Mont-Laurier between river history and nature trails

In Mont-Laurier, stories of the Rivière du Lièvre meet city trails, exhibitions, and opportunities for outdoor activities. The city can therefore be explored from different perspectives: by focusing on its cultural heritage, taking a walk to a viewpoint, or enjoying cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. Which vacation rental suits your stay depends on whether you mainly want to experience the city’s history, spend time outdoors, or combine both.

Trails through the city and natural landscapes

A short trail leads to the Sentier du belvédère du Mont-Laurier: the walking trail is 300 m long and ends at a viewpoint on a summit. From there, you can look out over the city and its natural landscapes; there is also a rest area. The short trail and the longer nature trail offer different ways to get to know the area on foot.

The Sentier du ruisseau-Villemaire Jacques-Dumont opened in August 2025. This approximately 2 km nature trail is located in central Mont-Laurier and runs alongside Ruisseau Villemaire. If you would like to include a waterside trail in your stay, this is a specific way to bring nature into the urban setting.

Another option is the Sentier intergénérationnel André-Bolduc. It is about 1.6 km long and invites visitors to walk, exercise, and explore year-round. Eight information panels tell the story of the history and daily life of the Benedictine nuns who lived on the town hall grounds until 2013. The trail thus combines exercise with a glimpse into one part of the city’s history.

River heritage and culture in Mont-Laurier

In Parc Toussaint-Lachapelle, the large sculpture «Le draveur» commemorates log driving: a former method of transporting timber on the Rivière du Lièvre, practiced there until the 1980s. Roger Langevin created the sculpture in 1979. The work gives a walk a tangible historical connection to the river and the area’s timber-transport history.

The history of the Rivière du Lièvre is also the focus at Parc des Canotiers Gill Tinkler. There is a permanent outdoor exhibition with information panels about the history of Mont-Laurier and the river. It opened as part of the 2024 Journées de la culture and covers, among other things, the beginnings of river navigation and stories about people and events that shaped the city.

At Mont-Laurier town hall, the Espace muséal des Bénédictines presents the permanent exhibition «À la recherche de Dieu». In addition, an annual cultural exhibition in Parc Toussaint-Lachapelle explores the history of the city’s cultural events and organizations over several decades. Visitors interested in culture and city history can include a range of topics and presentation styles in their trip. In the city center, Espace Théâtre offers a multidisciplinary performance program featuring music and theater.

Activities for different kinds of vacation days

The Centre de plein air Mont-Laurier has more than 40 km of cross-country ski trails, as well as trails for classic cross-country skiing, skate skiing, and snowshoeing. The center also offers year-round activities for the whole family. The different ways to stay active give you options for planning active vacation days without having to settle on just one way of getting around.

Cyclists can also consider Mont-Laurier: the urban cycling network allows cyclists and visitors to access infrastructure in the city center at kilometer 201 of the P’tit train du Nord linear park. If you are looking for a vacation rental for a stay combining city and outdoor experiences, you can consider which of these interests will take priority on your trip. The trails, cultural sites, and activities described offer different focal points rather than prescribing a single vacation pace.

More destinations

More destinations: Lac-Saguay, Lac-Saint-Paul, Depot De L'ile, Rivière-Rouge, Sainte-Anne-Du-Lac, Ferme-Neuve, Nominingue.

For the overall trip overview: Antoine-Labelle.