# Saint-Narcisse

Saint-Narcisse is a locality with a rural and ancestral character, located in Mid-Mauricie, on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, in the regional county municipality of Les Chenaux, in Mauricie. The village is located at the junction of route 352 (linking Sainte-Marthe-du-Cap to Sainte-Thècle) and route 361 (linking Batiscan to Saint-Narcisse).
This locality has many houses dating from the 19th and early 20th centuries.

## Understand
### Economy

During the colonization period (19th century), the local economy was based on forestry and agriculture. In the 21st century, its economy is based on a group of manufacturing industries, agriculture, partly forestry, certain public services (primary school), recreational and tourist activities (Batiscan River park, resorts, camping, hunting and sport fishing, mountain biking, snowmobiles) and local shops.
This locality has a territory of 107 km$^2$ (41 sq mi) where 1832 inhabitants reside. In summer, the municipality has many seasonal workers due to vacationing (including second homes) and Canadian citizens who migrate south in winter.

### History

Marie-Joseph (known as Louis) Cosset is recognized as the first settler to settle permanently in 1803 in the current territory of Saint-Narcisse. Around 1840, the first sawmill was built on the rang St-Pierre stream, in the place designated "the old mill". Then a flour mill was installed around 1850 about 10 arpents downstream.
The first chapel was built in 1851-53. The second church was built from 1971 to 1973. In 1879, there was the exhumation and transport of approximately 350 bodies from the 2nd row cemetery, in the one near the current church. The latter was restored and enlarged in 1916 by giving it a new facade with two bell towers 9 m from the street. The civil establishment took place in 1854, that is to say the same year of the abolition of the seigniorial outfit. The school board was established in 1855.
The section of the "Chemin de fer du Nord" was built in 1877-78 to link Montreal to Quebec on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River. This railway project included the construction of the Piles branch which was built in 1879-80 and passed notably through the parishes of Saint-Narcisse and Saint-Maurice. This branch contributed to the economic development of the parishes served. The year 1904 marks the installation of electric light in the village of Saint-Narcisse.

### Geography

The locality of Saint-Narcisse is part of the Batiscanie (hydrographic basin), because of the watersheds of the rivière des Chutes and the rivière à la Tortue, which flow into the Batiscan River. Covering an area of 105 km$^2$ (41 sq mi), the municipal territory is subdivided by seven ranges.
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 valley. The transport of wood by flotation on the Batiscan River was abandoned in 1963.
The rivière des Chutes mainly drains the territory of Saint-Narcisse. It flows over 20 km (12 mi) including 1.7 km (1.1 mi) in Saint-Stanislas. It flows into the Batiscan River upstream of the Saint-Narcisse dam.
Taking its source at Lac à la Tortue in Hérouxville, the rivière à la Tortue flows over 20.4 km (12.7 mi) crossing Hérouxville, Saint-Séverin, Saint-Narcisse and Saint-Stanislas. It flows into the Rivière des Envies in Saint-Stanislas.
Taking its source in the marshes of Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel, the rivière au Lard flows on 21.2 km (13.2 mi) crossing Saint-Maurice and Saint-Narcisse, then will flow into the Champlain River at Saint-Maurice.
Taking its source at the "plé de Saint-Narcisse", the rivière à la Fourche flows over 27 km (17 mi) crossing Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel, Saint-Narcisse, Saint-Maurice and Saint-Luc-de-Vincennes. It flows into the Champlain River in Saint-Luc-de-Vincennes.

## Get in

The village of Saint-Narcisse is accessible by road, snowmobile and all terrain vehicles.

### By car

* From Montreal (174 km (108 mi). Time: 1 hr 55 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, to the village of Saint-Narcisse.
* From Quebec City (114 km (71 mi). Time: 1 hr 17 min. From Quebec City, take highway 40 westbound to Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan; take road 361 through the village of Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan, to the village of Saint-Narcisse.

## Get around

* 46.56425-72.469671 Electric vehicle terminal - Community hall (Electric vehicle terminal - Municipality of Saint-Narcisse), 290, rue Principale. Battery charging station for electric vehicles. (updated Oct 2021)
* 46.54617-72.467562 Station-service Ultramar, 340, route 359. Service station for motor vehicles. (updated Oct 2021)

## See

* 46.56395-72.470891 Église de Saint-Narcisse (Church of Saint-Narcisse), 350, rue de l'Église (presbytère). Catholic church in Saint-Narcisse. (updated Oct 2021)
* 46.5675-72.47632 Cimetière de Saint-Narcisse (Cimetary of Saint-Narcisse), chemin Haut de la Grande Ligne. Local cemetery. (updated Oct 2021)
* 46.56359-72.470413 Maison Dupont, 351, rue Principale. Historical museum located opposite the church. (updated Oct 2021)
* 46.59106-72.595214 Parc Coeur Nature (au Plé de Saint-Narcisse) (Heart Nature Park (at Plé de Saint-Narcisse)), 1900, 3e rang Saint-Narcisse. Peat bog at Plé de Saint-Narcisse, with a hiking trail. (updated Oct 2021)

