Saint-Boniface

Saint-Boniface is a parish municipality of the Maskinongé Regional county municipality (MRC de Maskinongé), in Moyenne-Mauricie.

The residents of Saint-Boniface benefit from a picturesque parish, with rural charms, while being close to the shops and services that Shawinigan offers. Highway 55 (connecting Trois-Rivières to Shawinigan (Grand-Mère sector) and Highway 153 cross municipal territory.

Understand

History

Local logging began at the end of the 18th century thanks to the leaders of the Forges du St-Maurice. Between 1734 and 1884, about 200 lumber workers were busy cutting an average of 10,000 cords of wood. The wood harvest is then reduced to charcoal in large ovens. This coal is used in the manufacture of cast iron produced at Forges in Trois-Rivières.

Around 1825, human activity intensified in forestry in the Moyen-Mauricie region, particularly in the current territory of Saint-Boniface. The area is favored by the proximity of the Saint-Maurice river for the transport of wood by flotation. Following Napoleon's blockade against Great Britain in 1805, the Canadian colony sold its finest pine trunks to the English Metropolis for civilian and military shipbuilding. Logging leads to the establishment of settlers who offer their agricultural products to workers on the construction sites.

Following the abolition in 1846 of the operating privilege held by the owners of the Saint-Maurice forges, the Government in 1849 ordered a survey of the region. In 1852, the Route des Forges was extended to the foot of the Shawinigan Falls, on the west side of the Saint-Maurice River. In the past, the workers of this steel company used this land route to transport the raw material to its forges.

On March 17, 1850, Justin Gélinas of the Bellechasse concession in Yamachiche was the first settler to settle in the Canton. Quickly, other families settled on the territory, notably the families of Solyme Caron, Gabriel Boulanger, Olivier Dugré, Pit Dubé and Jean Beaulieu. These first inhabitants are also busy building the ball slide at Shawinigan Falls (1852) and booms which will be used to direct the logs into the slide and onto the Saint-Maurice River.

Around 1853, the Catholic diocese of Trois-Rivières authorized the erection of a temporary chapel. It will be erected on the site of the current municipal water tank. Around 1855, because of the increase in the population, the diocese authorized the construction of a church. The current site was chosen the following year.

The civil establishment of the municipality of Saint-Boniface dates from July 1, 1855; initially, it bore the name of Canton de Shawénégan. Given the momentum of Christianity, the patronymic of Saint Boniface (German apostle who undertook the difficult reform of the Frankish Church) was chosen. The motto of the municipality of Saint-Boniface is “All for good, nothing for bad”.

Get in

The village of Saint-Boniface is accessible by road, bicycle, snowmobile and all-terrain vehicles.

By car

• From Montreal (157 km (98 mi). Time: 1 hr 39 min. Take highway 40 eastbound, to Trois-Rivières; Highway 55 North; take the first exit for Saint-Boniface; take rue Principale (northbound).
• From Quebec City. (159 km (99 mi). Time: 1 hr 38 min. Take highway 40 west to Trois-Rivières; take highway 55 (northbound); take the first exit for Saint-Boniface; take rue Principale (northbound).

Get around

Charging station

• 1 Bornes de recharge électrique (Electric charging stations), 155, rue Langevin, ☏ +1 800-686-9243. (updated Nov 2021)

Gas stations

• 2 Station-service Lenca Canada inc (https://www.esso.ca/en-ca/find-station/esso-stbonifacedeshawinigan-qc-lencacanadainc-200303229), 55, chemin Bellevue, ☏ +1 819-535-1567. (updated Nov 2021)
• 3 Station-service EKO, 1620, boul. Trudel Est, ☏ +1 819-535-6161. (updated Nov 2021)

See

• 1 Église catholique de Saint-Boniface (Church of Saint-Boniface), 110 rue Principale, ☏ +1 819-535-3321, saintbonifaceparoisse@gmail.com. (updated Nov 2021)

Do

• 1 Ranch des sabots et des ailes (Hoof and Wing Ranch), 800, chemin de la Station, ☏ +1 819-698-9863. Tourist ranch. (updated Nov 2021)
• 2 Club de golf Le Domaine (Le Domaine Golf Club), 1095, rue Principale, ☏ +1 819-535-3925. Tourist ranch. (updated Nov 2021)

Buy

Food

• 1 L'intermarché Gervais Réjean inc (The intermarché Gervais Réjean inc), 93, rue Principale, ☏ +1 819-535-3322. Saisonnier. Grocery store. (updated Nov 2021)
• 2 Salaison Alain (Salting Alain), 480, rue Principale, ☏ +1 819-535-9623. Butcher's shop. (updated Nov 2021)
• 3 Les Serres Arc-en-Ciel et fils inc (Arc-en-Ciel Greenhouses), 970, chemin du lac, ☏ +1 819-535-9776. (updated Nov 2021)
• 4 Ferme Rénald Ayotte (Rénald Ayotte's Farm), 2900, chemin du lac, ☏ +1 819-535-3180. (updated Nov 2021)
• 5 Aux Multiples Jardins (With multiple gardens), 1605, chemin de la Station, ☏ +1 819-535-7078, info@auxmultiplesjardins.com. Landscaper. Pick your own. Magnificent site at the foot of the mountain. Picnic areas. Visit the gardens. Walk in the forest. (updated Nov 2021)

Other type of business

• 6 Boutique Marie-Audrey, 449, boul. Trudel Est, ☏ +1 819-529-3187. Souvenir gift shop. (updated Nov 2021)

