Trois-Rivières, founded in 1634, is one of the oldest French settlements in Canada, on the north shore of the St. Lawrence about halfway between Montreal and Quebec City. Around 140,000 people live here. It is a mid-sized, French-speaking city with a compact old town, a riverfront boardwalk, a university and a reputation for poetry and music festivals.
Visitors wander Vieux-Trois-Rivières and rue des Forges, see the Sanctuaire Notre-Dame-du-Cap, and use the city as a base for La Mauricie National Park. Festivoix in early summer and the poetry festival in autumn are highlights. Living costs are low for Canada, with rent well under the national norm. French is expected in daily life, though hotels and attractions can manage some English. Winters are cold and snowy, spring can bring river flooding, and parts of the downtown core see occasional street disorder late at night.
Trip planning at a glance
Peak season
Late June to August (Festivoix, Grand Prix)
Quieter season
Winter
Nearest airport
Trois-Rivieres Airport (YRQ)
Highlights
Vieux-Trois-Rivieres and Rue des Forges
Boreal Museum and Musee POP
Cathedral of the Assumption
Sanctuaire Notre-Dame-du-Cap in Cap-de-la-Madeleine
Parc portuaire and the St. Lawrence boardwalk
Vieilles Forges du Saint-Maurice National Historic Site
Out of 10. Open any score to see how it’s worked out. “Data-based” scores come from published figures; “Hey! En Route estimate” scores are worked out from what we know about the city; “Hey! En Route rating” scores were set by our editors.
6.9/10Good
Connector Score9.0
20 worthwhile cities within three hours; reachable by road, intercity train, intercity bus, and air; lodging and sights for an overnight stop. Hey! En Route estimate
Safety7.5
Crime Severity Index around 70; the Canadian figure is about 80. Data-based
Affordability7.5
Cost of living index about 90, where the national average is 100. Data-based
Transportation8.5
Reachable by: road, intercity train, intercity bus, and air. Hey! En Route estimate
Car-free friendliness5.5
Intercity train or bus, plus local transit and walkability. Hey! En Route estimate
Walkability4.2
Estimated from city size and transit; no walkable downtown noted. Hey! En Route estimate
Things to do6.4
Known for 7 kinds of attraction, with 9 annual events listed. Hey! En Route estimate
Food & dining4.8
Estimated from city size and dining listings. Hey! En Route estimate
Places to stay5.8
Lodging at budget, mid-range and luxury prices. Hey! En Route estimate
Nature & outdoors8.5
Known for beaches, national & state parks, lakes & rivers. Hey! En Route estimate
Scenic value7.3
From its landscape: coast, mountains, lakes and parks. Hey! En Route estimate
Family friendliness6.0
Zoos, aquariums, theme parks and museums, weighted by safety. Hey! En Route estimate
Solo-traveler friendliness6.0
Safety, getting around without a car, hostels, and things to do. Hey! En Route estimate
Nightlife7.1
Known for its nightlife. Hey! En Route estimate
Remote-work friendliness5.9
City size, affordability, cafés and connections. Hey! En Route estimate
Road-trip convenience6.5
20 worthwhile cities within three hours’ drive, plus parking, EV charging and RV options. Hey! En Route estimate
Train-trip convenience7.0
Intercity train service, with 8 nearby cities reachable by rail. Hey! En Route estimate
Bus-trip convenience6.5
Intercity buses, with 17 nearby cities reachable by bus. Hey! En Route estimate
Three Rivers; Capitale mondiale de la poesie; Quebec's second oldest city; the Mauricie's regional capital; Cite de Laviolette
Founded
1634 founded by Sieur de Laviolette (second oldest permanent French settlement in Canada); 1857 incorporated as a city; 2002 merger with neighbouring municipal…
Languages
French (sole provincial official language under Quebec's Charter of the French Language, so French is expected on signage, commerce and public services); English available in hotels, major attractions and tourism offices but less common than in Montreal, so basic French is helpful; small immigrant communities speak Arabic, Spanish, Creole and Portuguese
Airports
Trois-Rivieres Airport (YRQ), general aviation with no scheduled airline service; Montreal-Trudeau International (YUL), about 140 km southwest (about 1 hour 30 minutes by car); Quebec City Jean Lesage International (YQB), about 130 km northeast
Tipping
Restaurants 15-20% of the pre-tax bill (GST and QST are added on top of listed prices, and tipping is on the pre-tax amount); bars $1-2 per drink or 15-20% of tab; taxis and rideshare 10-15%; hotel housekeeping $3-5 CAD per night; bellhops $2-5 CAD per bag; tour guides 10-15%; counter service optional (all amounts CAD; Quebec adds GST 5% plus QST 9.975%, so about 15% total tax on top of listed prices)
About this data
Population 139,163 (Ville de Trois-Rivieres, 2021 Census) and Trois-Rivieres CMA 161,489 are Statistics Canada figures recalled from memory (Focus on Geography pages found via search but blocked by robots restrictions, so lower confidence; newer estimates run higher). Land area 288.7 sq km recalled, not verified. Web fetch was blocked, snippets only. visitor_website is Tourisme Trois-Rivieres seen in search; no separate calendar URL was seen, so the same site is used for event_calendar. Event names and months, elevation, coordinates, hotel ranges, cost of living, crime index, rent, prices and distances are approximate or from general knowledge and not verified. All money in CAD.
