Portneuf in tune with culture
By David C, April 16 2025
This summer, take advantage of your stay to meet our local artisans, modern exponents of our culture yet deep-rooted in our history. Whether you visit an interpretation centre, a church, an exhibition, an art gallery or a boutique specializing in arts and crafts or visual arts, our local creators and artists await you! Several festivals and events also honour the cultural life of locals in Portneuf. Here are our cultural suggestions to put on your summer bucket list!
Explore Portneuf through its museums
The old presbytery in Deschambault, built in 1816, and Moulin de La Chevrotière, dating from 1802, offer captivating exhibitions on the region’s architectural heritage and traditional crafts, as well as exhibits from the Biennale internationale du lin de Portneuf. The Grondines windmill, one of the oldest in North America, traces the evolution of the region through its key role in navigation on the St. Lawrence River. Maison Plamondon pays tribute to local figures and presents exhibitions on the musical and photographic history of Saint-Raymond. Site Déry, on the banks of the Jacques-Cartier River, gives visitors an insight into the history of the site and offers a glimpse into the past through its exhibition À cause d’une rivière (“Because of a River”). Moulin Marcoux, now a cultural centre, hosts concerts and art exhibitions.
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Festivals, symposia and cultural events
Summer in Portneuf is marked by a series of varied cultural events celebrating local music, visual arts and heritage. Among the highlights, La Commission B (June 20–22) offers an eclectic musical line-up accompanied by microbrewery beers and foodie discoveries, while Symposium Cap-Santé riche en couleurs (June 28–29) showcases visual artists in a most picturesque setting. The Festival international de Blues de Donnacona (August 6–10) attracts blues fans, while the Fêtes gourmandes de Neuville (August 21–24) celebrates local gastronomy. In September, the Route des arts et saveurs de Portneuf (September 20–21) combines foodie tours and an immersion in local art and culture.
Discover all the summer events in our calendar.
Cultural treasures along the Chemin du Roy
The Chemin du Roy, North America’s first carriageway, runs through Portneuf, offering a truly unique opportunity to explore the region’s culture. Stretching 76 kilometres across the region, it links some of Quebec’s most beautiful villages, such as Neuville, Cap-Santé and Deschambault-Grondines, with must-see stops to learn about the region’s history and heritage. In Deschambault-Grondines, sites including the old presbytery and Moulin de La Chevrotière host captivating exhibitions. In Cap-Santé, the Vieux-Chemin is a veritable open-air museum, with its ancestral homes and art galleries. You can also explore the villages by taking one of the Portneuf’s coastal podcast tours. With the use of this mobile application, you can explore the pedestrian circuits and enjoy public access to the St. Lawrence River.
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Voies du Sacré
The churches in Deschambault, Grondines, Saint-Casimir, Cap-Santé and Neuville as well as in Saint-Raymond are all part of the Voies du Sacré circuit, which reveals some of the oldest and most remarkable religious art and architecture in Quebec. During the summer season, the guides on site will welcome you and share the history of these cultural treasures with you.
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Art and culture from a different angle
While travelling through the region, keep an eye out for public art, in the form of sculptures and other works of art. Be sure to also check out the creations of local artists at art galleries such as those in Cap-Santé, Galerie Christine Genest and Escale du Roy. History buffs will appreciate Portneuf’s industrial and natural heritage, with sites like Parc naturel régional de Portneuf and its former hydroelectric power stations. Centre d’interprétation du Granite offers an insight into granite mining, while the ruins of the Pont-Rouge sawmill and the coalmines are a reminder of the region’s industrial past.
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Foodie culture
A trip through Portneuf is also a trip through a world of culinary delights. Along the way, a host of producers, processors and local shops are there to welcome you. Microbreweries, cheese dairies, bakeries, farm stands: your taste buds will be tantalized! Keep your eyes peeled for foodie events, which also feature open-air concerts. Visit the Économusée du maraîcher (canned-food economuseum), the Fromagerie des Grondines or Ubald Distillerie to discover the art of agrifood processing. Create your own foodie itinerary here!
This summer, meet the artisans of today and yesteryear, and enjoy a picnic full of Portneuf flavours! And be sure to tag us in your social media posts with #regionportneuf.