Simply art and culture
By David C, April 18 2024
Whether you’re cycling, driving, out on the water or wearing your hiking boots, Portneuf is bursting with treasures. Ancestral homes, religious heritage, public art, pop-up exhibitions, ruins or installations that bear witness to the region’s industrial past—you need only open your eyes to discover them at every turn. Here are a few ways you can experience culture differently on your summer getaway in Portneuf.
Public art comes in many varieties. From statues of historical figures to the most abstract of sculptures, whether ornamental or utilitarian, we come into contact with public art every day, often without paying much attention to it. To be sure you don’t miss anything, take a look at this map of the works on display across the region.
A number of art galleries dot the Chemin du Roy and open the door to new discoveries. In Cap-Santé, the Christine Genest Art Gallery showcases original works by artists from Quebec. You might recognize Ms. Genest’s naïve style from the illustration you’ve likely seen on maple syrup cans since last year!
Also in Cap-Santé, the Jeannette Trépanier Art Gallery presents works in one of the region’s oldest ancestral homes! Right nearby, you will find the Jacques Sylvain Art Gallery. A host of other artists and craftspeople liven up the cultural life of Cap-Santé. Meet them at Symposium Cap-Santé riche en couleurs on June 29 and 30, or arrange an appointment with them.
Antique lovers will not be left out as several antique dealers offer their services in Deschambault-Grondines and Portneuf.
On the banks of the St. Lawrence, the stretching farmland and the Laurentian Plateau, cultural heritage has forged Portneuf’s regional identity and character for ages.
The gorge sector of the Sainte-Anne River in Parc naturel régional de Portneuf is renowned for its spectacular scenery along the river. Did you know that the site has been home to three hydroelectric power plants since 1911? Enjoy a leisurely stroll through the old wooden penstock that used to carry water from the dam to the power plant. If you book in advance, you can also visit the old hydro-electric station built in 1927!
In Pont-Rouge, take a hike or bike ride through Centre de plein air Dansereau and stop for a picnic at the ruins of an old sawmill dating from the early 20th century. In Deschambault-Grondines, you can visit an exhibition at Moulin de La Chevrotière and then follow the estate’s paths to a riverside lookout near a historic dam.
While exploring the northern part of the region, you may come across a charcoal kiln, a round structure made of clay bricks and cement used to burn wood. In bygone days, most of the charcoal produced in Quebec came from Portneuf’s kilns
In Rivière-à-Pierre, on your way to Chutes de la Marmite or Réserve faunique de Portneuf, stop off at the Centre d’interprétation du granite. Housed in an old fire tower, this centre explains in detail how granite is mined, processed and marketed.
Whether in a wharfside photo exhibition in Portneuf or a natural landscape that beckons our admiration, we are surrounded by art and culture from the past to the present. Yours to discover! #PortneufInegalable
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Bonus
Cultural events this summer
Cultural treasures along the Chemin du Roy
Explore Portneuf through its museums