Discover Danville: Étang Burbank, history and cycling routes

Danville combines nature watching at Étang Burbank with a historic townscape and cycling activities. You can shape your stay around a range of interests: explore the local flora and fauna outdoors, discover local history on a walking tour, or get to know Danville as a stop on a cycling trip.

Nature and birdwatching at Étang Burbank

The town welcomes visitors to Étang Burbank year-round, free of charge. There are four kilometres of developed trails. A 290-metre-long boardwalk leads to an observation tower, where visitors can view the flora and fauna. The boardwalk and trails offer different ways to explore the nature around the pond.

The site is also known for birdwatching: nearly 220 bird species have been observed at Étang Burbank over the seasons. It is considered a paradise for ornithologists. If you are interested in nature, this makes Danville a special destination to include in your travel plans; those who would rather focus on local history can find dedicated experiences in town.

Discover the history and read the townscape

A self-guided walking tour focused on history takes visitors through Danville. With the help of a questionnaire, visitors can discover local history and architectural heritage. The questionnaire gives the tour a specific purpose: instead of simply looking at building façades, you can use the questions to learn more about the history and architectural heritage of the area. For families, it can provide a starting point for a conversation about the town's history.

Another glimpse into Danville's history awaits at Manoir Cleveland, at 130, rue du Carmel. There, visitors can learn more about Clara Champagne Cleveland (1910–2002). She was a golf pioneer in Canada and the first woman to officially hold the title of golf professional. The manor is the house where she lived. Her story adds a biography connected with golf to the wider picture of the town's architectural heritage.

The townscape also tells a story of the past: Victorian homes and an American-style square in the heart of Danville bear witness to the arrival of Loyalists from New England. The heart of the village is a quadrangle, often called the Carré. Danville is also a stop on the Chemin des Cantons. Those who want to focus on historic architecture and local history can combine these sights with the historical walking tour.

Experience Danville by bike

Cyclists will find a bike workshop in Danville offering repairs, bike sales and rentals. The Vélovoûte de Danville is located in Parc Smith, close to the Route verte and the village centre. It is part of a regional network linking six municipalities in the Cantons-de-l’Est. The Vélovoûte is intended to organize the welcome for cyclists and bring life to village centres; it serves as an important hub for active mobility.

In the wider travel area of the Region of Les Sources, the regional cycling network includes 14.5 kilometres of developed bike path along a former railway line. This section is part of Route verte No. 1 and runs from the Bois-Francs towards Richmond. It adds a regional perspective to the cycling options mentioned specifically in Danville. If you are looking for a vacation rental in Danville, nature watching, historical discoveries and cycling offer different ways to shape your stay.

Art in the historic centre

Every year, the Symposium des arts de Danville takes place in the historic centre, attracting art enthusiasts and curious visitors. At this cultural and tourism event, carefully selected professional visual artists from across Québec showcase their skills and offer their works to art lovers and collectors. The symposium adds another dimension to trip planning: alongside nature and local history, visual art also takes centre stage.

If you would like to discover places beyond Danville, you can also find Asbestos, Saint-Joseph-De-Ham-Sud and Saint-Adrien.

Back to the main travel overview: Asbestos.