Chambly

Chambly is a historic and modern city surrounded by the territory of Carignan forming a half-donut on the west side, on the west bank of the Richelieu River. Chambly is located in the Regional County Municipality (MRC) of La Vallée-du-Richelieu, in administrative region of Montérégie, in Quebec.

Chambly had around 31,000 residents in 2021. Visitors come to the city to see the 18th-century Fort Chambly, and to go boating on the Chambly Canal.

Chambly's Church St-Joseph, viewed from the Chambly Basin

This city has above all a historical, residential, commercial (along route 112) and recreational tourism vocation. Recreational tourism activities are mainly: hiking, biking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, nautical activities on the L'Acadie River and on the Chambly Basin, etc. Resorts are developed there on the neighbouring islands, as well as along the L'Acadie and Richelieu rivers.

The main attractions of this city are its historic area around the Chambly basin: old fort of Chambly, Richelieu canal (and the locks), along the avenue Bourgogne and Martel street; and the islands located between the course of the L'Acadie river and the Richelieu river (Chambly basin): Goyer, aux Lièvres, Demers and au Foin.

Understand

History

Descendants of European immigrants have lived in Chambly since the 17th century, but Chambly was not incorporated as a city until 1965.

In 1609, Samuel de Champlain passed through the area that came to be the site of the town of Chambly.

Fort Chambly

Chambly is home to the massive Fort Chambly, built with local stone between 1709 and 1711 in the style of Vauban's classic French fortifications. It was built at the mouth of a large basin, on the site of successive wooden forts dating back to 1665. Fort Chambly was the largest in a series of fortifications on the shores of what is now called the Richelieu River. It soon came to be known by the name of its first commanding officer, Jacques de Chambly, to whom the surrounding seigniory was granted in 1672. It was intended to protect New France in general (and Montreal specifically) from attack from hostile natives and the English. A small local population clustered around the fort, and the entire area eventually became known as Chambly as well.

Chambly Canal locks, viewed in winter

Chambly is also known for the Chambly Canal. It was built in 1843 to bypass several kilometers of successive Richelieu River rapids between the towns of Chambly and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. Part of a series of waterways connecting the Saint Lawrence River and New York City, Chambly Canal was built to facilitate commercial traffic between Canada and the United States. Trade dwindled after World War I, and as of the 1970s, traffic has been replaced by recreational vessels. Today the canal is enjoyed by tourists and more than 7,000 pleasure boats in the summer, and ice skaters in the winter.

Local information

• Town of Chambly municipal council website

Get in

By car

Chambly is about 30 km from Montreal. Take Autoroute 10 E out of Montreal, turn left onto Autoroute 30 (direction Sorel-Tracy), then right on to Route 112 (Boul. Cousineau).

By bus

From Montreal's Centre-Ville terminal, take Exo bus 400 or 401 ($7), and transfer at the Stationnement incitatif Chambly to Exo bus 13 ($4). (Dec 2018)

Get around

Its principal roads are Route 112, Route 223 (Chemin du Richelieu, along the Richelieu River) and the northern end of Highway 35 (becoming Boulevard Fréchette).

• CIT Chambly-Richelieu-Carignan. Commuter and local bus services. (updated Dec 2018)

See

• 1 Fort Chambly, 2 rue De Richelieu, ☏ +1 450-658-1585, toll-free: +1-888-773-8888. Mid-May to mid-Jun: daily 10:00-17:00; mid-Jun to early Sep: daily 10:00-18:00; early Apr-mid May and early Sep to mid-Oct: W-Su 10:00-17:00. A French fort built in the 1700s. The fort is run by Parks Canada and is designated a National Historic Site of Canada, and houses a museum and interpretive centre. It also hosts historical re-enactments of military drills and contemporary cultural events. Adults $5.70, seniors 65+ $4.95, youth $2.95, families/groups (up to 7 people with maximum of 2 adults) $14.35. (updated Dec 2018)

Cabin N1 Chambly

• 2 Chambly Canal, ☏ +1 450-658-4381. The city of Chambly is at the north end of the Chambly Canal, a national historic site. Built to bypass the rapids of the Richelieu River and facilitate trade between Canada and the United States, commercial traffic dwindled after World War I and the canal now sees more traffic from recreational boats. It's also used by ice skaters in the winter. It is a National Historic Site run by Parks Canada.  

Chambly Town Hall

View of the front facade of the Saint-Joseph church in Chambly (Quebec)

• 3 St-Joseph of Chambly Church, 164 Rue Martel. It was built between 1880 and 1881. It faces the Chambly basin. The parish was founded in 1665. (updated Dec 2018)
• 4 Cafe-Theatre de Chambly, 2447, avenue Bourgogne, ☏ +1 450-447-2953. Produces plays 12 months a year (in French). Room offering a variety of shows: comedy, song, theater, music. (updated Dec 2018)
• 5 Pôle culturel de Chambly (Chambly Cultural Centre), 1625 boul. de Périgny, ☏ +1 450-658-2711. Cultural centre housing the municipal library and equipped with a multifunctional performance hall. This room offers the public of Chambly and Montérégie a rich and diversified program. The exhibition of works by Marie-Louise-Emma-Cécile Lajeunesse, known as Albani, singer on the greatest stages in the world, is permanently presented at the entrance to the Cultural Centre of Chambly. (updated May 2022)

