Victoriaville
Around Victoriaville
Photo: Gabriel Picard · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Town and around · Quebec · 52k people
Victoriaville
Locals say Bois-Francs
Where the forest sings
Victoriaville Tigres blueVictoriaville Tigres gold
Bienvenue à Victoriaville, au cœur des Bois-Francs! Come enjoy our maple season, cheer on the Tigres, and explore the rivers and hills around town. Whether you're here for a hockey game or a quiet walk, you'll find a friendly, down-to-earth vibe.
Clubs for Victoriaville
No clubs for Victoriaville yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Victoriaville. 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 Victoriaville. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Colisée Desjardins Home of the Victoriaville Tigres junior hockey team.
- Le Carré 150 A cultural and concert venue hosting local and touring acts.
- Parc de la Rivière Nicolet Riverside park with walking paths and green spaces.
- Marché public de Victoriaville Public market for local produce, crafts, and prepared foods.
- Mont Arthabaska Ski hill and park offering winter sports and summer hiking.
- Outdoors Skiing and snowboarding at Mont Arthabaska
- Outdoors Maple taffy in a sugar shack
- With kids Visit a sugar shack for a maple taffy roll in the snow
- With kids Catch a Victoriaville Tigres hockey game
- Evenings Catch a show at Le Carré 150
- Evenings Watch a Tigres game at a local pub
- Locals love Sugar shacks
- Locals love Maple groves
Through the year
- Festival de la gibelotte September A fall celebration in Plessisville featuring the traditional fish stew.
- Salon du livre de Victoriaville April A book fair bringing authors and readers together in the spring.
A humid continental climate with cold, snowy winters and warm, sometimes humid summers. The best time to be out is from June to September. Best: Summer and early fall are ideal for outdoor activities, with warm days and cool nights.
Talk like a local
- “Bois-Francs”
- Local name for the region around Victoriaville, literally 'hardwoods'.
- “Tire”
- Short for 'tire d'érable', maple taffy on snow.
Getaways
- Drummondville Home of the Village Québécois d'Antan and a lively downtown.
- Thetford Mines Explore the former asbestos mine and the Musée minéralogique.
- Trois-Rivières Historic old town, the Forges du Saint-Maurice, and riverfront.
- Sherbrooke University city with a vibrant arts scene and Mont Bellevue.
Local flavour
Teams
- Victoriaville Tigres QMJHL
Eat and drink
- Tire d'érable Maple taffy on snow, a classic sugar shack treat
- Cretons Spiced pork spread, a Quebec breakfast staple
- Tourtière Traditional meat pie, especially at the holidays
Where people go
- Sugar shacks Cabane à sucre, the heart of maple season
- Maple groves Érablières where the trees are tapped each spring
- Music venues Spaces that host the Festival de musique émergente and local acts
- Cheese dairies Fromageries making fresh cheese curds for poutine
Heritage and traditions
The Bois-Francs region is proud of its deep maple syrup heritage, its vibrant community festivals like the Gibelotte, and its strong agricultural roots.
Say it like a local: “Faque” — So / therefore
Festivals
- Festival de la gibelotte August Celebrates the local fish stew (gibelotte) with cooking contests and tastings.
- Salon du livre de Victoriaville April A major book fair featuring Quebec authors and literary events.
- Festival Country de Victoriaville Summer Country music performances and western-themed activities.
- Fête nationale (Saint-Jean-Baptiste) June 24 Quebec's national holiday with bonfires, music, and community gatherings.
- Exposition agricole de Plessisville Summer Agricultural fair with livestock shows and local produce.
Landmarks with a story
- Église Saint-Christophe A historic Catholic church in Victoriaville with distinctive architecture.
- Église Saint-Calixte A prominent church in Plessisville, reflecting the town's religious heritage.
Food traditions
- Maple taffy on snow Boiled maple syrup poured on snow and rolled onto a stick, a sugar shack classic.
- Gibelotte A fish stew made with local river fish, a specialty of the Bois-Francs region.
- Cretons A spiced pork spread served on toast, a Quebec breakfast staple.
- Tourtière A hearty meat pie traditionally enjoyed during the holidays.
- Fèves au lard Baked beans slow-cooked with maple syrup, a classic Quebec side dish.
Music and arts
- Quebec folk music Traditional fiddle and accordion tunes are part of local gatherings.
- Country music scene Influenced by the Festival Country, with local performers and dance halls.
- Woodworking and sculpture Craftsmen create furniture and art from local hardwoods.
- Community theatre Local troupes perform in venues like Le Carré 150.
A little history
- 1861 Founded as a village named after Queen Victoria.
- 1890 Incorporated as a city, becoming a regional hub.
- Late 19th century The railway arrived, boosting trade and the maple syrup industry.
- 19th–20th centuries Development of the Bois-Francs region as a center for agriculture and forestry.
- 20th century Growth of the furniture and woodworking industries.
Rivalries
- Victoriaville Tigres vs. Drummondville Voltigeurs A heated QMJHL rivalry between nearby cities.
- Victoriaville Tigres vs. Shawinigan Cataractes Another close hockey matchup that draws big crowds.
- Game day Victoriaville Tigres hockey
- Game day Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing
- Outdoors Skiing and snowboarding at Mont Arthabaska
- Outdoors Maple taffy in a sugar shack
- With kids Visit a sugar shack for maple taffy roll in the snow
- With kids Catch a Victoriaville Tigres hockey game
Locals speak Quebec French with a distinct accent, using informal contractions and expressions like 'moé' for 'moi' and 'toé' for 'toi'. The pace is friendly and laced with classic Quebecois idioms.
Only here
- The Festival de la gibelotte celebrates a fish stew unique to the Bois-Francs region.
- The name 'Bois-Francs' means 'hardwoods,' reflecting the dense maple and oak forests.
- Sugar shacks are a spring ritual, with families gathering for maple taffy and hearty meals.
- The region is a major producer of maple syrup in Quebec, with many family-run operations.
New here? A few tips
- Learn basic French phrases; while many locals are bilingual, French is the everyday language.
- Embrace the maple season in spring—visit a sugar shack and try tire d'érable on snow.
- Prepare for cold winters; invest in good winter gear and enjoy outdoor activities like snowshoeing.
- Try local specialties like gibelotte, cretons, and tourtière at restaurants or festivals.
- Get involved in community events like the Fête nationale to meet people and feel at home.
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Nearby
Every areaArthabaskaQuebecWhere maple syrup flows and the countryside breathes.L'ÉrableQuebecWhere the maple runs deepLes SourcesQuebecWhere the hills whisper in French and the maple runs deep.DrummondvilleQuebecHome to the world's biggest poutine party, where the river runs sweet and maple is in the air.Thetford MinesQuebecAu cœur des AppalachesNicolet-YamaskaQuebecWhere the river meets the fieldsTrois-RivièresQuebecWhere rivers meet and maple flowsSherbrookeQuebecWhere the steeples meet the mountains.
Victoriaville. 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.