Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel is a recreational tourism municipality on the south shore of Lac Saint-Pierre, in the regional county municipality (MRC) of Pierre-De Saurel, in Montérégie, in Quebec.

Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel is the gateway to the Lac Saint-Pierre Biosphere Reserve. In terms of recreational tourism, the main attractions of Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel are:

• its great Indigenous history following the melting of the glaciers, which began nearly 12,000 years ago in the valley of the St. Lawrence River;
• its great history since the passage of Jacques-Cartier in 1535;
• its particular geographical location, on the south shore of Lac Saint-Pierre and the Saint-Lawrence River, and among the Îles-de-Sorel, thus offering boaters a magnificent riparian and river landscape, as well as an exceptional environment for boating through islands, channels, Lake Saint-Pierre and the St. Lawrence River; the passage of migratory birds (spring and autumn) offers quite a fluvial spectacle;
• the Lac-Saint-Pierre World Biosphere Reserve;
• its businesses providing services to visitors and boaters;
• its municipal recreational infrastructure (municipal parks with sports and relaxation facilities):
• its picturesque and modern built heritage, which testifies to various eras and various vocations of the city (maritime and agricultural).

Understand

History

The parish of Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel was canonically erected in 1876. Its church was built in 1878 and 1879. The presbytery was built in 1880. The interior of the church was completed in 1890, with the construction of a first Stations of the Cross.

Geography

The territory of Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel includes eight islands among the 103 Islands of Sorel, notably the islands: du Moine, des Barques, and Létourneau. The territory included on the mainland which has an agricultural vocation (except the riparian zone of the river which is residential) stops at the famous Chenal du Moine. The shore of the river stretches for 11.9 kilometres (7.4 mi) in Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel.

The width of the river is 6.8 km (4.2 mi) between the Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel wharf and the north shore, or 2.7 km (1.7 mi) to reach Saint-Ignace Island.

Get in

By car

• From Montréal (85 km, time: 1 hr 7 min). Take the Jacques-Cartier bridge (east); take route 132 (eastbound) to Varennes; take Chemin du Pays-Brûlé (eastbound); take Autoroute 30 (northbound) to Sorel-Tracy, the intersection of Route 132; continue on chemin du Chenal-du-Moine, to the village of Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel.
• From Quebec (209 km, time: 2 hr 26 min). Take Autoroute 40 (westbound) to Trois-Rivières; take Autoroute 55 (south) and cross the Laviolette bridge; take Route 132 to Sorel-Tracy; take Chemin du Chenal-du-Moine to the village of Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel.

See

• 1 Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel Lighthouse (Phare de Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel), 13, rue Dupont. Maritime navigation support lighthouse. (updated Jun 2022)

Île du Moine advanced maritime positioning lighthouse, in Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel

Do

• 1 Marsh House (Maison du Marais), 3742, chemin du Chenal-du-Moine, ☏ +1 450-742-5716. Group outings (boat tours), nautical excursions as well as sea kayaks & canoes. This centre also offers scientific activities (in an interpretation area relating to wetlands), wildlife research (thanks to the Lavallière Bay Development Corporation) and hiking (linear trail of the bay of 1.3 km). (updated Jun 2022)
• 2 Passion Planches, 2727, chemin du Chenal-du-Moine, ☏ +1 450-521-3597. Allows you to discover the islands by paddle board. (updated Jun 2022)

Recreational parks

• 3 Federal Dock Park - Henri-Letendre Park (Parc quai fédéral - Parc Henri-Letendre) (at the corner of rue du Quai and rue de la Rive). This park has a boat launch, picnic tables and a rest area. (updated Jun 2022)
• 4 Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel Town Hall Park (Parc de la Mairie de Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel), 1685, chemin du Chenal-du-Moine. Playground and water games, with two launching ramps, a rest area, picnic tables, two sun shelters. (updated Jun 2022)
• 5 Constant-Plante Park (Parc Constant-Plante), 1665, chemin du Chenal-du-Moine. Park with a TrekFit circuit, petanque games, shuffleboard, rest area, swings for adults, picnic tables, canteen service, marina, sun shelter. (updated Jun 2022)
• 6 Germaine-Guèvremont Recreation Centre (Centre des loisirs Germaine-Guèvremont), 748, chemin du Chenal-du-Moine. Parc doté d'un terrain de soccer, d'un terrain de balle, d'une patinoire (saison hivernale), d'un parc de planche à roulettes, d'une aire de jeux et de la maison des jeunes. (updated Jun 2022)
• 7 Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel Youth Centre (Maison de jeunes de Sainte-Anne-de-Sorel), 748, chemin du Chenal-du-Moine. Park with a soccer field, a ball field, an ice rink (winter season), a skateboard park, a playground and the youth centre. (updated Jun 2022)

