Arundel, Quebec: History, Things to Do and Travel Guide
Arundel is a rural Laurentian municipality in Quebec’s Laurentides, south of Mont-Tremblant and east of the Rouge River. It is a small community of farms, woodlots, heritage buildings, the Aerobic Corridor, Beaven Creek access and wide views across the Rouge Valley.
The visit is slow by design. Arundel is not a resort village with a dense main street; it is a township community where trail parking, agricultural scenery, creek access, a former railway station and careful water-route planning give travellers the clearest local experience.
How Arundel Started
The municipality says Arundel was created by proclamation on July 8, 1856. Before permanent pioneer settlement, hunters, trappers and lumber workers moved through the Rouge River corridor, and the municipal history notes Weskarini Algonquin presence and early trade around Beaven Creek.
Settlement expanded after 1857. Sydney Bellingham, who held a large township concession connected to survey work, named Arundel after Arundel in Sussex, England. Roads gradually tied the township together, including the Iroquois Road opened in 1879 between Arundel and Huberdeau.
The railway arrived in 1896 and became part of village life. The municipality notes that the former station building still exists as the Arundel post office, giving the small centre one of its most tangible heritage landmarks.
What Arundel Is Like Today
Arundel had 578 residents in the 2021 census. The municipality describes today’s community as a mix of retirees, commuters, cottage owners and remaining farm families.
That mix creates a quieter rhythm than the larger Laurentian recreation towns nearby. Fields, woodlots, Beaven Creek, heritage buildings and trail users matter more here than commercial visitor strips. The municipal tourism page highlights alternating woods and cultivated fields, with panoramic openings over the Rouge Valley.
Water access requires attention. Beaven Lake is a resort area without general public access, and the municipality says there is no direct public access to the Rouge River from every shoreline. Public orientation should begin with the village, the trail and Beaven Creek Park behind City Hall.
Things to Do and Places Nearby
Use the Aerobic Corridor as the first outdoor plan. The municipality describes this 58-kilometre multipurpose trail as following an abandoned Canadian National railway right-of-way between Morin-Heights and Amherst. Arundel parking is available at the municipal garage and park on Morrison Road and near the intersection of Rouge Road and Village Road.
For paddling, the public access point is Beaven Creek Park behind City Hall at 2 Village Street. The municipality describes a calm-water route from the creek toward the Rouge, but paddlers must account for falls, rapids, water levels and route difficulty before launching.
In the village, look for the former railway station, post office, heritage buildings and rural views that explain Arundel’s farm-and-rail identity.
Quick Facts
- Province: Quebec
- Region: Laurentides
- Municipality type: Municipality
- 2021 census population: 578
- Official website: https://arundel.ca/
- Main local anchors: Aerobic Corridor, Beaven Creek Park, Rouge Valley views, former railway station, Morrison Road trail parking and 2 Village Street town hall
Travel Notes
Arundel is easiest by car, bike or trail route. Use official parking and public access points only. Paddlers should check maps, water levels, weather and safety guidance before entering Beaven Creek or the Rouge River. In winter, confirm which trail sections are assigned to skiing, snowmobiling or other uses before setting out.