Do

Non-municipal recreation

Riparian shuffleboard and Baie de Chambly seen from rue Martel, in Chambly, with Mont Saint-Hilaire in the background

• 1 Chambly Marina (Marina de Chambly), 1765, avenue Bourgogne (Located at the mouth of the Chambly Canal), ☏ +1 450-658-7308. Marina offering docking docks and visitor dock rentals for recreational boats. Launching ramp and grounding. Service of mechanical parts for pleasure boating. Nearby: restaurant, grocery store, convenience store and SAQ. (updated May 2022)
• 2 Centre nautique Gervais-Désourdy, 1577 avenue Bourgogne (on the southwest shore of the Chambly Basin), ☏ +1 450 658-6436. Safe boat rental service: pedal boats, canoes, paddle boards, recreational kayaks and sea kayaks. (updated May 2022)
• 3 Poseidon Nautical Centre (Centre nautique Poseidon), 1737 avenue Bourgogne (Located at the mouth of the Chambly Canal), ☏ +1 450-593-1605. Personal watercraft and water sports equipment rental service. (updated May 2022)
• 4 Épic Gym Chambly, 615, rue Sénéchal, ☏ +1 450-447-5522. Fitness room. Subscription offer. Sports shop. (updated May 2022)
• 5 Crunch Fitness - Chambly, 1705 avenue Bourgogne, ☏ +1 450-447-3735. Sports training center equipped with modern and varied equipment, changing rooms with showers, sauna. This center also offers group classes. (updated May 2022)
• 6 Karate Sportif Chambly, 845 boul. de Périgny, ☏ +1 450-695-1717. Karate school established since 1992 offering a distinctive personal development program well beyond self-defense. (updated May 2022)

Municipal recreation

• 7 Centre Sportif Robert Lebel, 995 avenue Simard (Located in Robert Lebel Park), ☏ +1 450-658-8333. Municipal arena. (updated May 2022)
• 8 Complexe aquatique de Chambly (Chambly aquatic complex), 525 boul. Brassard, ☏ +1 450-447-5577. The program is available on the portal. Sport centre offrant divers programmes de formation en sauvetage, natation, sports aquatiques (plongeon et initiation à la nage synchronisée) et mise en forme, pour tous les âges. (updated May 2022)
• 9 Tennis Gilles-Villeneuve, boul. Brassard (Located in Bouthillier-Lareau Park), ☏ +1 450-447-5577. The program is available on the portal. Outdoor tennis court. (updated May 2022)

Buy

Its main commercial areas are along boulevard Périgny (route 112) and avenue Bourgogne.

• 1 Centre Commercial Chambly, 1255 Boulevard de Périgny. M-W 09:30-18:00, Th F 09:30-21:00, Sa 09:30-17:00, Su 10:00-17:00. Small shopping centre with a Hart discount department store and Metro grocery. (updated Dec 2018)
• 2 Chambly public market (Marché public de Chambly), 1999 av. Bourgogne, ☏ +1 450-525-8009. Public market in the Parc de la Commune. (updated May 2020)
• 3 FGL Cycles, boul. Brassard, fglcycles@hotmail.com. Used bicycle store. Training service offer on cycling, bicycle mechanics and morphological positioning. Expertise since 1999. (updated May 2020)

Others

• 4 La Galerie de Miss Rey, 1642 av. Bourgogne, ☏ +1 514-730-7668. Summer W 11:00-17:00, Th F 11:00-21:00, Sa Su 12:00-17:00; winter F Sa 16:00-20:00, Su 12:00-17:00. Fine art gallery promoting artists from Quebec and elsewhere from abstract to figurative. Thematic events. (updated Dec 2018)

Eat

Several restaurants or dining rooms in the Montérégie have transformed the mode of meals at the tables into take-out or delivery service. In general, restaurateurs have demonstrated great resilience by updating their website, integrating interactive and automated applications for remote orders, as well as the display of the menu, opening hours, their mode of operation (e.g. by reservation, drive-thru), sanitary measures required, other services (e.g. catering, shops, accommodation, access for the disabled, wi-fi, take-out food, delivery), contact details and often the history of the restaurant or site.

