Saint-Stanislas is a village with an ancestral and recreational tourism character in Moyen-Mauricie at the south-eastern limit of the Laurentian shield, on the north shore of the Saint-Laurent river, in the regional county municipality of Les Chenaux.

The village of 1,000 people (2021) sits at the confluence of the rivière des Envies and the Batiscan River. These two rivers have shaped local and regional history because they were transport routes by boats, rafts or barges; in winter, residents built ice roads there.

Understand

Bridge spanning the Batiscan River in Saint-Stanislas

Economy

From its foundation, the local economy has been based on forestry and agriculture. In the 21st century, its economy is based on recreational and tourism activities (vacationing, camping, hunting and sport fishing, mountain biking, snowmobiles), agriculture, forestry, certain public services (primary school, medical clinic and pharmacy) and local businesses. Boating downstream from the Chute du Sept (near the railway bridge spanning the Batiscan River in Saint-Adelphe) and upstream from the Saint-Narcisse dam, is very popular.

Route 352 connecting Sainte-Thècle and Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan passes on the west side of the river. While Route 159 connecting Saint-Tite and Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade, passes through the bridge spanning the Batiscan river in Saint-Stanislas. In summer, the municipality has many seasonal workers because of the resort that has developed along the Batiscan River.

History

In 1855, there was the civil erection of the municipality of the parish of Saint-Stanislas-de-la-Rivière-des-Envies, the territory of which then coincided with the limits of the religious parish of the same name.

In Saint-Stanislas, there are many old, well-restored houses and old barns.

Geography

The Batiscan River flows from north to south over 196 km (122 mi) starting from lac Édouard in Mauricie. It drains into the St. Lawrence River at Batiscan. The Batiscan river divides the parish of Saint-Stanislas in two. Beginning in 1852, the Price Brothers and Company began to harvest the forest in the Batiscan River valley. The transport of wood by flotation on the Batiscan River was abandoned in 1963.

Taking its source at Lac de la Traverse in Sainte-Thècle, the rivière des Envies flows over 74 km (46 mi) crossing Sainte-Thècle, Saint-Tite, Hérouxville, Saint-Séverin and Saint-Stanislas. It flows into the Batiscan River in Saint-Stanislas. The rivière des Envies passes through the northwestern part of the territory of Saint-Sévérin. This river has been a vector of economic development, in particular through its ice roads in winter, transport by light boats, mills (flour, saw and card) and for fishing activities. The great floods washed away many bridges and created great floods.

Get in

The village is accessible by road, by light crafts (via Batiscan River or rivière des Envies), snowmobiles and all terrain vehicles.

By car

• From Montreal (184 km (114 mi). Time: 2 hr 16 min. From Montreal, take highway 40 (north shore) eastbound, to Trois-Rivières (Cap-de-la-Madeleine sector); Route 352 (northbound), crossing the villages of Saint-Maurice and Saint-Narcisse, to the village of Saint-Stanislas.
• From Quebec City (107 km (66 mi). Time: 1 hr 21 min. From Quebec City, take highway 40 westbound to Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade; take road 159 through the village of Saint-Prosper-de-Champlain, to the village of Saint-Stanislas.

Get around

• 1 Electric vehicle terminal, 8, rue St-Gabriel. Three battery charging stations for electric vehicles are available. (updated Oct 2021)

See

• 1 Église de Saint-Stanislas (Church of Saint-Stanislas), 1350, rue Principale. Catholic church. (updated Oct 2021)
• 2 Cimetière de Saint-Stanislas (Saint-Stanislas cemetery), rue Du Pont. Local cemetery. (updated Oct 2021)
• 3 Chutes Manictou (Manictou Falls), route 352. Manictou waterfall on the Batiscan river, near the border between Saint-Adelphe and Saint-Stanislas. (updated Oct 2021)

Do

• Tour of the Batiscan river between Saint-Stanislas and Saint-Adelphe (from the church of Saint-Stanislas). Duration: 29 minutes, non-stop. This tour on each of the banks of the Batiscan river between Saint-Stanislas and Saint-Adelphe, reveals the great history of colonization, the railway (east bank of the Batiscan river) and the resort. This 31-km circuit (approximately 29 minutes) allows you to see the river from various angles. From the village of Saint-Stanislas, take rue du Pont and cross the Batiscan river bridge which was rebuilt in 2018 to replace the old iron bridge. Take the Rang de la rivière Batiscan Nord-Est (northbound) along the east bank of the river. After approximately 6.6 km of journey, the section of the old Canadian National railway which was operated for 100 years (from 1907 to 2007), joins the road to follow the river to the railway bridge of Saint-Adelphe. At the 10th kilometer of the journey, the road passes near the Manictou rapids where resort hamlets have been developed (one on the east side, and two on the west side: Domaine Charest and Domaine Manictou. This area also marks the limit of the seigneuries of Batiscan ( territory of Saint-Stanislas) and Sainte-Anne (territory of Saint-Prosper and Saint-Adelphe). The colonization of the territory of Saint-Adelphe began in the 1880s. The return to Saint-Stanislas is recommended by crossing the Batiscan river by the bridge of the village of Saint-Adelphe; this bridge was built in 1965, replacing the old covered bridge built in wood in 1924 (length of 338 feet), and demolished in 1968. Then, take the road 352 (southbound) along the river to the village of Saint-Stanislas. Free. (updated Oct 2021)