## Cope

* 46.56288-72.47071 Bibliothèque de Saint-Narcisse (Saint-Narcisse Library), B-511, rue Massicotte, ☏ +1 418-328-4430, biblio001@reseaubibliocqlm.qc.ca. Municipal library affiliated with the Biblio Network of Center-du-Québec, Lanaudière and Mauricie. A virtual library service is offered. The first municipal library in rural areas in Quebec was that of Saint-Narcisse in 1961. free. (updated Oct 2021)

## Do

* 46.54615-72.396711 Batiscan River Parc, 200, chemin du Barrage, ☏ +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)
* 46.54844-72.502632 Les Écuries Gaétany, 2531, 3e rang, ☏ +1 819-852-1246. (updated Oct 2021)

## Buy

* 46.56594-72.473521 BMR Novago - Coopérative - Saint-Narcisse, 450, rue de l'Église. (updated Oct 2021)
* 46.56681-72.463782 Ébénisterie Steve Slater, 65, rang des Chutes, ☏ +1 418-328-4262. Cabinetmaking. (updated Oct 2021)
* 46.5846-72.482683 Ferme Jocelyn Cossette, 612, rang Saint-Pierre, ☏ +1 819-609-4873. Market garden products from the farm. (updated Oct 2021)
* 46.56341-72.470724 Inter-Marché St-Narcisse, 311, rue de l'Église, ☏ +1 418-328-3164. Food supermarket. (updated Oct 2021)
* 46.56109-72.477685 Locusi maisons préfabriquées, 700, rue Notre-Dame, ☏ +1 418-328-3200. Ecological houses in kit form. (updated Oct 2021)

## Eat

* 46.55677-72.484521 Restaurant Le Villageois, 828, rue Notre-Dame, ☏ +1 418-328-8667, info@villageois.net. (updated Oct 2021)
* 46.5593-72.47672 La Fabrique gourmande, 708, rue Principale, ☏ +1 819-448-4829. Local products. Priority to the purchase of ingredients produced in the region. Food products without preservatives or artificial flavors. Offer of information and education activities related to healthy eating, for day camps, school. Offers various training courses for companies relating to hygiene and sanitation (MAPAQ), as well as on nutritional labeling. (updated Oct 2021)
* 46.5377-72.484353 Cabane à Sucre Massicotte, 130, route 359, ☏ +1 418-328-3860. (updated Oct 2021)

## Drink

* 46.5612-72.47491 Resto-Bar L'Avalanche, 580, rue Principale, ☏ +1 418-328-4535. (updated Oct 2021)

## Sleep
### Camping

(See section "Parc de la rivière Batiscan" (Batiscan River Park) for camping)

### Chalet, gîte, inn

* 46.5875-72.507341 Maison St-Narcisse, 614, rang Haut de la Grande Ligne. (updated Oct 2021)

## Go next

* 46.5551-72.411151 Parc de la rivière Batiscan A 362-hectare recreational tourism park that 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.
* 46.6243-72.61142 Hérouxville Hérouxville stands out particularly thanks to the Tavibois domain (belonging to the Daughters of Jesus community) and the Val Notre-Dame Camp summer camp.
* 46.61306-72.385683 Saint-Stanislas One of the oldest parishes, its architecture reveals a variety of ancient styles. Recreational tourism activities (e.g., resorts, nautical activities, Batiscan River Park) are developed along the Batiscan River which divides this parish in two.
* 46.5333-72.33334 Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan Its recreational tourism activities include sugar maple groves especially in the moraine, and resorts.
* 46.5-72.416665 Saint-Luc-de-Vincennes
* 46.47293-72.537956 Saint-Maurice (Des Chenaux)
* 46.4256-72.65127 Notre-Dame-du-Mont-Carmel Very active as a winter destination with its ski centre, cross-country ski trails, snowmobiles and quads, as well as the icy trails of the Lost Forest area. In summer, visitors stop there for camping, sports and nature activities, particularly to participate in the festivities of Mont-Carmel en fête.
* 46.61196-72.63058 Lac-à-la-Tortue (secteur de Shawinigan) Its territory includes the Lac-à-la-Tortue Ecological Reserve, the largest peat bog in the lowlands of the Saint Lawrence River. It is an important centre of recreational and tourist activities (vacation, nautical activities, seaplanes).
* 46.6079-72.50029 Saint-Séverin (Mékinac) It has an agricultural economy and a few recreational tourism activities.