Welcome to Herouxville

The Town of Hérouxville,Quebec, Canada is situated in the Regional Municipal County of Mékinac, surrounded by scenic mountains, lush green pastures, diverse wildlife and century old historic farmsteads and settlements. The Town of Hérouxville and it’s charming people are centered in a wonderfully typical quebecois, picture perfect, postcard setting.

The Town of Herouxville and the surrounding countryside is reminiscent of times past, lazy country summer days, crystal clear streams and lakes with cold crisp winters in an unspoiled environment. Herouxville offers a traditional country lifestyle and culture,devoid of the hustle and bustle of modern city life.

Visitors will discover a vast region of natural beauty with nearby hotels for visitors who desire a brief respite from the big city life and wish to experience true Quebecois country culture at it’s finest. Herouxville citizens can enhance your experience by offering Bed and Breakfast accommodations in one of the many quaint authentic Herouxville Farmsteads, Settlements or Ranches, where delicious home cooked family meals are an occasion, with lively conversation interspersed with local history of the region. Certainly a treat visitors can take back home with them of fond memories that will surely last a lifetime. Visitors can contact Herouxville Town Hall visitors center for a list of Bed and Breakfast accommodations or go to the "Tourist Information Section."on the weblog.

Herouxville and the surrounding area offer various attractions and activities to visitors, with many historic buildings, such as our historic Saint-Timothée Church, a sight familiar in many small heritage towns across Canada and North America. Saint-Timothée Church is the focal point of daily life and the many facets of it’s design and old world craftsmenship show it's true beauty.

Attractions and Activities
Quebec is celebrating our 400 years as one of the oldest settlements in North America.

We have certainly not forgotten the explorer in all of us from nature photographers to artists by offering beautiful mountains and lakes. Visitors can walk in the ancient footsteps of our countries founding First Nations Aboriginals and Quebec's first Voyageurs who sailed the Saint Lawrence water ways in the year 1535 who traversed these ancient established hiking trails.

Horseback Riding
For the athlete we have miles and miles of biking trails and for the adventurous we offer horseback riding in one of the most beautiful areas in Canada.

Fishing
For the sportsmen, visit Herouxville Town Hall for a list of nearby streams and lakes for the sport fisherman, fishing licenses are available as well.

Archery is also a favourite activity, an ancient and time honoured tradition with roots deep with Quebecers and First Nations hunters alike, so whether you are a Beginner, Traditionalist Archer, FITA or 3-D Shooter, our Archery Club, complete with an outdoor field range is available. If an archery tournament is in progress, why not inquire with "Club Rapide Fleche" about participating with Herouxvilles finest archers and bring out the competitive spirit in you.

Golfers will find nearby PGA Style Golf courses, some of the best you will find.

Ranch Life and Horseback Riding
For the Clint Eastwood or John Wayne in all of us, visit Serge Gagnon’s Joseco Ranch, experience Ranch Life in a western countryside setting, whether a Beginner or Young Gun, you can choose to ride the range on horseback or prefer to ride along Country roads in an authentic stagecoach, it will be a memorable experience that will keep you coming back for more, with “Bragging Rights” at no charge.

Wintertime Sleigh rides are also a familiar sight for families or lovers by moonlight. Don’t forget to bring your Camera.

For more Info contact: Joseco Ranch
Herouxville, Quebec.
Serge Gagnon, Proprietor.
Call to reserve: 1-418 365-6964
Email for more information: joseco_gagnon77@hotmail.com

For the Hardy Set
If winter activities are more to your liking, Herouxville offers cross country skiing and snowshoe trails along with established snowmobile trails that stretch for miles and miles.

For the true Naturalist, some of our Ranches offer winter horseback riding excursions as well, so be sure to bring your camera to photograph the diverse wildlife and surrounding countryside or just to hear the quiet solitude of the crisp snow breaking under your horses feet.

