# Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu

Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu is a picturesque municipality with a riverside and rural landscape on the St. Lawrence plain, in the regional county municipality (MRC) of La Vallée-du-Richelieu, in the Montérégie region of Quebec.
Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu is a recreational, nautical and agricultural destination facing Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu, on the opposite bank of the Richelieu River. The main attractions of Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu are, in particular:
* its infrastructures and its recreational tourism services, in particular its municipal parks, its National Patriots Museum, its marina, its quays, its monuments (e.g. Marguerite-Michel bell) and other traveller services;
* its built heritage which displays a rustic and well-renovated character (including agricultural buildings), in particular the resort buildings along the Richelieu River or the country houses;
* its rural and riverside landscape, which bears witness to the activities of citizens in this part of the St. Lawrence plain;
* pleasure boating on the Richelieu River (12.3 km (7.6 mi) segment of the river) and related services for boaters;
* heritage, art and flavours, or cycle tourism circuits;
* its public events, in particular: Fête du Vieux Marché, commemoration of the Patriot Battles of 1837.
In 2019, the municipality of Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu won the Recognition Award from the Association of the Most Beautiful Villages of Quebec, for the quality of the tourist offer of the Maison nationale des Patriotes, for the quality of the cultural life in full swing and to underline the leadership of the Municipal Council during the adoption of the by-law on the occupation and maintenance of heritage buildings.

## Understand
### History

Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu was founded in 1740.

### Geography

Apart from the residential areas (village of Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu, rang Amyot (east and west), rang 3 des Moulins (east and west) and 4e rang des Grands-Bois-Centre (east and west)), as well as the riparian strip along Route 133 (Chemin des Patriotes) and a forest strip (north-south direction), the territory of Saint-Ours is primarily agricultural.

## Get in
### By car

* From Montréal (63 km, time: 54 min). Take the Jacques-Cartier bridge (east); take route 132 (eastbound); take Autoroute 20 (eastbound) and cross the bridge over the Richelieu River; take Route 133 (northbound) to the village of Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu.
* From Quebec (227 km, time: 2 hr 25 min). Take Autoroute 20 west to Saint-Hyacinthe; take Route 137 (north) to the village of Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu.

## Get around

The Richelieu River crossing service allows you to avoid a long detour to go south to the Autoroute 20 bridge or north to the Autoroute 30 bridge in Sorel.
* 45.786998-73.1652631 Handfield Ferry on the Richelieu River (Traverse Handfield sur la rivière Richelieu), ☏ +1 450-787-2759. Apr–Dec: 07:00-00:00. This ferry is a cable ferry used to shuttle between the villages of Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu (east shore) and Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu (west shore), over a distance of 389 m between the two docks. The ferry is accessible from the west side of the river, at the junction of rue du Rivage (route 223) and rue Montée de la Pomme-d'Or. Every winter, an ice bridge is built there for automobile traffic. $4.50 per car; $3.50 per motorcycle and $2.50 by bicycle or on foot. (updated Jun 2022)

## See

* 45.7852-73.159911 National House of the Patriots (Maison nationale des Patriotes), 610, chemin des Patriotes, ☏ +1 450-787-3623. Mr. Jean-Baptiste Mâsse's boutique located in his house offers a unique museum experience. This house presents a permanent exhibition of old objects from the time of the rebellion of 1837 and 1838 in the Richelieu valley. The collection has six major categories: paintings, prints and drawings; costumes and textiles; ethnology and archaeology, decorative art, photographs, textual archives. This collection is also endowed with artefacts from the period. (updated Jun 2022)

### Worship centre

* 45.78376-73.159992 Church of Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu (Église de Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu), 636, chemin des Patriotes, ☏ +1 450-787-2020. Heritage Catholic church built in 1792. (updated Jun 2022)