• 1 Bambou Rouge, 1869, boul. de Périgny (Located near the Chambly Canal), ☏ +1 450-447-8880. Restaurant offering Asian cuisine. (updated Dec 2018)
• 2 Chambly Pizzeria, 616, rue Saint-Pierre, ☏ +1 450-447-1444. Pizzeria offering a varied menu: hamburger, submarines, pizza and various Italian dishes. (updated May 2022)
• 3 La cochonne rit, 1670, Ave Bourgogne, ☏ +1 450-403-9900. M 11:30-21:00 Tu-F 11:30-22:00, Sa Su 16:00-22:00. Angus steaks, seafood, burgers, sandwiches. (updated Dec 2018)
• 4 Garde-Manger de Francois, 2403 av. Bourgogne, ☏ +1 450-447-9991. M-F 08:00-18:00, Sa Su 07:00-17:00. Cafe, deli, pastries, breads. (updated Dec 2018)
• 5 Les Grillades du Fort, 1717 av. Bourgogne (Outdoor terrace with a view of the quay, the marina and the Chambly basin), ☏ +1 450-447-7474. Restaurant offering various specialties: tapas, grilled meats, chicken and fish with the Portuguese touch of unique spices. Daily lunch and dinner table d'hôte. Brunch every Sunday. Catering. (updated May 2022)
• 6 L'Oeufrier, 1255 boulevard de Périgny, ☏ +1 450-982-1555. Brunch-style restaurant. (updated May 2022)
• 7 Marius La Taverne, 1737 av. Bourgogne, ☏ +1 450-658-6092. Urban tavern-style restaurant with outdoor tables overlooking the quay and the Chambly Basin. (updated May 2022)
• 8 Pizza Sema, 1011, boul. de Périgny, ☏ +1 450-658-1658. Pizzeria offering a varied menu: pizza, poutine, spaghetti, lasagna... (updated May 2022)
• 9 Restaurant Au Coin De La Baie, 1643 av. Bourgogne, ☏ +1 450-447-7475. Classic cuisine. Private room upstairs, with a view of the Chambly Basin, which can accommodate up to 100 people. (updated May 2022)
• 10 Restaurant Tre Colori inc, 1696 av. Bourgogne, ☏ +1 450-658-6653. Italian-style family restaurant serving thin-crust pizzas in a Roman-inspired decor. Open since 1967. (updated May 2022)
• 11 Rotisserie Le Coq du Roi, 979 Grand Boulevard, ☏ +1 450-447-9449. Restaurant offering a varied menu with delivery service. (updated May 2022)

Drink

• 1 Bedondaine & Bedons Ronds, 255, rue Petrozza (Ostiguy), ☏ +1 450-447-5165. Tu W 15:00-00:00, Th-Sa 11:30-01:00, Su 11:30-11:00. Artisanal brewery with 16 beers on tap. Beer Museum. (updated Dec 2018)
• 2 Bistro & Bar Le Vieux Bourgogne, 1718 avenue Bourgogne (Located near the Chambly Basin, near the mouth of the Chambly Canal.), ☏ +1 450-658-7572. This bar offers singer and karaoke evenings, the schedule of which is posted on the website. (updated May 2022)
• 3 Délires et Délices - Microbrasserie, 1626, avenue Bourgogne, ☏ +1 450-593-3233. Craft microbrewery. "Gaby Bernier" performance hall on the second floor. The program of events (music, humor and games) is announced on the microbrewery's website. Meals on site. (updated May 2022)
• 4 Unibroue - Brewery (Unibroue - Brasserie), 80 rue des Carrières, ☏ +1 514-634-1834. Brewery of traditional Belgian beer. (updated May 2022)

Sleep

• 1 Motel Mon Repos, 1860 Avenue Bourgogne (Near Chambly Canal), ☏ +1 450-658-5644, toll-free: +1-888-658-5644. 20 rooms in a historic building. Single $76, double $104, quad $126. (updated Dec 2018)
• 2 À la Claire Fontaine B&B and Spa, 2130, avenue Bourgogne, ☏ +1 450-447-7940, toll-free: +1-866-925-2912. Centre offering massage therapy services over four seasons. (updated May 2022)

Go next

• 1 Saint-Mathias-sur-Richelieu — A municipality with a rich built heritage. Thanks to the Richelieu River, its port was one of the busiest between Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence River, serving local agricultural and forestry operations. In the 21st century, its economic vocation is centred on recreational tourism and agriculture.
• 2 Richelieu — Crossed by Route 112, Highway 10 and Chemin des Patriotes, Richelieu has a heritage circuit describing the great history of the seigneury and the locality, as well as the built heritage. The building of the Oblates marked its history. Recreational tourism activities are intense on the river and the bike paths.
• 3 Saint-Basile-le-Grand — Recreational tourism activities are mainly: hiking, biking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, etc. The city has around twenty parks (including 4 rest stops), several of which are accessible by the cycle path. The Parc de Montpellier has a magnificent body of water with a fountain.
• 4 Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu — City with a great road, rail, river and military history. In the summer, boating is developed there and catering.
• 5 Carignan — The city of Carignan resembles an imperfect half-donut around the city of Chambly. There are many recreational and tourist activities: hiking (via the green trail that joins Saint-Hubert), cycling, nautical activities (on the Acadie or Richelieu rivers), its municipal parks, etc.

Routes through Chambly

Montreal ← Carignan ←	W  E	→ Richelieu → Sherbrooke
ENDS at ←	N  S	→ Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu → Burlington via
Montreal ← Carignan ←	W  E	→ Richelieu → Sherbrooke
Beloeil ← Carignan ←	N  S	→ Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu → Champlain via

Routes through Richelieu

Montreal ← Chambly ←	W  E	→ Marieville → Sherbrooke
Montreal ← Chambly ←	W  E	→ Marieville → Sherbrooke
Mont-Saint-Hilaire ← Otterburn Park ←	N  S	→ Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu → Burlington via