Eat

Restaurant

• 1 Pizzeria Stratos, 49, rue Principale, ☏ +1 819-535-7777. (updated Nov 2021)
• 2 Bar Laitier Mont Blanc, 186, rue Principale, ☏ +1 819-655-0200. (updated Nov 2021)
• 3 Casse-Croûte H&P, 160 boul. Trudel Ouest, ☏ +1 819-535-2969. (updated Nov 2021)
• 4 Scarlett Cake Topper - Ornements de Gâteaux (Scarlett Cake Topper - Cake Ornaments), 271, rue Ste-Marie, ☏ +1 877-850-6045. (updated Nov 2021)
• 5 Casse-Croûte L'Ami du Coin, 95, rue Principale. (updated Nov 2021)
• 6 Poulet Bellerive (Bellerive Chicken), 1300, boul. Trudel-Est. Grossiste en volaille (updated Nov 2021)

Sugar Shack

• 7 Cabane à sucre Réjean Gervais (Sugar Schack of Réjean Gervais), 165A, rue St-Prosper, ☏ +1 819-535-2149. Maple products. (updated Nov 2021)
• 8 Domaine du sucrier (Sugar bowl), 3400, chemin du lac, ☏ +1 819-535-5322. Enchanting site in a forest of 30 arpents. Maple products offer. Capacity of the dining room: 95 seats. Three services per day. (updated Nov 2021)

Drink

• 1 Bar La Halte, 2830, boul. Trudel Est, ☏ +1 819-900-0916. (updated Nov 2021)

Sleep

Chalet, gîte, inn

• 1 [domainedelabaie.ca Gîte Le domaine de la Baie] (Cottage area of the Bay), 4200, boul. Trudel Est, ☏ +1 819-609-6606. (updated Nov 2021)
• 2 Les Chalets Enchantés (The Enchanted Chalets), 4000, boul. Trudel Est, ☏ +1 819-698-9988. (updated Nov 2021)
• 3 Spamania-location villa et mini loft, 4740, boul. Trudel Est, ☏ +1 819-852-4740. (updated Nov 2021)
• 4 Domaine des pignons rouges (Field of red gables), 1915, chemin du lac. Holiday accommodation service. (updated Nov 2021)
• 5 Jeromebaril, 375, rue Guimont. Suburban hotel. (updated Nov 2021)

Camping

• 6 Camping Saint-Boniface, 1850, boul. Trudel Est, ☏ +1 819-535-7047, info@campingsaintboniface.com. Campsite offering 56 pitches. Swimming pool, spa, playground. Price also for visitor.. (updated Nov 2021)

Cope

• 3 Parc récréotouristique Héritage Carcajou (Carcajou Heritage Recreational Park), ☏ +1 819-535-3042. Park inaugurated in spring 2015. The site can accommodate groups in the middle of nature. It has 15 km of trails designed for the outdoors in nature; in winter, they serve as snowshoe trails. It is administered and maintained by the Mouvement scout de Saint-Boniface. It is furnished with a scout vision. The Doux temps, Épervier, Le refuge and Glouton chalets can accommodate around 40 people; they are equipped with culinary and sanitary facilities. Activities offered in the park: hiking, winter sliding, canoe trips, swimming, hebertism trail and chalet rentals. (updated Nov 2021)
• 4 Bibliothèque municipale, 140, rue Guimont, ☏ +1 819 535-3811. Documentary resources: books, comics, magazines and CD-ROMs. Free Internet access thanks to the Biblio network. Organization of various animated activities in connection with its mission. Free for residents and seasonal workers. (updated Nov 2021)
• 5 Aréna de Saint-Boniface (Saint-Boniface Arena), 180, rue Langevin, ☏ +1 819-535-1416. (updated Nov 2021)
• 6 Plage municipale (Municipal beach), 1790, chemin de la Plage (Accessible by Chemin de la Station and Chemin du Héroux). Beach in a bay of Lake Héroux. (updated Nov 2021)
• 7 Glissade municipale (Municipal slide). (updated Nov 2021)

Go next

• 1 Saint-Étienne-des-Grès Municipality of Basse-Mauricie where the La Gabelle hydroelectric power station was erected. It has two villages: Saint-Étienne-des-Grès and Saint-Thomas-de-Caxton. Its offer of recreational and tourist activities is significant: vacationing, cycling (Route Verte), hiking trails, water sports on the Saint-Maurice River.
• Saint-Barnabé Locality mainly agricultural. Cycle tourism has developed well there. Several old, well-restored residences reflect local history.
• 2 Charette Laid out at the foot of the Laurentians, Charette has developed through agriculture and forestry.
• 3 Saint-Élie-de-Caxton Locality benefiting from the passage of tourists to the Mauricie National Park. Recreational tourism is well developed there: vacationing, camping, hiking trails, observation of flora and fauna, maple groves, mountain biking, snowmobiles, cycling, hunting and fishing.
• 4 Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc Last village-relay before the southwest entrance to Mauricie National Park. This locality is a hotbed of recreational and tourist activities (La Mauricie National Park, resorts, camping, hiking trails, observation of flora and fauna, maple groves, mountain biking, snowmobiles, cycling, hunting and fishing) and forestry.
• 5 Saint-Gérard-des-Laurentides Municipality incorporated civilly in 1922; and merged with Shawinigan on January 1, 2003. Its territory is crossed by the Shawinigan river.
• 6 Shawinigan Town of the Moyen-Mauricie with an industrial, residential, commercial, public services and recreational tourism vocation.

Routes through Saint-Boniface

Chambord via ← Shawinigan ←	N  S	→ Saint-Étienne-des-Grès → Trois-Rivières
Lac-aux-Sables ← Shawinigan ←	E  S	→ Saint-Étienne-des-Grès → Yamachiche