Shawinigan
Around Shawinigan
Photo: Sandra Cohen-Rose and Colin Rose · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Town and around · Quebec · 49k people
Shawinigan
Locals say Mauricie · “Cité de l'énergie”
Where the river powers the heart of Quebec
Cataractes BlueForest Green
Welcome to the Mauricie! Here you'll find a friendly river town with a proud hockey culture, a love for maple syrup, and a calendar full of festivals. Come share a poutine and a story.
Clubs for Shawinigan
No clubs for Shawinigan yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Shawinigan. 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
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Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Shawinigan. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Cité de l'énergie Science museum about hydroelectricity in a former aluminum plant.
- Chutes de Shawinigan Dramatic waterfall on the Saint-Maurice River.
- Parc national de la Mauricie Protected boreal forest with lakes, hiking, and canoeing.
- Centre Gervais Auto Home arena of the Shawinigan Cataractes junior hockey team.
- Parc de la Rivière Shawinigan Urban park along the river with trails and picnic areas.
- Mastigouche Wildlife Reserve Large reserve for hunting, fishing, and camping.
- Outdoors Hike in Parc national de la Mauricie
- Outdoors Fish on the Saint-Maurice River
- With kids Visit the Cité de l'énergie
- With kids Picnic at Parc de la Rivière Shawinigan
- Evenings Catch a Cataractes game
- Evenings Live music at local bars
- Locals love Sugar shacks (cabanes à sucre)
- Locals love Casse-croûtes (snack bars)
Through the year
- Festival Western de Saint-Tite September The biggest western festival in eastern Canada, with rodeos, music, and a western village.
- Festival de la truite de La Tuque May A trout fishing festival with competitions, food, and family activities.
- Shawinigan en fête July A summer street festival with live music, food booths, and activities.
- Festival de la chanson de Saint-Tite September A songwriting and performance festival held during the Western Festival.
The Mauricie has a classic Quebec climate: cold, snowy winters and warm, humid summers. The best time to be out is from June to September, with spring offering the unique sugar season. Best: Summer and early fall are the best times to be out, with warm days and cool nights.
Getaways
- Trois-Rivières Historic city with a vibrant downtown and the St. Lawrence River.
- Québec City Old Quebec, Château Frontenac, and the Plains of Abraham.
- Drummondville Known for the Festival de la poutine and the Village Québécois d'Antan.
- Joliette Gateway to the Lanaudière region, with the Festival de Lanaudière.
Local flavour
Teams
- Shawinigan Cataractes QMJHL
Eat and drink
- Poutine Classic Quebec dish with fries, cheese curds, and gravy.
- Tourtière Traditional meat pie, often served during the holidays.
- Sugar pie (tarte au sucre) Sweet maple or brown sugar pie, a regional favourite.
- Cretons Spiced pork spread, typically eaten on toast.
Where people go
- Sugar shacks (cabanes à sucre) Seasonal maple syrup harvesting and traditional meals.
- Casse-croûtes (snack bars) Local diners serving poutine, burgers, and fries.
- Fromageries (cheese factories) Producers of fresh cheese curds and artisanal cheeses.
- Hydroelectric dams Historic and active power stations along the Saint-Maurice.
- Riverfront parks and trails Recreational areas along the river, ideal for walking and cycling.
Heritage and traditions
Shawinigan and the Mauricie are proud of their industrial and hydroelectric heritage, the mighty Saint-Maurice River, and a resilient French-Canadian culture that thrives in small towns and forests. The region also honours its Atikamekw First Nations roots, especially around Manawan.
This time of year in Shawinigan
- Harvest festivals Autumn In September and October, towns celebrate the harvest with markets and community meals.
Say it like a local: “J'ai hâte” — I can't wait / I'm excited
Festivals
- Festival de la gibelotte June Celebrates the traditional fish stew of the Saint-Maurice, with cooking contests and tastings.
- Powwow de Manawan Summer A gathering of Atikamekw and other First Nations with drumming, dancing, and crafts.
- Carnaval de Shawinigan February A winter carnival with ice sculptures, sledding, and outdoor activities.
Landmarks with a story
- Église de Saint-Tite A large neo-Gothic church that dominates the town, reflecting the strong Catholic heritage.
- Église de Saint-Élie-de-Caxton A charming village church, often mentioned in Fred Pellerin's stories.
- Chapelle de Manawan A small chapel in the Atikamekw community, blending Catholic and indigenous traditions.
Food traditions
- Gibelotte A hearty fish stew made with local catch from the Saint-Maurice River, often featuring perch or walleye.
- Tarte à la farlouche A molasses pie with raisins, a traditional dessert from the Mauricie region.
- Poutine A Quebec classic: fries, cheese curds, and gravy, served at casse-croûtes everywhere.
- Tourtière A spiced meat pie, often served during the holidays.
- Sugar pie (tarte au sucre) A sweet maple or brown sugar pie, a staple of sugar shack meals.
Music and arts
- Chanson québécoise A strong tradition of French-language songwriting, with roots in the work of Félix Leclerc.
- Contes et légendes Storytelling is a living art, especially in Saint-Élie-de-Caxton, home of Fred Pellerin.
- Artisanat atikamekw Birchbark baskets, beadwork, and moccasins are made by Atikamekw artisans, preserving ancestral techniques.
- Musique folklorique Traditional fiddle and accordion music is played at community gatherings and festivals.
A little history
- 1901 Industrial boom begins
- 1934 Jean Chrétien born in Shawinigan
- 1914 Félix Leclerc born in La Tuque
- 2002 Municipal merger creates the city of Shawinigan
- Pre-contact Atikamekw have inhabited the region for millennia
Rivalries
- Shawinigan Cataractes vs. Drummondville Voltigeurs Fierce QMJHL hockey rivalry.
- Shawinigan vs. Trois-Rivières Local bragging rights in hockey and other sports.
- Game day Hockey
- Game day Ice fishing
- Outdoors Snowshoeing
- Outdoors Cross-country skiing
- With kids Visit the Cité de l'énergie
- With kids Go to the beach at Parc national de la Mauricie
French is spoken with a distinctive Quebec accent, featuring expressions like 'ben oui' and 'c'est le fun'. In Manawan, the Atikamekw language is also spoken, and many locals are bilingual in French and Atikamekw.
Only here
- The Cité de l'énergie is a one-of-a-kind museum about hydroelectricity and the region's industrial past.
- The gibelotte is a fish stew unique to the Saint-Maurice River valley.
- Saint-Élie-de-Caxton is famous for its storyteller Fred Pellerin, whose tales are set in the village.
- Manawan is one of the few fully Atikamekw communities in Quebec, with a strong cultural presence.
New here? A few tips
- Learn some French; it's the primary language and locals appreciate any effort.
- Prepare for long, cold winters; invest in a good winter coat, boots, and possibly a block heater for your car.
- Try the local poutine and sugar pie early on – they're comfort food staples.
- Get outdoors: hiking, fishing, and snowmobiling are big here, and the nature is stunning.
- Respect indigenous communities; Manawan is a living culture, not a tourist attraction.
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Nearby
Every areaMékinacQuebecWhere the maple runs and the river singsTrois-RivièresQuebecWhere rivers meet and maple flowsMaskinongéQuebecWhere the river whispers and the maples singNicolet-YamaskaQuebecWhere the river meets the fieldsSorel-TracyQuebecWhere the river shapes our soulMatawinieQuebecLakes, forests, and the sweet taste of maple.DrummondvilleQuebecHome to the world's biggest poutine party, where the river runs sweet and maple is in the air.JolietteQuebecRiver town, festival soul.
Shawinigan. 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.