Maskinongé – Chemin du Roy, Waterfalls and Regional Culture

Maskinongé can be explored through several distinct themes: the historic Chemin du Roy, waterfalls and hiking trails, as well as local businesses and brewing history. You can choose the focus of your stay based on whether you are especially interested in early transportation routes, nature experiences or local products.

The Chemin du Roy through the MRC de Maskinongé

The Chemin du Roy was the first road in New France built for carriage travel between Montréal and Québec. Construction took place between 1706 and 1737. Its history therefore dates back to a time when a land connection between the two cities was established.

In the MRC de Maskinongé, the historic, tourist and scenic route runs for 32.5 kilometres. As far as the village of Yamachiche, the Chemin du Roy follows Route 138; it then continues along a country road towards Louiseville. This section gives the route a specific local course and complements its broader history with directions through communities in the MRC.

For trip planning, the Chemin du Roy is therefore more than a historic name: its origins between Montréal and Québec and its route through the MRC offer two different perspectives on the same road. If you are interested in Québec’s transportation and cultural history, the route makes a fitting theme for your visit.

Waterfalls and trails in nature

At Parc des Chutes de Sainte-Ursule, the Rivière Maskinongé forms a series of seven distinct waterfalls. The tallest waterfall is 30 metres high. Visitors can hike the trails and enjoy views of the area from a lookout point. The park also offers nature interpretation and observation, as well as hiking and canicross. Operating details may change; check which activities are currently offered before your visit.

La Nature d’Alexis offers a different way to experience the landscape: it has 60 kilometres of hiking trails through mixed forest, with changing scenery. In Saint-Alexis-des-Monts, the Réserve faunique Mastigouche covers 65 percent of the municipality. Together, these details illustrate the range of nature-related experiences in the MRC—from a series of striking waterfalls to extensive mixed-forest trails and a large portion of the municipality within the wildlife reserve.

The two hiking options differ in their described scale and character. At Parc des Chutes de Sainte-Ursule, the lookout point, waterfalls and several nature-related activities are part of the visitor experience. La Nature d’Alexis focuses on a 60-kilometre trail network through varied forest scenery. When planning, you can decide whether to focus on a place with waterfalls and a lookout, or on longer trails through mixed forest.

Regional products and brewing history

The Route des alcools de Maskinongé brings together local businesses that transform regional resources into distinctive products. It offers another way to experience the region: alongside historic roads and nature experiences, it highlights the work of local producers. Microbrasserie Nouvelle-France in Saint-Alexis-des-Monts adds a specific business story to this cultural theme. Founded in 1998, it is one of Québec’s pioneering microbreweries.

For trip planning, these themes are easy to distinguish: the Chemin du Roy represents a historic route with a local course; waterfalls, a lookout point and hiking trails offer different ways to enjoy nature; and the Route des alcools and brewing history turn the focus to local products. You can start planning with the experiences that interest you, without combining the different places and themes into a single excursion.

Discover more destinations: Saint-Paulin, Saint-Alexis-Des-Monts, Louiseville, Yamachiche, Maskinongé, Saint-Édouard-De-Maskinongé, La Haute-Côte-Nord, La Matapédia.

For the main travel overview: Quebec.