Maison Moussard in the municipality of Calixa-Lavallée

Calixa-Lavallée is a municipality with a great local history, in the regional county municipality of Marguerite-D'Youville, in Montérégie, in Quebec.

Calixa-Lavallée is an essentially agricultural destination with recreational tourism activities corresponding to this domain. Its rural and forest landscape occasionally displays old barns that are vestiges of its agricultural past and old houses that have stood the test of time. Its main attractions are:

• its agricultural fair organized annually by the Agricultural Society of the County of Verchères;
• its equestrian centers offering boarding and training services for sport horses;
• its art forge;
• its rural landscapes which display agricultural crops, the breeding of farm animals, modern agricultural machinery, farm buildings and the work of farms according to the seasons;
• its countryside environment conducive to cycle tourism, with its shady paths and local products;
• its picturesque built heritage, in particular the old houses on Chemin de la Beauce, including the Maison François-Xavier-Paquette-Dit-Lavallée.

Calixa-Lavallée is a member of the Association of the Most Beautiful Villages of Quebec.

Understand

Geography

In addition to the village area and a few small wooded areas including the Bois de Verchères to the south, the rest of the territory is mainly used for agriculture. The small village has a picturesque cachet. Calixa-Lavallée is the northernmost municipal territory landlocked in the middle of the land, without joining the banks of the Richelieu River and the St. Lawrence River.

History

The name of the municipality evokes the life work of Calixa Lavallée (born in 1842 in this locality), author of the music for Canada's national anthem. The municipal territory was mainly colonized between the 17th and 19th centuries.

The locality has several historical monuments, some of which are classified as historical monuments of Quebec: the wayside cross, wells, bread ovens, old dairies and other vestiges of local history. While visiting the rang de la Beauce, travelers can admire a particular concentration of 18th-century stone houses; this picturesque built heritage is in relatively good condition.

Get in

By car

• From Montreal (47 km, time: 41 min). Take the Jacques-Cartier Bridge (east); take route 132 (eastbound) to Varennes; take the Chemin du Pays-Brulé (towards the East); take Highway 30 (north); take rue Labonté (heading southeast), to the village of Calixa-Lavallée.
• From Quebec City (255 km, time: 2 hr 36 min). Take autoroute 20 (west); after crossing the Richelieu River Bridge, take route 223 (north) to Saint-Marc-sur-Richelieu, then take Montée de Verchères (northwest) which will become Labonté Street.

See

• 1 François-Xavier-Paquette-Dit-Lavallée House (Maison François-Xavier-Paquette-Dit-Lavallée), 289, chemin de la Beauce. Private house erected in 1834 and recognized as heritage by the Quebec government. (updated May 2022)

Worship centres

• 2 Sainte-Théodosie Church (Église Sainte-Théodosie), 740, chemin de la Beauce. Church built between 1890 and 1890 with a steeple. Its exterior walls are made of field stones. The parish of Sainte-Théodosie had been canonically erected on August 1, 1878. (updated May 2022)

Events

• 3 Calixa-Lavallée agricultural exhibition (Exposition agricole de Calixa-Lavallée), 602-A, chemin de la Beauce, ☏ +1 450-583-2079. Organized annually at the beginning of July by the Agricultural Society of the County of Verchères (agricultural cooperative). This agricultural fair has existed since 1880. 

Do

Equestrian centres

• 1 Octopus Garden Training Centre (Centre d'entraînement Octopus Garden), 496, chemin de la Beauce. The Octopus Garden stables have a large outdoor sand arena and an indoor arena communicating directly with the stables. The stable has two showers for the horses. Regular boarding offer for horses, with training and/or with complete care. The stable also offers a sport-study program. (updated May 2022)
• 2 Ferme Darche, 638, chemin du Second-Ruisseau, ☏ +1 514-451-6007. Sport horse breeder. The stable has a spacious indoor and outdoor riding arena which includes a GGT fiber footing surface and sprinkler systems. In addition, the stable has a heated Club House with a view of the indoor and outdoor arena. The upholstery has large individual lockers. The facilities accommodate clinics and Breed Approvals/Keuring. (updated May 2022)

Buy

Specialized food

• 1 Stone House Pastry (Pâtisserie de la Maison De Pierre), 240, chemin de la Beauce, ☏ +1 450-583-5742. A variety of products are offered in store. (updated May 2022)

Art galleries/artists

• 2 Ignis Inferni – Artistic ironwork (Ignis Inferni – Ferronnerie d'art), 357 chemin de la Beauce, ☏ +1 514-436-9834. Artist-blacksmith specializing in artistic ironwork. Forge established in 2010. Shop offering fine ironwork products including fireplace accessories, log racks, wrought iron fixtures, and hooks. (updated May 2022)

Cope

• 3 Calixa-Lavallée Municipal Library (Bibliothèque municipale de Calixa-Lavallée), 771, Chemin de la Beauce, ☏ +1 450-583-6470, , biblio@calixa-lavallee.ca. Online catalogie consultation service. (updated May 2022)

Go next

Routes through Calixa-Lavallée

Vaudreuil-Dorion ← Brossard ←

W  E

→ Contrecoeur → Sorel-Tracy

• 1 Verchères Founded in 1672 along the St. Lawrence River, Old Verchères boasts a picturesque and well-restored built heritage, inspired by the times of New France. Visitors can discover two sculptures on ash trees, and great figures who have left their mark on local history, including Madeleine de Verchères (1678-1747), an ordinary mill, the islands of Verchères, the Saint-François-Xavier church, the verchere boat and the memorial to the pioneer families of Verchères.
• 2 Saint-Marc-sur-Richelieu Municipality on the west bank of the Richelieu River. Vacationing is highly developed along the waterfront road (route 223 - rue Richelieu) because of pleasure boating. The Trois Tilleuls hotel and the Old Federal Quay (facing Jeannotte Island) attract many tourists. Nautical traffic on the Richelieu River generates nautical activities: boating, water skiing, fishing, and marinas.
• 3 Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu On the west bank of the Richelieu River, Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu has a picturesque village, a municipal wharf, a ferry, and the Maison de la Eulalie-Durocher culture. Visitors can take a heritage tour, a bike tour, take part in the Chants de Veille festival, and follow the arts and flavors route. The influx of tourists in the summer season is generated by pleasure boating on the Richelieu River and visitors taking Route 223 which runs along the west bank of the river.
• 4 Contrecoeur Riverside municipality of the St. Lawrence River, Contrecoeur is renowned as a site to admire the shows offered by the river and the magnificent sunsets. Visitors can admire the countryside and river landscapes, while participating in recreational tourism activities in the great outdoors, including hunting, fishing, boating, relaxation, vacationing, as well as the observation of flora and fauna. Contrecoeur has a great history to discover.