Florenceville-Bristol is a town of 1,600 people (2016) in the Saint John River Valley. Visitors come to see the town's covered bridge, and a 2/3-scale replica of Noah's Ark.

Understand

The Florenceville Bridge across the Saint John River is partly covered

Florenceville-Bristol lies within the Appalachian Mountain Range. The town sits in the Saint John River Valley. On each side of the town lie rolling mountains peaking at 300–400 metres.

Florenceville-Bristol was created by merging the towns of Florenceville and Bristol in 2008. Florenceville-Bristol is home to the corporate headquarters for McCain Foods.

The former village of Bristol is located on the Saint John River, approximately 5 km north of Florenceville.

History

The Old Church Studio

The settlement of Buttermilk Creek was renamed Florenceville in 1855 to honour Florence Nightingale, the famous Crimean War nurse.

Bristol was the site of a battle between Mi'kmaq and Maliseet peoples. The Maliseet called the area Shiktehawk", for "where he killed him". The name was changed when the New Brunswick Railway was constructed and railway officials were unable to pronounce the name correctly. Bristol sits where the Big Shiktehawk and Little Shiktehawk Streams empty into the Saint John River. This was an important stopping point for First Nations (Indigenous) peoples as it was the start of the cross-province route. They would canoe up the Big Shiktehawk Stream to Divide where they would portage a short distance to the Miramichi River and make their way to the eastern coast of New Brunswick.

Climate

The town gets a fair amount of precipitation, although major paralyzing snow and rain storms such as blizzards and hurricanes are uncommon but do happen on occasion. Snowfall is common between late November and early April, and snow usually stays on the ground beginning in December. Flooding occurs during the spring of most years and affects the low-lying areas of Florenceville-Bristol.

Get in

By car

Florenceville-Bristol can be reached from Route 2 (Trans-Canada Highway) by turning east on Route 110.

It is 140 km south of Edmundston and 140 km north of Fredericton.

By bus

• Maritime Bus, toll-free: +1-800-575-1807, info@maritimebus.com. Operates intercity buses in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. (updated Apr 2022) Operates a Route between Edmundston and Moncton including stops in Grand Falls, Perth-Andover, Florenceville, Woodstock, Fredericton, and Fredericton Airport. Travel time to Florencenville from Fredericton is 1.75 hours and from Edmundston is 1.75 hours.
  • Travel to Florenceville from the following destinations involving same day transfers is as follows:
    • From Saint John with a transfer in Fredericton
    • From Bathurst, Campbellton, Halifax, Miramichi with a transfer in Moncton
    • From Charlottetown ) with transfers in Amherst and Moncton
    • From Antigonish, North Sydney, Sydney with transfers in Truro and Moncton

By plane

• Florenceville Airport (TC LID: CCR3). Florenceville Airport is a private airfield located 0.7 nautical miles (1.3 km; 0.81 mi) southwest of Florenceville. (updated May 2019)
• Fredericton International Airport (YFC ^IATA) is 140 km from Florenceville-Bristol.

See

• Andrew & Laura McCain Art Gallery, 8 McCain Street, Unit 1 (downstairs), ☏ +1 506 392-6769, info@mccainartgallery.com. 
• 1 Shogomoc Historical Railway Site, 9189 Main Street (Exit 153 on TCH, follow Hwy 105 River Valley Scenic Drive), ☏ +1 506 392-8226, tourism@florencevillebristol.ca. Late May to late Aug. Museum showcases a restored Canadian Pacific Railway station and three CPR cars. 
• 2 The Florenceville Bridge. A wooden covered bridge combined with a steel trusses which crosses the Saint John River at Florenceville. The 46.9-metre (154-foot) bridge was built in 1907. (updated Apr 2019)
• Replica Noah's Ark. A 2/3-scale model of the Biblical Ark that Noah is said to have built, as described in the Old Testament. The replica ark contains the offices and student dorms for a private Bible school, the School of the Spirit, run by the Burnham Road Ministries. The sight of a 300-foot boat in the middle of potato fields within sight of Bristol and Oakland Mountain often attracts curious visitors. It's just outside the town limits. (updated Apr 2019)

Do

• Festival of Flavour. Early to mid-August. Fourdays of wine seminars, beer tastings, cooking demonstrations and delicious foods. (updated Apr 2019)
• Canada Day-July 1st
• National French Fry Day, Potato World Museum (385 Centreville Rd.). Mid-July. French fry cutting competition, music, food, children's activities, free French fries. (updated Apr 2019)
• Snow Blast. Second Saturday in February. A day of winter activities for adults and children. (updated Apr 2019)
• Haunted Train October,
• Buttermilk Creek Fall Festival in September.

Buy

• Outdoor Summer Market, at the Riverside Park. Jul-Sep: every Thursday from 10AM-2PM. Food, produce, craft, woodworking, flower, baked goods, local meat and jewellery vendors. Each week showcases a different musical performance from local entertainers. (updated Apr 2019)

Eat

• Potato World, 385 Centreville Road, ☏ +1 506 392-1955, fax: +1 506 392-1956, tours@potatoworld.ca. Gourmet French fry cafe and potato museum (summer only) 
• Fresh, 9189 Main Street (Shogomoc Dining Car), ☏ +1 506 392-6000, info@freshfinedining.com. Tu-Sa 5:30AM-10PM. It's in an elegant 26-seat rail car. Mains $25-33. (updated May 2019)
• Lai Restaurant, 17 McCain St, ☏ +1 506 392-5397. Daily noon-9PM. Chinese restaurant. (updated May 2019)
• French Fry Hut, 322-346 Centreville Rd, ☏ +1 506-392-5400. Daily 11AM-8:30PM. Fries, burgers, poutine. (updated May 2019)

Drink

• A.C. Sharkey's Pub, 2 Curtis Road, ☏ +1 506 392-6675. Su-Th 10AM-10PM, F Sa 10AM-midnight. Pastas, wraps, burgers, salads and mains $11-27. (updated May 2019)

Sleep

• Florenceville Inn, 239 Burnham Road, ☏ +1 506 392-6053, info@florencevilleinn.com. Free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, continental breakfast, indoor heated swimming pool, guest laundry, and self-service business centre. Restaurant and lounge. From $130. (updated May 2019)
• Tannaghtyn Bed & Breakfast, 4169 Route 103 Connell, ☏ +1 506 392-6966. Canada Select 4 Star. $125. (updated May 2019)
• 1 Shamrock Suite, 8 Curtis Hill Road, ☏ +1 506 391-5274, Stay@shamrocksuites.ca. A 19th-century home conversion on six acres of manicured grounds, accented by unique heritage gardens, in a quiet residential neighbourhood. Rooms available on the first floor for those not wanting to climb stairs. Private bath; continental breakfast. Laundry and shared kitchen. From $99. (updated May 2019)
• 2 Shamrock Train Inn, Route 105, Shogomoc Railway Site, Cars # 9195-2 & 9195-3, ☏ +1 506 391-5274. Stay in one of two authentic train cars at the Shogomoc Railway Site in downtown Florenceville-Bristol. Electric fireplace and seating areas, en suite washroom, a kitchenette with continental breakfast, Wi-Fi (no television). Double $149, up to six people: $249. (updated May 2019)

Go next

Routes through Florenceville-Bristol

Edmundston ← Perth-Andover ←	W  E	→ Hartland → Fredericton
END ←	W  E	→ Juniper → Jct N S
Mars Hill ← ←	W  E	→ END