Food and Drink
Complete your days activities to any of the area Pubs or Restaurants, who offer delicious meals and drink and just relax amongst our townsfolk who will offer a quick smile and a bonjour (Hello).

We offer the following restaurants.
Casse-croûte Hérouxville Restaurant (For those on the go)with enclosed Terrace.
441, route 153, Hérouxville, G0X 1J0
Téléphone : (418) 365-3169

Restaurant Le Timothé (Family Restaurant)
800, rue Saint-Pierre, Hérouxville, G0X 1J0
Téléphone : (418) 365-3773

Shoppers, Browsers, Foodies and Gardeners
Herouxville haven’t forgot the shoppers , our stores, open air vegetable markets (In season), road side garage sales, flea markets are treasure hunters delight or just for those shoppers who just love to browse. For the persons who need to stay in touch with the world the Internet is available at our library.

For the Naturalist
Petit-Lac-Castor (Little Beaver Lake)
Petit-Lac-Castor, formed by the expansion of the Mékinac River,this area provides a relatively untouched environment of wonderful flora and fauna. This private sanctuary 's main objective is to provide Tourists a view of heritage conservation efforts typically found in the Mauricie region. In the Autumn months, Nature takes back the area and fall colours are a photographers delight. Conservation President is Mr. André Drouin, Herouxville's Town Councillor.

Tavibois Sanctuary (A little slice of heaven)
Offers over 300 acres of tranquility to mediate or take in the natural beauty of the surrounding lands, mountains and pastures.

Piga Gardens
For the Garden Enthusiast a visit to Piga Gardens is a must, with lush Gardens and a variety of flora, it is indeed a small piece of the Garden Of Eden for visitors to sit and relax and take in it’s beauty.
To describe it further does not do it justice, as Piga Gardens has to be seen to be believed.

For more information and a glimpse of The Piga Gardens, their Website is www.aujardindepiga.ca

We also provide a web link in our "Tourist Information Section."

There are so many reasons to visit the Town of Hérouxville too numerous to mention.

Our Tourist Section on this weblog site will be constantly updated with local area business websites to accommodate our visitors requests for information on local attractions, accommodations, restaurants and activities.

Don't Speak French? No Problem! go to our "Tourist Information Section." and translate our French Language Local Businesses, Attractions or Activity Web pages into the language of your choice.

Visitors who do not read francais (French) no problem, we have provided as a valuable service to our visitors a "Online Prompt Translation" link to convert French to English at the click of a mouse. Yes ! That's right, you too can become an Unitied Nations Translator! Go to the Prompt Translation Link web address on this Weblog, follow the instructions! You cut and paste the appropriate Herouxville Business, Attraction or Activities web address you wish to know more about and paste it into the Prompt Translation menu and within 30 seconds, Volia, you can instantly translate our Native Language into your Native Language, regardless if you are from North America, Russia, Greece, Turkey or anywhere on this Planet. The Prompt Translator does it all for you at the click of a mouse. For you techies out there, Prompt Translation software is free and downloadable to most computers and yes, even your PDA. You can also type any questions into your native language and convert it to French and cut and paste it into your email to send to any of our areas businesses and get any answer to your questions. Now, who said Herouxville is not accommodating?

Welcome to Herouxville, come and be a “Heroux”, if only for one day!

Tourists visiting our town, need only to go the Herouxville Town Hall, will only be too happy to offer additional information and directions to any of the above mentioned Tourist attractions

Regards from the Mayor,Councilors and Good Citizens of Herouxville,Quebec,Canada

The Original French Website was developed by Bernard Thompson (Webmaster)

This English Weblog was developed by Barry O’Regan (Authour and Moderator of this Blog) with the grateful assistance and approval of Webmaster,Bernard Thompson, for without all his legwork in establishing the original Herouxville Webpage in the first place,this Weblog would not be possible.

Town of Hérouxville © 2006-2009

Quebec Celebrates it's 400 year Anniversary!

A Background on the founding of Quebec for New France.

