Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc, Quebec: History, Things to Do and Travel Guide
Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc is a forested park-gateway municipality in Quebec’s Mauricie region. It sits near the Saint-Mathieu entrance to La Mauricie National Park, but the municipality also has its own village, lakes, covered-bridge history, cultural sites and trail network.
Travellers often arrive with the national park in mind. A better plan gives Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc time of its own: village streets, forest roads, local food, Reliefs mauriciens, Mokotakan and the lakes that brought settlers and seasonal residents inland.
How Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc Started
Municipal history places early settlement around 1865 to 1870, when colonists from Yamachiche, Saint-Barnabe and other nearby parishes moved into the uplands. Forest work and farm clearing pulled families along the Petite Shawinigan River and toward lakes that were difficult to reach from older St. Lawrence settlements.
Two early clusters shaped the future municipality. One developed near today’s chemin Saint-François and covered bridge sector, while another formed near Lac des Souris, now Lac Bellemare. The choice of a chapel site became decisive because it fixed the future parish centre.
In 1871, diocesan visitors chose the chemin Saint-François sector for the chapel. The parish and civic centre grew from that decision, linking religious life, road building, school life and forest work. The municipality later changed its name from Saint-Mathieu to Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc in 1998, recognizing the local relationship with La Mauricie National Park.
What Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc Is Like Today
Statistics Canada counted 1,482 residents in Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc in the 2021 Census. The municipality covers a broad forested territory with lakes, residential roads, seasonal properties, outfitters, food stops and outdoor businesses.
The park-gateway role is real, but it does not define the whole place. Residents and visitors use Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc for year-round outdoor life: hiking, cycling, snowshoeing, paddling, forest cabins, lake roads, arts programming and local food. The village centre is small, so timing and reservations matter during summer weekends and fall colour season.
The visitor feel changes quickly with the season. Summer and fall bring the busiest flow to park trails and lake roads. Winter is quieter, with snow, short daylight and road conditions shaping the trip.
Things to Do and Places Nearby
La Mauricie National Park is the major regional anchor. Check Parks Canada information before relying on a specific entrance, campground, trail, beach, road segment or winter activity. The Saint-Mathieu entrance is convenient, but park operations vary by season.
The national park can easily absorb a full day, so travellers should decide early whether the trip is a park day with a village meal or a Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc stay with park time as one piece. That choice affects lodging, trail selection, driving time and how much local exploring is realistic.
Reliefs mauriciens, the Parc recreoforestier promoted by regional tourism, is the strongest local outdoor stop outside the national park. It offers hiking, trail running, climbing, mountain biking, snowshoeing and forest programming, making the municipality more than a gateway.
The village and covered bridge sector deserve a slower look. Chemin Saint-François links the early chapel-site decision with the present road pattern, while the surrounding lakes show why settlement spread through several small pockets instead of one dense townsite.
Mokotakan adds Indigenous and regional interpretation when open, and local studios, food stops and accommodation businesses give the village a weekend-base feel. Check hours because smaller cultural sites and restaurants may be seasonal or appointment-based.
Local food, lodging and studio stops should be checked directly, especially outside high season. Saint-Mathieu-du-Parc has enough visitor infrastructure for a comfortable base, but it still operates at a small-municipality scale where hours can change with staffing, weather and event calendars.
Lake roads add a quieter option when trailheads are full. Lac Bellemare, Lac Gareau and other local water settings help explain why the municipality draws paddlers, cottage stays, artists and slow weekends as well as national-park visitors.
For a two-day plan, separate park time from village time. Spend one block on La Mauricie trails or scenic roads, then save another for Reliefs mauriciens, Mokotakan, the covered bridge sector, lake roads and a meal inside the municipality.
Families and less mobile travellers should ask about trail surfaces before arrival. Some forest routes are gentle, while others can be muddy, steep, icy or uneven. The municipality’s appeal comes from real terrain, not manicured resort paths.
Quick Facts
- Province: Quebec
- Region: Mauricie
- Municipality type: Municipality
- 2021 Census population: 1,482
- Official website: https://www.saint-mathieu-du-parc.ca/
- Known for: La Mauricie National Park access, Reliefs mauriciens, Mokotakan, lakes and covered bridge history
- Key routes: local roads from Shawinigan, Saint-Boniface and the Saint-Mathieu park entrance
Travel Notes
Visit by car and confirm park notices before departure. Download maps before heading onto forest roads, since cell coverage can vary around lakes and trailheads.
Book lodging early for summer weekends and fall colours. In winter, check snow, road maintenance, trail status and opening hours for food, museums and outfitters before making the drive.