Foulin Goulet (Goulin Mill) at Saint-Stanislas 2.JPG

• Panoramic route of the mills of the "rivière des Envies" (from the village of Saint-Sévérin). From the church of Saint-Séverin, take the bridge (northbound) spanning the Rivière des Envies; this bridge, which is the signature of the village, was renovated in 2012, giving it back its cachet of yesteryear. Take Chemin des Moulins (north-east direction) which was a segment of the main road before the development of this large curve of Route 159 bypassing the mountain; cross the small hamlet on the north side of the river, near the old sawmill and the hydroelectric power station which served the homes of Saint-Séverin and Saint-Tite; take the Rivière des Envies Nord-Est path, as far as the Pont Veillette road; take this road from the Pont Veillette which has been washed away by the flooding on numerous occasions that the government takes it in May in 1944 when it was rebuilt in concrete. It is designated Veillette because six generations of Veillette have lived on the lot where this small road passes. Continue on the Rang de la Rivière des Envies Nord-Est road to Route 159 where the Tortue River empties. The travelers will pass in front of the waterfall at Goulet where a hamlet has formed; then the fall to Prince; continue until Route 352 where it is suggested to turn right and cross the village of Saint-Stanislas a village whose architecture is a good mix of history and modernity. After the village, cross the metal bridge spanning the Rivière des Envies; then turn right immediately to take the small street along the Des Envies river and stop to contemplate the fall at Cossette. In reverse, travelers will be able to repeat the same route by taking Route 159 to the Rang de la Rivière-des-Envies Sud-Ouest route which runs along the Rivière des Envies. Thus, they will return by the other side. A few mills had been operated near the mouth of the Rivière des Envies. This course of the river was used in winter in the 19th and early 20th century as an ice road between Saint-Stanislas and the village of Saint-Séverin, before the development of sufficiently passable roads on each bank. (updated Oct 2021)
• 1 Parc de la Rivière Batiscan (Batiscan River Park), 200, chemin du Barrage, Saint-Narcisse, ☏ +1 418-328-3599, parcbatiscan@xplornet.com. Regional park covering the municipalities of Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan, Saint-Stanislas and Saint-Narcisse. Offer of services: camping (rustic cabins and yurts, grouped sites, ready-to-camp, unusual refuges), Via Batiscan (high adventure course, in particular a course in the trees including several zip lines or the large zip line) or the Via Ferrata (route on a rock wall) and marked trails for hiking. (updated Oct 2021)

Events

• 2 Arts et culture les Deux-Rivières (Arts and culture Les Deux-Rivières), 130, rue Principale, ☏ +1 819-840-0703. Founded in 2006, the "Arts and Culture Les Rivières" committee offers four seasonal cultural activities:in the spring, a festival where music, songs, storytelling and tradition are in the spotlight;in June: celebration of the national holiday around a bonfire, with Quebec songs performed by regional artists;at the end of September: organization of culture days, in different forms of artistic expression.beginning of winter: big Christmas concert at the church. (updated Oct 2021)
• 3 Pit Bull Drag 4X4, 6, chemin de la Côte St-Louis, ☏ +1 581-398-5150. The first edition of this event took place on July 17, 2021. (updated Oct 2021)

Buy

• 1 Marché Bonichoix St-Stanislas-de-Champlain, 1395, rue Principale, ☏ +1 418-328-3341. May to September. Grocery store. (updated Oct 2021)

Eat

Restaurant

• 1 Casse-croûte chez Lulu, 1625, rue Principale, ☏ +1 418-328-3269. Seasonal snack. (updated Oct 2021)
• 2 Les Jardins d'Olympe, 1355, route 159, ☏ +1 819-690-0669. Bakery. Take-out orders. No meals on site. (updated Oct 2021)
• 3 Microbrasserie Le Presbytère, 1360, rue Principale, ☏ +1 418-328-3371. Artisanal microbrewery established in the building of the former presbytery of Saint-Stanislas. Meals on site, take out orders, no delivery. (updated Oct 2021)