Last updated September 25, 2026 · Source: Research spreadsheet · Editorial ·
Per person per day, with a room shared by two. Change anything below to fit your trip.
Budget
$95/day
Lodging about CA$110 a night
Mid-range
$136/day
Lodging about CA$165 a night
Luxury
$217/day
Lodging about CA$250 a night
Budget calculator
Vehicle
mpg
These are estimates from typical prices, not quotes. Real costs vary with season, events, booking time and your own habits; taxes and fees are approximate.
Cost of living
For longer stays and relocation.
Cost of living index
90 (national average = 100)
Typical 1-bedroom rent
CA$1,050a month
Research notes
Roughly 8-12% below the Canadian average and about 20-25% below large US metros (approximate); typical 1BR rent about $900-1,200 CAD per month on listing sites (approximate; among the cheaper mid-size Quebec cities)
Research notes on prices and seasons
Hotels per night (CAD, before about 15% GST and QST plus 3.5% lodging tax): budget $90-130; mid-range $130-200; upscale $200-300. Peak season is late June to August (Festivoix, Grand Prix); winter is cheapest. Rough daily visitor budget excluding lodging: $80-140 CAD
Top sights
Vieux-Trois-Rivieres and Rue des Forges
Boreal Museum and Musee POP
Cathedral of the Assumption
Sanctuaire Notre-Dame-du-Cap in Cap-de-la-Madeleine
Parc portuaire and the St. Lawrence boardwalk
Vieilles Forges du Saint-Maurice National Historic Site
Trois-Rivieres Casino and Amphitheatre Cogeco
La Mauricie National Park (about 60 km)
Parc de l'ile Saint-Quentin
Vallee du Saint-Maurice cycling routes
Known for:BeachesNational & state parksLakes & riversMuseums & galleriesHistoric sitesNightlifeLive music
Things to do
3 listings in Trois-Rivières, ranked by traveller reviews. Featured listings are marked.
Safety information is a guide from public data and our research, not a guarantee. Conditions change; check local news and official advice before you go.
7.5
Very good · Data-based
Crime Severity Index around 70; the Canadian figure is about 80.
Safety overview
Statistics Canada and police data put the Trois-Rivieres Crime Severity Index near or a little below the national average (roughly 60-80, approximate); main risks are property theft and vehicle break-ins. Health care: Quebec RAMQ does not cover visitors, so travel health insurance is advisable. Hospitals: Centre hospitalier affilie universitaire regional (CHAUR, Hopital Sainte-Marie), CIUSSS de la Mauricie-et-du-Centre-du-Quebec, with French-speaking staff and English less certain. Hazards: cold winters (-10 to -25 C, storms, freezing rain), spring flooding of the Saint-Maurice and St. Lawrence, summer thunderstorms. Emergency 911
Local notes
Specific places where extra care is worthwhile, especially at night. Most visits are trouble-free.
No significant visitor no-go areas; use ordinary caution late at night around some parts of the downtown core near rue Notre-Dame and Cap-de-la-Madeleine where street disorder and drug use are occasionally reported; winter roads and the St. Lawrence waterfront can be icy or windy
Times marked “est.” are estimates: drives use typical road distances at highway speeds, and train or bus times assume both cities have service. Always check a route planner and timetables before you travel.
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