Buy

• 1 Plantation G.H. Dutil, 2482, chemin du Chenal-du-Moine. From the last Saturday in November. Christmas tree nursery open to visitors. (updated Jun 2022)

Eat

Several restaurants or dining rooms in the Montérégie have transformed the mode of meals at the tables into take-out or delivery service. In general, restaurateurs have demonstrated great resilience by updating their website, integrating interactive and automated applications for remote orders, as well as the display of the menu, opening hours, their mode of operation (e.g. by reservation, drive-thru service), required health measures, other services (e.g., caterer, shops, accommodation, access for disabled, wi-fi, take-out, delivery), contact details and often the history of the restaurant or site. It is recommended that customers inquire with each establishment by consulting their respective websites.

• 1 Resto-Bar Le 103, 1717, chemin du Chenal-du-Moine, ☏ +1 450-908-7499. (updated Jun 2022)
• 2 Restaurant Marc Beauchemin, 124, chemin de l'île d'Embarras, ☏ +1 450-743-6023. Restaurant in operation since 1940 offering, among other things, sorel island sausage. (updated Jun 2022)

Sleep

• 1 Domaine Boréal, 2786, chemin du Chenal-du-Moine, ☏ +1 450-500-0249. Resort offering a main chalet (with an exceptional reception room with a capacity of 40 to 50 people), four nature chalets and campgrounds. (updated Jun 2022)
• 2 La Halte des 103 îles, 1717, chemin du Chenal-du-Moine, ☏ +1 450-746-1244. Friendly hotel on the banks with marina. Hotel with three swimming pools, one of which is indoor and heated, as well as an indoor jacuzzi. (updated Jun 2022)

Cope

Worship centres

• 2 Sorel Christian Assembly (Assemblée chrétienne de Sorel), 294, rue de la Rive, ☏ +1 450-746-0409. (updated Jun 2022)
• 3 St. Anne's Church (Église Sainte-Anne), chemin du chenal-du-Moine. Catholic denominational church. (updated Jun 2022)

Go next

• 1 Lac-Saint-Pierre World Biosphere Reserve Nature reserve of which 90% of the territory has preserved its wild state at the entrance of Lac Saint-Pierre, in the middle of the St. Lawrence river. This reserve has 288 species of resident and migratory birds. This reserve serves as a stopover for migrating birds.
• 2 Saint-Ignace-de-Loyola Municipality formed by a deltaic archipelago composed of 1 islands, the largest of which is Saint-Ignace Island. This locality is a river paradise for vacationing, pleasure boating, observation of flora, avifauna and riparian habitats. These channels attract tens of thousands of boaters in the summer. Its wetlands (eg, the Girodeau Islands) are ideal for protecting birds, nesting and hunting migratory birds in the fall.
• 3 Sorel-Tracy A city of major events (La Boucle du Grand Défi Pierre Lavoie, Gib Fest a summer festival, IO Experience presenting a series of shows, Les Régates de Sorel-Tracy), art and culture (with Azimut diffusion, Biophare, dance, wall fresco, house of music, house of governors, literary walk, historical society Pierre-de-Saurel and Statera the fabulous archipelago). Sorel-Tracy offers a range of sports activities (parks, sports facilities, bike paths), nautical activities (launch ramps, boating, marinas, boater services) and winter fun.
• 4 Saint-Robert Located in the middle of the land, in the heart of the MRC de Pierre-De Saurel, Saint-Robert is renowned for its rural landscape, its agrotourism, its picturesque residences, its airfield, its Petite rivière Pot au Beurre and its river Saint Louis. Its cycle and pedestrian path on the old railway line along Route 132 is worth the detour.
• 5 Yamaska Municipality straddling the Yamaska River on which boating is intense by connecting Lake Saint-Pierre; boaters benefit from two launching ramps. The resort is developed around Lake Saint-Pierre and along the river. In winter, ice fishing is popular. Twelve wind turbines shape the territory.
• 6 Saint-François-du-Lac Municipality on the south shore of Lac Saint-Pierre and the west shore of the Saint-François River. Island and riparian wetlands cover a significant part of the northwestern part of the municipal territory; this area is conducive to a stopover for migratory birds and has a special ecosystem. Recreational boating is intense on Lake Saint-Pierre, the Yamaska River and the Saint-François River.