Sugar bushes

• 4 Érablière Denis Bédard, 185, route 159, ☏ +1 418-328-3015. Sugar bush established in the moraine. Big room. Meals on site. Take-out sale. (updated Oct 2021)
• 5 Sucrerie Boisvert et Fils, 11, rang de la Rivière Batiscan Nord-Est, ☏ +1 418-328-3722. Sugar bush with a large dining room. (updated Oct 2021)

Drink

• 1 Microbrasserie Le Presbytère, 1360, rue Principale, ☏ +1 418-328-3371. Craft brewery. Meals on site, take out orders, no delivery. (updated Oct 2021)

Cope

• 4 Salle municipale de Saint-Stanislas (Municipal hall of Saint-Stanislas), rue du Pont, ☏ +1 418-328-9916. Free. (updated Oct 2021)
• 5 Bibliothèque Émilie Bordeleau (Émilie Bordeleau Library), 9, rue St-Gabriel, ☏ +1 819-840-0703, municipalite@saint-stanislas.ca. Municipal library affiliated with the Biblio Network of Center-du-Québec, Lanaudière and Mauricie. Émilie Bordeleau (1879-1946) was a Quebec teacher and main character in the novel "Les filles de Caleb". Free. (updated Oct 2021)
• Écocentre de Champlain (Champlain ecocentre). Free. (updated Oct 2021)

Go next

Routes through Saint-Stanislas

Sainte-Thècle ←	N  S	→ Saint-Stanislas (Les Chenaux) → Trois-Rivières
Saint-Roch-de-Mékinac ← Saint-Tite ←	N  S	→ Saint-Prosper-de-Champlain → Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade

• 1 Parc de la rivière Batiscan Quebec regional park whose area straddles Saint-Narcisse, Saint-Stanislas and Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan. Established in 1992, this 362 hectare recreational tourism park stretches along both banks of the Batiscan River. Services offered: camping (rustic, semi-finished, furnished tents, yurts and prospectors), 25 km of marked trails with ecological and historical interpretation panels, mountain biking, canoeing, nature and history interpretation rooms with animations.
• 2 Saint-Ubalde Located in the MRC of Portneuf, the municipality of Saint-Ubalde is renowned across Canada for its potato cultivation; its sandy soils favour this kind of culture. This municipality has 1,400 inhabitants, 65 businesses, 19 lakes, a cycle route, a regional park and a UNESCO-certified school.
• 3 Saint-Prosper-de-Champlain Located in the MRC des Chenaux, Saint-Prosper-de-Champlain has agricultural land in the Saint-Laurent plain, straddling the moraine that delimits the Laurentians. The economic vocation is mainly agricultural, partly forestry, with a significant increase in recreational tourism activities (sugar maple groves especially in the moraine, resort).
• 4 Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan Located in the MRC des Chenaux, Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan has agricultural land in the Saint-Laurent plain, overlapping part of the moraine that delimits the Laurentians. The economic vocation is mainly agricultural, partly forestry, with a significant increase in recreational tourism activities (sugar maple groves especially in the moraine, resort).
• 5 Saint-Narcisse Located in the MRC Des Chenaux, the municipality of Saint-Narcisse has a rural and ancestral character, with 1832 inhabitants. Its economy is based on a group of manufacturing industries, agriculture, partly forestry, certain public services (primary school), recreational and tourism activities (Batiscan River park, resorts, camping, hunting and sport fishing, mountain biking , snowmobiles) and local shops.
• 6 Saint-Séverin (Mékinac) Located in the MRC de Mékinac, the municipality of Saint-Séverin mainly has an agricultural economy and a few recreational tourism activities. This municipality has 846 inhabitants. Its territory is crossed by the Rivière des Envies and its tributary the Rivière à la Tortue (flowing in the rang Saint-Paul and the rang Saint-Louis).
• 7 Saint-Tite The city of Saint-Tite is the capital of the MRC de Mékinac. Its economic vocation is focused on public services (primary and secondary school Paul le Jeune, the CLSC, centre for the elderly, head office of the MRC de Mékinac), on the leather industry, agriculture, forestry. and recreational tourism activities (vacation, Western festival, hunting & fishing, swimming, etc.). Its Western festival is internationally renowned.
• 8 Saint-Adelphe The municipality of Saint-Adelphe is distinguished by its agricultural and forestry economy and recreational tourism activities (vacation, boating, hunting & fishing). The municipality is separated in two by the course of the Batiscan river. The legendary railway bridge spanning the Batiscan River was in use from 1907 to 2007. In 1968, the old covered bridge, located in the village, was demolished.