Discover Tracadie-Sheila

A museum about the history of a leprosarium, a sanctuary featuring a recreation of a site in the French Alps, and routes through the city make for distinctive discoveries in Tracadie-Sheila. There is also a seasonal market and winter activities at the arena. When planning your trip, it is worth first considering whether you are particularly interested in culture, exercise, local products, or a seasonal experience.

Cultural history and a sanctuary in Sheila

The Musée Historique de Tracadie tells the story of a 19th-century leprosarium. It is the only museum in Canada dedicated to this subject. Through the story of the lazaretto, the museum also explores the work of the Religieuses Hospitalières de Saint-Joseph and their contributions to healthcare, education, culture, and charity. Families can use the subject as a starting point to talk together about the religious community’s various roles.

For reference: The museum is located at 399 Rue du Couvent, on the second floor of the Académie Ste-Famille. Another destination is the Our Lady of La Salette Sanctuary behind the parish church in Sheila, at 934 Rue Louis G. Daigle. There, the apparition of Our Lady of La Salette in the French Alps in 1846 is reenacted. The display includes mountains, a large illuminated cross, and several statues. Visitors interested in religious history and its representation will find a distinct theme to explore here.

Activities at the sanctuary begin around Father’s Day in June and end with the parish festival on the first Sunday in September. This approximate timeframe can help you plan your visit around the seasonal activities. The museum and sanctuary offer different perspectives: the history of the leprosarium and religious community at the museum, and the reenactment of the apparition of La Salette at the sanctuary.

Routes for different kinds of exploration

Circuit 9, “Tracadie – Between Bays, Bogs and Forest,” is 33 km long. There is also an optional 17 km extension; the main route runs in one direction. The main route is not a loop that returns to the starting point. If you are considering including it in your trip, you can decide whether it suits your plans based on its length and one-way course.

Circuit 18 of the Véloroute de la Péninsule Acadienne offers a different perspective: this route passes through the Ville de Tracadie and can be traveled at your own pace. If you would rather consider a city route than the longer Circuit 9, you can choose between these two different route formats. In the winter season, the arena at the Complexe S.A. Dionne adds public skating, seniors’, youth, and recreational hockey, as well as figure skating.

Summer market and travel season

During the summer months, the Tracadie Country Market brings together artisans, vendors, and locals every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. It offers fresh produce, local products, homemade foods, and specialties; the market also features crafts and performances by local artists. Saturday morning is the specific time to keep in mind for a visit. If you would like to discover local products and the work of artisans, you can include the market as a separate activity during your trip.

The seasonal offerings differ considerably: the market is held on Saturdays during the summer months, activities at the sanctuary take place approximately from June until the first Sunday in September, and the arena offers its listed activities during the winter season. If one of these experiences is especially important to you, consider its timing when choosing your travel dates and looking for a vacation rental. For a stay focused more on cultural history, the museum and sanctuary offer two distinct themes to explore.

For more ideas of places to visit, also discover Bathurst, Inkerman, Shippagan, Janeville, Bertrand, Pointe-Verte, Beresford and Petit Rocher.

For the broader travel overview: Gloucester County.