Between Montreal and Quebec city, a royal road unfolds for kilometers to welcome you to the heart of the province. Following the northern bank of the majestic Saint Lawrence River, its panoramic viewpoints are breathtaking. Sometimes urban, sometimes rural, the Chemin du Roy offers an entertaining and fascinating journey with its must-visit stops.
King's Road
This 280-kilometer tourist route showcases the richness of New France’s heritage and history. Historic houses, old mills, churches, and shrines line your path along the Chemin du Roy, weaving the story of Quebec’s modern pioneers and showcasing remarkable traces of the former seigneuries. The attractions along the Chemin du Roy are numerous. The historic site of Île-des-Moulins in Vieux-Terrebonne, the historic district of Trois-Rivières, a city founded in 1634 by Sieur Laviolette, the Maison des Cageux along the Saint Lawrence River, a true identity gem, the Forges du Saint-Maurice, and the Boréalis Museum, to name just a few, await you for a complete immersion in the heart of Authentic Quebec.
What to do on the way?
A Glimpse of Its History
The terrestrial sibling of the Saint Lawrence River, the King’s Road was built between 1731 and 1737. This is how several families became part of the Lanaudière and Mauricie territories to contribute to the province’s settlement. For a century and a half, carriages, stagecoaches, mail bags, and winter sleds crisscrossed the region from Montreal to Quebec and back, carrying out trips and sending mail. With horses galloping, it was even possible to complete the journey in just two days! Since then, the King’s Road has reinvented itself and adapted to the evolution of transportation means, remaining a pivotal point in the heart of Quebec and its tourism.