Trois-Pistoles is a city of 3500 people (2011) in Bas St. Laurent in Quebec. It is mainly known to English-speaking Canadians for its homestay language immersion program, which nearly doubles the population of the town each summer.

Understand

If you are in Trois-Pistoles, and you're not a language student, you are likely here because you are going to take a ferry to Les-Escoumins, or because you have just arrived by ferry. Nevertheless, the town is worth a short stopover and a cup of coffee across from the church.

The town is said to have been named for a silver goblet worth three pistoles, an old French coin, that was lost in the river in the 17th century.

• Bureau d'Information Touristique de Trois-Pistoles (Tourist information office), 51 Rte 132 ouest. F-M 09:00-16:00. Information in English and French. (updated Apr 2019)

Get in

By train

See also: Rail travel in Canada

• 1 Trois-Pistoles station, 231 Rue de la Gare. (updated Nov 2018) Train operator:
  • VIA Rail Canada, toll-free: +1-888-842-7245. Operates train routes across Canada. (updated Mar 2022) Operates The Ocean route between Halifax and Montreal, including stops in Moncton and Sainte-Foy (near Quebec City). Operates three trips per direction per week. A shuttle between train stations in Sainte-Foy and in Quebec City is available for The Ocean trains, but must be reserved in advance.

By bus

• Orléans Express, Petro-Canada, 684, rue Richard at Hwy 138, ☏ +1-450-640-1477, toll-free: +1-833-449-6444. Operates bus routes within Quebec and to Ottawa. (updated Apr 2022) Operates a route twice daily between Quebec City and Rimouski including stops in Rivière-du-Loup and Trois-Pistoles.

By boat

• 2 Traverse Trois-Pistoles / Les Escoumins, ☏ +1-418-851-4676, toll-free: +1-877-851-4677. Operates a seasonal vehicle and passenger ferry from mid-May to mid October between Trois-Pistoles and Les Escoumins (1 hour 30 minutes). When operating, there are 1-3 round trips daily. In high season, advance reservation are strongly recommended. If you are lucky, you can see whales and dolphins from the ferry. Foot passengers one-way/same day round-trip: adult 12-64 $24.50/30.50 adult 65 and over $22.75/29.50, child 5-11 $15.75/24.50, child under 5 free. Vehicles each way: car or truck (up to 6.4 m) $54, motorcycle $36, bicycle $9.75. (updated May 2022)

See

Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Church

• 1 Maison VLB, 23, rue Pelletier, ☏ +1 418-851-2001. Wednesday to Sunday. This house is owned by and celebrates the famous Quebec novelist Victor-Lévy Beaulieu. 
• 2 Eglise Notre-Dame-Des-Neiges, 30 Rue Notre Dame Est, ☏ +1 418-851-4031. Late Jun to early Sep: daily 09:00-16:30, Su 11:00-16:30. During the summer season, guided tours and the "Passion Collection" exhibition of figurines of monks. (updated Apr 2019)
• Musée Saint Laurent, 552 Rue Notre Dame Ouest, ☏ +1 481-851-2455. Late June-early Sep: daily 09:00-17:00. A collection of antique cars, bicycles, furniture, dishes, toys, old stoves, tools. Adults $5, children $2. (updated Apr 2019)

Do

• La Coop de Kayaks de Mer des Îles, 60, rue du Park, ☏ +1 418-851-4637. Sea excursions with experienced guides. (updated Apr 2019)
• National Trail - Basque Coast Section, ☏ +1 418-714-2599. The 144-km Bas-Saint-Laurent National Trail stretches from Trois-Pistoles to Degelis crossing 10 municipalities. The course is divided into 12 sections each with between 8 and 15 km. At each point of departure and arrival of a section, a parking lot is set up with an information panel. The Trois-Pistoles part of the trail starts from the Basque Adventure Park in America and ends at the Basque Footbridge. Hikers will move from a seascape to a more forested landscape along the Trois-Pistoles River. (updated Apr 2019)

Buy

• Basques public market, 400-1 Jean-Rioux Street. Late June to mid-Oct: Sundays 10:00-15:00. In the parking lot at the Caveau des Trois-Pistoles microbrewery (rue Pelletier). (updated Apr 2019)

Eat

• Le Biarritz, 89 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest, ☏ +1 418-851-4705. Daily 07:30-19:30. Known for its seafood and breakfasts. (updated Apr 2019)
• La Belle Excuse Restaurant, 138 Notre Dame Ouest, ☏ +1 418-857-3000. Osso buco and bib of beef, plate Treasures of the sea, fresh and pickled fish, mussels, fresh pasta, spare ribs, homemade desserts, Sunday brunch, edible flower gardens. (updated Apr 2019)
• Cantine d'Amours, 66 rue Notre-Dame Est, ☏ +1 418-851-3337. Daily 10:30-00:00. Québécois fast food. Poutines, burgers, etc. (updated Apr 2019)
• 1 Pétro-Canada Trois-Pistoles, 684 Richard, ☏ +1 418-851-4347. Decent place for breakfast. 

Drink

• Le Caveau des Trois-Pistoles, 21 Rue Pelletier, ☏ +1 418-851-4440. Th-Sa 15:00-22:00. Brewery and tasting room. Tour the brewery, taste the beer, enjoy the life music some nights. Varied beers ranging from German kellerbier to rye steak, an IPA smoke, abbey-style beers, with the double, triple and quadruple Pistol series. (updated Apr 2019)
• 1 Cafe Grains de Folie, 1, rue Notre-Dame-Ouest, ☏ +1 581-645-8282. M-W 08:00-18:09, Sa 09:00-22:00, Su 09:00-17:00. Coffees, beer on tap, wines by the glass, bar food. In good weather one can seat outside. Good quality coffee. (updated Apr 2019)

Sleep

• 1 Hotel Trois-Pistoles, 330, rue Notre-Dame ouest (hotel) and 64 route 132 ouest (motel), ☏ +1 418-851-3310, toll-free: +1-866-616-4258, fax: +1 418-851-4902. A 30-room motel on the highway and a 15-room hotel on the main street of the village, under common ownership. Motel: double/queen $65-100, 2 double beds $110-120; hotel: double/queen $100-110, 2 double beds $110-130. (updated Apr 2019)
• Motel Riviere Trois-Pistoles (about 4 km from Trois-Pistoles), ☏ +1 418-851-4178, toll-free: +1-866-751-4178. Non-smoking budget hotel. Free parking and WiFi. Air conditioning, microwave, and refrigerator in room. Double $93, queen $98, queen + single $104, 2 doubles $114. (updated Apr 2019)

Go next

Routes through Trois-Pistoles

Sainte-Foy ← Rivière-du-Loup ←	W  E	→ Rimouski → Moncton
Lévis ← Rivière-du-Loup ← ←	W  E	→ Rimouski → Gaspé