### Tourist routes

* Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu heritage tour (Circuit patrimonial Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu) (church facing the Richelieu River and facing the village of Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu), ☏ +1 450-787-2020. Circuits including 19 heritage sites in the village of Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu and various other sites spread across the rows. Visitors can obtain a reproduction of the heritage circuit map at the Maison nationale des Patriotes boutique or at the municipal office at 599, chemin des Patriotes. This map is available online: Map of the heritage circuit (updated Jun 2022)
* Tourist circuit Between River and river (Circuit touristique Entre Fleuve et rivière). Visitors can download the circuit map covering Verchères, Calixa-Lavallée, Saint-Marc-sur-Richelieu and Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu, at: 2019-final-corr-2019-04-25.pdf (updated Jun 2022)
* Cycling circuit (Circuit cycliste). Cycling enthusiasts can download the cycling network map of Montérégie at: cycling network map. (updated Jun 2022)
* Circuit of the crosses of the Richelieu way (Circuit des croix de chemin du Richelieu). Visitors are told the great story of a dozen wayside crosses in Verchères, Calixa-Lavallée, Saint-Marc-sur-Richelieu and Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu. (updated Jun 2022)
* Richelieu Road (Route du Richelieu), +1 450-466-4666. Circuit offering various cultural and heritage experiences, through historic sites, picturesque villages, museums, heritage churches and open-air works of art, along the Richelieu River. Main sites on the route: Blockhouse on the Lacolle River, Haut-Richelieu Museum, Canal-de-Chambly National Historic Site, Fort Chambly National Historic Site, the Maison amérindienne, the Museum of Fine Arts of Mont-Saint-Hilaire, national home of the Patriots and bio-lighthouse, Statera - the fabulous archipelago. (updated Jun 2022)
* Richelieu Arts and Flavours Route (Route des Arts et Saveurs du Richelieu), ☏ +1 438-498-9752. Creative and gourmet circuit, meeting craftsmen, art galleries and gastronomy, highlighting local products from the Richelieu Valley. Special studio visit activities (see website) at: Richelieu.pdf (updated Jun 2022)

### Events

* Fête du Vieux Marché, ☏ +1 450-787-3939. Market from August 11 to 14, 2022 (2nd weekend of August). Annually, this festival welcomes 25,000 visitors and 125 exhibitors. La Place gourmande offers small fast food restaurants with local products. Visitors can sip beer from the Nelson Distillery here. (updated Jun 2022)
* 45.7863-73.159443 Commemoration of the Patriot Battles of November 23 and 25, 1837 (Commémoration des Batailles Patriotes des 23 et 25 novembre 1837), ☏ +1 450-787-2244. Sunday closest to November 23 each year. Under the aegis of the municipality of Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu, this commemoration evokes the Patriot Battles of November 23 and 25, 1837 and the struggles of the Patriots of Lower Canada. Program of activities: remembrance mass, speeches, ceremony paying tribute to the Patriots, laying of flowers and guided tours of the Maison nationale des Patriotes. (updated Jun 2022)
* Annual festival of "Chants de Veilles sur le Richelieu" (Festival annuel du "Chants de Veilles sur le Richelieu"). Late May. This nautical festival makes stops from one city to another, starting in Sorel (Catherine Le Gardeur wharf); then made stops successively at Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu, Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu, Otterburn Park, Saint-Mathias-sur-Richelieu, Chambly; and the festival ends in Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu (quai Fecteau). The program is posted on the festival's website. (updated Jun 2022)

## Do

* Snowmobile and quad trails, ☏ +1 514-252-3076. Visitors can view the interactive map on the Fédération des clubs de motoneigistes du Québec website. (updated Jun 2022)
* Walking trails. (updated Jun 2022)

## Buy

* 45.78467-73.147741 Marchés Tradition Lachambre & Fils inc, 140, rue Yamaska, ☏ +1 450-787-2838. General grocery store. (updated Jun 2022)
* 45.78632-73.159212 Dépanneur Les Patriotes, 98, rue Yamaska, ☏ +1 450-787-1122. Sonic banner gas station. (updated Jun 2022)
* 45.78488-73.15473 Miels Loiseau & Fils (Sentiers pédestres), 167, rue Cartier. Third generation beekeeping business offering a variety of honeys including clover, creamy clover, blueberry, wildflower, buckwheat or creamy buckwheat. (updated Jun 2022)
* 45.75016-73.185584 Marina St-Denis, 1180, chemin des Patriotes (4.7 km south of Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu), ☏ +1 450-787-2419. The marina offers a nautical rental service: personal watercraft, paddle board or pedal boat on the east bank of the Richelieu River. (updated Jun 2022)