In 1608, sponsored by Henry IV of France, Samuel de Champlain founded the city of Québec with six families totalling 28 people, the second permanent French settlement in what is now Canada. Colonization was slow and difficult. Many settlers died early, because of harsh weather and diseases. In 1630, there were only 100 colonists living in the settlement, but, by 1640, there were 359.

Champlain quickly allied himself with the Algonquin and Montagnais peoples in the area, who were at war with the Iroquois. He established strong bonds with the Hurons in order to keep the fur trade alive. He also arranged to have young French men live with the natives, to learn their language and customs and help the French adapt to life in North America. These men, known as coureurs de bois (such as Étienne Brûlé), extended French influence south and west to the Great Lakes and among the Huron tribes who lived there.

Today 2008

French explorer Samuel de Champlain who founded Quebec City and it's namesake the province known the world over as "Quebec" a word derived from the First Nations Indian word "Kebec" will be celebrating it's 400th anniversary of Quebec's founding on July 3, 1608 — the biggest event of its kind in the world. Visitors to Le Belle Province are cordially invited by the citizen of Herouxville to drop by on their tour of Quebec to join us in the celebrations.

To the World and to our fellow Canadians in Ontario, New Brunswick and across Canada and to our American Neighbours to the South, Remember our cultural celebration of Quebec founding are not only Canada's "Cultural Celebrations" but All of Americans as well in part to our ties as one from fellow countrymen to the American, Quebec and First Nations Indians Alliance in the American Revolutionary War of 1776. A History and Heritage we can all be proud of in our Colonial spirit in founding North America as one of the Best Countries to live in and envied the world over.

Herouxville say why go to countrysides of European France, when New France is at our backdoor to "Experience a Lifetime of French Culture and Cuisine" for the price of a few tanks of gas.

Great Food, Great Bed and Breakfast, Great People, Great Rustic attractions abound in Herouxville and "Mon Dieu", a Real Good Time to be had by all.

Herouxville is situated conveniently between Montreal and Quebec City on Route 55, North of the Main Routes Route 40 and Route 20.

For New York visitors take US Route 87 which turns into Route 15 will take you to Montreal whereby you can take either Route 20 or Route 40 East to Quebec City in which Route 55 North is midway to Herouxville.

Below is the cut and paste ink to Mapquest.
http://www.mapquest.com

Information on Historic Herouxville

Herouxville Coat of Arms

The Herouxville Coat of Arms were designed by Mr. Philippe Hagan, June 20th, 1982.

Here are the detail of elements as explained by the artist.

The tractor, a fixture in our farming community which establishes the Town of Herouxville as an agricultural community.

Secondly, the trees say to us that the forest and its related industries are important to us.

The Fleur de Lys (The Lily) reminds us of the pride of our heritage, and the sailing boat on the waves represents Lac-à-la-Tortue as well as other lakes of the parish community.

The Crucifix reminds us of our Christian Faith of our parish and is divided into four parts bringing us to the four us the four elements: air, earth, water, sun, which are so necessary for those who live with nature.

Finally,Our Motto, the inscription "Carpe Diem", is Latin, is translated by "Make the most of the present day", Though a shortened version "Seize the Day" reminding us of what our ancestors put into practice and we must make ourselves so that our town continues advancing.

Town Flag

The Town flag was designed by Madam Rose Bordeleau, and its unveiling took place in 1997 during the centenary of the Town of Herouxville.

Regional Municipality of Mékinac

The Town of Hérouxville, was founded on April 13th, 1904, our population of 1323 persons is spread over a territory of 54,510 square km ( 21,046 Square miles). This territory belongs to MRC Mékinac and the provincial electoral constituency of Laviolette.

The name Quebec, which comes from the First Nations Mi'kmaq Indians word Gepèèg meaning "strait,originally meant the narrowing of the St. Lawrence River off what is currently Quebec City".

All photographs are the ownership of the Society of History of Hérouxville, unless otherwise indicated.

Town of Hérouxville © 2006

Herouxville History and Pastimes