La Bostonnais

La Bostonnais is a forest municipality located in Haute-Batiscanie and Haute-Mauricie, on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, in the agglomeration of La Tuque, in Mauricie, in Quebec, Canada. This picturesque community on the Canadian Shield has an area of 289.3 km² (111.7 sq mi) where 635 people reside.

The centre of the village of La Bostonnais is about 15 km with the centre of the village of La Tuque by Quebec Route 155. Besides La Tuque, the municipality of La Bostonnais borders on the east side to the municipality of Lac-Édouard.

Understand

Economy

Forestry has been the main engine of economic activity since the middle of the 19th century.

History

The toponym "La Bostonnais" evokes the name of Jean-Baptiste Bostonnais, an American from Boston who came to join the Abenakis. His patronymic becomes the toponymic designation of this municipality of Haute-Mauricie.

On the sidelines of the considerable forest exploitation effort in Haute-Mauricie since the middle of the 19th century, new parishes are opening up to colonization. The canton of Bourgeoys opens to colonization in 1871; nevertheless, the mission of Saint-Jean Bosco de La Bostonnais was only made official in 1946. It would become a parish in 1948.

The civil establishment of La Bostonnais was formalized in 1987. It merged with La Tuque in 2003 as part of the major municipal restructuring; nevertheless, following a public referendum, the municipality of La Bostonnais was reconstituted in 2006 according to the limits of its former territory, however coming under the agglomeration of La Tuque.

The municipality of La Bostonnais is distinguished by its two covered bridges built in 1946 spanning the Bostonnais River:

• Thiffault Bridge, at rang Sud-Est;
• Ducharme Bridge, on rue de l'Église.

These two bridges had been the subject of repairs to the elements of the deck and the structural systems from August to October 2008. These two covered bridges are located 5 minutes apart (or 6.5 km) by Quebec Route 155; or 7 minutes by rang Sud-Est which runs along the eastern part of the Bostonnais River.

Geography

Most of its territory is part of the hydrographic slope of the Saint-Maurice river; while about 15% of the territory (eastern part) is part of Batiscania.

The Bostonnais River crosses the territory from northeast to southwest. The Stewart River has its source in Bourgeoys Lake in the southeastern part of municipal territory.

A small part of the territory of La Bostonnais is administered by the ZEC Borgia (to the north) and by the ZEC de la Bessonne (to the south-east).

The shape of the territory resembles a trapezoid, the west side of which is shorter. The main lakes in this area are: Lac Bourgeoys, Lac à l'Ours (resort), Lac Brochet, Lac aux Dorés, Lac à Varin and Lac du Boom.

Get in

The village of La Bostonnais is accessible by road, snowmobile and all terrain vehicles.

By car

• From Montreal (306 km (190 mi). Time: 3 hr 17 min. Take highway 40 (north shore) eastbound, to Trois-Rivières; take Highway 55 (northbound) to Grand-Mère, which becomes Quebec Route 155 after crossing the Saint-Maurice River bridge; take Quebec Route 155, bypass the village of La Tuque, up to rue de l'Église in La Bostonnais; take rue de l'Église (direction East), cross the Ducharme covered bridge; take rang Sud-Est (south-west direction), to the village of La Bostonnais.
• From Quebec City (255 km (158 mi). Time: 3 hr 55 min. Take highway 40 westbound to Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade, then take route 159 through the villages of Saint-Prosper-de-Champlain, Saint-Stanislas, Saint-Séverin, Saint-Tite and Saint-Roch-de-Mékinac; take Quebec Route 155, bypass the village of La Tuque, up to rue de l'Église in La Bostonnais; take rue de l'Église (direction East), cross the Ducharme covered bridge; take rang Sud-Est (south-west direction), to the village of La Bostonnais.

See

• 1 Chapelle du Vieux Corbeau (Chapel of the Old Crow), 7, rue de l'Église, ☏ +1 819-523-3038, chapelleduvieuxcorbeau@gmail.com. Variable according to the activities or events. Performance hall and theatre open year-round in the former Saint-Jean-Bosco Catholic Church. It is used for cultural, artistic (especially music, theater, audiovisual, painting), tourist, community, social and sporting purposes. (updated Oct 2021)
• 2 Pont Ducharme (pont couvert) (Ducharme covered bridge). Town-type truss bridge, erected in 1946, spanning the Bostonnais River on rue de l'Église, on the northeast side of the village. Its span has a length of 41.76 m. In 2006, this bridge was classified as a heritage building by the Quebec Ministry of Colonization. This toponym evokes the memory of Charles Romulus Ducharme, who served as a member representing the locality in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec during its inauguration. Ducharme Park (picnic area) is on the northwest side of the covered bridge. free. (updated Oct 2021)
• 3 Pont Thiffault (pont couvert) (Thiffault covered bridge). Town-type truss bridge, erected in 1946 at rang Sud-Est, spanning the Bostonnais River on the northeast side of the village. This toponym evokes its builder, Raymond Thiffault (1903-1981), who was a forester and taxi driver in Saguenay. In 1936, he bought a forest plot in La Bostonnais. Its span has a length of 41.73 m. free. (updated Oct 2021)