## Eat

Several restaurants or dining rooms in the Montérégie have transformed the mode of meals at the tables into take-out or delivery service. In general, restaurateurs have demonstrated great resilience by updating their website, integrating interactive and automated applications for remote orders, as well as the display of the menu, opening hours, their mode of operation (e.g. by reservation, drive-thru), sanitary measures required, other services (e.g. catering, shops, accommodation, access for the disabled, wi-fi, take-out food, delivery), contact details and often the history of the restaurant or site.
* 45.78445-73.159741 Auberge St-Denis-sur-Richelieu, 620, chemin des Patriotes, ☏ +1 450-787-1110. (updated Jun 2022)
* 45.78657-73.159532 Chez Nelson, 603, chemin des Patriotes, ☏ +1 450-909-0719. An eco-friendly community café-bistro. (updated Jun 2022)
* 45.77807-73.164073 Resto Pub Le Patriote, 706, chemin des Patriotes, ☏ +1 450-909-2871. Pizzeria. (updated Jun 2022)

### Picnic areas

* Picnic areas. *Place L.-J.-Papineau (located at the municipal wharf), *Parc des Patriotes (located on chemin des Patriotes, village core), *Stop road (located on Route 137, towards Saint-Hyacinthe), *Parc du Sacré-Coeur (located opposite the church, on chemin des Patriotes) (updated Jun 2022)

## Sleep

* 45.78589-73.159851 Auberge la Belle aux Berges, 609, chemin des Patriotes, ☏ +1 450-787-9748, info@labelleauxberges.com. Inn housed in a rustic Victorian-style home owned by a chef. B&B certified. The inn offers a gourmet menu (local cuisine) and hosts special events. Outdoor pool. (updated Jun 2022)

## Cope

* 45.78638-73.159461 Public Library (Bibliothèque municipale), 601, chemin des Patriotes (at the intersection of chemin des Patriotes (route 133) and route 137), ☏ +1 450-787-2179. This library is affiliated with the BIBLIO network of Montérégie. Online services. Event programming: exhibitions of artists' works, story time, etc. (updated Jun 2022)
* Multifunctional ice rink, ☏ +1 450-787-2712, loisirs@msdsr.com. (updated Jun 2022)
* Municipal Parks, ☏ +1 450-787-2712, loisirs@msdsr.com. The municipal parks are: ● Parc des Patriotes (on Chemin des Patriotes, next to the Maison nationale des Patriotes) ● Place Louis-Joseph Papineau (located at the intersection of Avenue Yamaska and chemin des Patriotes) ● Parc du Sacré-Coeur (located opposite the church) ● Rest stop (route 137, towards Saint-Hyacinthe). (updated Jun 2022)

## Go next

* 45.8833-73.16671 Saint-Roch-de-Richelieu Municipality on the west bank of the Richelieu River renowned for its ferry (which is replaced in winter by an ice road) linking Saint-Ours, its Deschaillons island, its picturesque built heritage and its offer of recreational and tourist activities (e.g.: boating yachting, agritourism, campgrounds, etc.).
* 45.7833-73.18332 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, municipal parks for sports and recreation 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. Several service points allow visitors to drink, sleep and eat. 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.
* 45.6833-73.23 Saint-Marc-sur-Richelieu Municipality comprising 12.8 km 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, marinas... The municipality offers several recreational tourism activities with its parks and leisure facilities.
* 45.6833-73.24 Saint-Charles-sur-Richelieu Municipality extending over 12.8 km on the east bank of the Richelieu River. Vacationing is highly developed along the waterfront road (route 223 - rue Richelieu) due to pleasure boating. The Hôtel des Trois Tilleuls and the Vieux Quai Fédéral (facing Île Jeannotte) attract many tourists. Boating traffic on the Richelieu River generates a variety of water activities: canoeing, water skiing, fishing, marinas... The municipality offers several recreational tourism activities with its parks and leisure facilities.
* 45.6667-73.055 La Présentation Picturesque municipality with an agricultural vocation and a rural setting. At La Présentation, visitors find themselves in a land of maple groves, corn and a bucolic bike path. Community life is active with its sports and leisure facilities. The church built in 1817 was declared a historic monument in 1957 and has been a heritage site since 1984.
* 45.8833-73.156 Saint-Ours City on the east bank of the Richelieu River having celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2016. The offer of recreational and tourist activities is diversified, in particular: three campgrounds, the Parc Canada oTentik, the Club de Golf les Patriotes, municipal sports and recreation, and the intense pleasure boating on the Richelieu River. Saint-Ours is a centre of the arts.