaire Notre-Dame-du-Cap

7.97 MILES

The grand Sanctuaire Notre-Dame-du-Cap looks like a spaceship sitting on a launch pad. Located in Cap-de-la-Madeleine (take bus 2), about 4km northeast of…

6. Cité de l'Énergie

10.67 MILES

Built around a 1901 hydroelectric power station and the country's oldest aluminum smelter, the 'City of Energy' celebrates the region's industrial legacy…

7. Parc National de la Mauricie

29.22 MILES

This highly-organized national park covers 550 sq km, straddling northern evergreen forests and the more southerly hardwoods of the St Lawrence River…