Do

• Parc Ducharme. In the heart of the village of La Bostonnais, visitors can admire the largest wooden chair in Québec, near an information board about birds. free. (updated Oct 2021)
• Covered bridges tour (From La Tuque down town...). From the village of La Tuque, take Quebec route 155 (north-east direction). In the village La Bostonnais, a stopover in the heart of nature by the river makes you appreciate the history of Ducharme covered bridge spanning the river. Visitors can picnic by the river. Going up the river on Route 155, visitors can reach the second covered bridge (the Thiffault covered bridge) which is 6.5 kilometres (4.0 mi) away. These covered bridges representing historical symbols of the Bostonnais river. From the second covered bridge, visitors can return by the other bank, either by the South-East range which runs along the eastern part of the rivière Bostonnais. Visitors can extend their walk by going to the Halte du curé-Normandin, located along Route 155, at the intersection of Chemin du Lac-Édouard. This rest area is also at the edge of ZEC Borgia and ZEC Menokeosawin. Visitors can also attend a theatrical activity or a show in the Chapelle du Vieux Corbeau in La Bostonnais. Free. (updated Oct 2021)

Sleep

Camping

• 1 Domaine Notcimik, 418 rang sud-est, ☏ +1 819-523-8003, info@domainenotcimik.com. Camping in kipi mode and accommodation in prospecting camps; an Atikamek cultural experience in the heart of nature. Access to the beach. Room services. The Notcimik chalet has a capacity of 12 people. The Capitowan can accommodate 20 people. Accommodation and activities all year round. (updated Oct 2021)

Chalet, gîte, inn

• 2 Domaine Le Bostonnais, 2000, route 155 Nord (exit at km 137.5 from route 155), ☏ +1 819-523-5127, domainelebostonnais@hotmail.com. An authentic holiday resort with its five log houses on a 10-hectare park. The dining room faces the garden. On the banks of the Bostonnais river. Walking trails. (updated Oct 2021)
• 3 Chalet chez Ti-Bi sur le lac, 1302 route 155, ☏ +1 819-376-8151. Chalet between route 155 and the Bostonnais river. (updated Oct 2021)

Go next

• 1 ZEC de la Croche Controlled exploitation zone (ZEC) 18 km north of La Tuque. It has 97 lakes in an area of 351.8 km² (135.8 sq mi). This ZEC takes its name from the Croche river which crosses it.
• 2 ZEC Borgia Controlled harvesting zone (ZEC) northeast of the city of La Tuque. More than 194 lakes have been counted in the territory of this ZEC, including 59 exploited for fishing. It covers an area of ​​556 km² (215 sq mi).
• 3 ZEC Ménokéosawin Controlled Harvesting Zone (ZEC) in the municipality of Lac-Édouard and La Tuque. It has 162 lakes in an area of 298.5 km² (115.3 sq mi).
• ZEC de la Bessonne Controlled harvesting zone (ZEC) covering 524.5 km² (202.5 sq mi), straddling the territories of La Tuque, La Bostonnais and Lac-Édouard. It is 10 km east of downtown La Tuque. Six rivers cross its territory.
• 4 ZEC Wessonneau Controlled Harvesting Zone (ZEC) covering the townships of Baril, Turcotte, Geoffrion and Polette. The reception station of the zec Wessonneau is located west of the Saint-Maurice River, near the rivière aux Rats.
• La Tuque City of Haute-Mauricie, in Quebec, with 11,000 inhabitants in 2016. The three First Nations reserves which are on its territory, have their own administration. This vast territory of 28,099 km² (10,849 sq mi), especially forest, is a paradise for recreational and tourism activities.
• Lac-Édouard Municipality of Haute-Batiscanie, the village of Lac-Édouard is on the edge of Lake Édouard, 60 km (by road) from downtown La Tuque. This locality is renowned for forestry and for its recreational tourism activities (resort, outfitters, water sports, snowmobiling, mountain biking).