Matawinie
Around Matawinie
Photo: Veillg1 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Countryside and towns · Quebec · 55k people
Matawinie
Lakes, forests, and the sweet taste of maple.
Forest GreenLake BlueAutumn Maple
Welcome to Matawinie, where the lakes are calm and the maple trees are sweet. Come for the sugar shacks, stay for the trails and the friendly villages.
Clubs for Matawinie
No clubs for Matawinie yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Matawinie. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Matawinie. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Parc national du Mont-Tremblant Entrance at Saint-Donat; hiking, camping, wildlife.
- Pont couvert de Rawdon Historic covered bridge over the Ouareau River.
- Cascades de Rawdon Scenic falls and picnic area.
- Mont Garceau Family-friendly ski and snowboard hill in Saint-Donat.
- Forêt Ouareau Network of trails for hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing.
- Église de Saint-Jean-de-Matha 19th-century church, centre of the village.
- Outdoors Hiking in Mont-Tremblant National Park
- Outdoors Canoeing on Lac Ouareau
- With kids Maple syrup tasting at a sugar shack
- With kids Swimming at a lake beach on Lac Archambault
- Evenings Live music at village pubs
- Evenings Sugaring-off parties
- Locals love Sugar shacks (cabanes à sucre)
- Locals love Lakeside cottages and camps
Through the year
- Festival de la galette de sarrasin August Celebrates the local buckwheat pancake with tastings and contests.
- Fête nationale (Saint-Jean-Baptiste) June 24 Bonfires, music, and community gatherings across all villages.
- Festival des couleurs October Fall foliage celebrations with hikes and scenic drives.
- Carnaval de Saint-Donat February Winter carnival with ice sculptures, sledding, and outdoor games.
- Temps des sucres March–April Maple sugaring season with sugar shack visits and tire sur la neige.
Matawinie has four distinct seasons: cold, snowy winters; mild springs with maple sugaring; warm summers for lakes and hiking; and crisp autumns with vibrant colours. Best: Summer and early fall are the most comfortable for outdoor activities.
Talk like a local
- “Temps des sucres”
- Maple syrup season
- “Cabane à sucre”
- Sugar shack
- “Galette”
- Buckwheat pancake
- “Boisé”
- Wooded area
Getaways
- Joliette City with the Festival de Lanaudière (classical music).
- D'Autray Rural countryside and the Berthierville area.
- Sorel-Tracy Historic town on the St. Lawrence River.
- Montcalm Agricultural heartland with small-town charm.
Local flavour
Rooting for Montreal Canadiens (NHL), Montreal Alouettes (CFL), Montreal Impact (MLS), Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
Eat and drink
- Tire sur la neige Maple taffy poured on snow, a classic sugar shack treat.
- Poutine Quebec's signature dish of fries, cheese curds, and gravy, widely available in local diners.
- Tourtière Traditional meat pie, often served during the holidays and at family gatherings.
Where people go
- Sugar shacks (cabanes à sucre) Seasonal maple syrup producers offering traditional meals and tire sur la neige.
- Lakeside cottages and camps The region is dotted with lakes, making cottages and fishing camps a way of life.
- Ski hills and cross-country trails Resorts like Mont Garceau near Saint-Donat attract winter sports enthusiasts.
- Historic village churches Each municipality has a Catholic church that anchors its heritage and community life.
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Nearby
Every areaJolietteQuebecRiver town, festival soul.D'AutrayQuebecQuiet farmlands, sweet maple springsSorel-TracyQuebecWhere the river shapes our soulMontcalmQuebecWhere the maple runs and the fields stretch wide.MaskinongéQuebecWhere the river whispers and the maples singLa Vallée-du-RichelieuQuebecRichelieu's rural heart, where orchards meet the river.Sainte-Agathe-des-MontsQuebecA year-round playground of lakes and peaks.ShawiniganQuebecWhere the river powers the heart of Quebec
Rural Matawinie, QC. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.