Once upon a time, a region was settled due to a persevering priest and the families that believed in his plan. A TV series, Les Belles Histoires des Pays d’en Haut, told the story. The name now designates a tourist route from one train station to another where the P’tit Train du Nord used to stop.
284 km
Covering about half of the Route des Belles-Histoires (beautiful stories route) the circuit can be completed by car, or by bike through the Le P’tit Train du Nord linear park.
Unforgettable moments
Region
De Saint-Jérôme à Saint-Sauveur via Prévost
If we’re able to go to Northern Québec to enjoy outdoor activities—hiking, biking, swimming, skiing, etc.—it’s due to Curé Antoine Labelle, the 19th-century “father” of the Laurentides. A museum space in Saint-Jérôme’s cathedral showcases his life.
In most of the former train stations in the Laurentides, you can view videos on the Route des Belles-Histoires (beautiful stories route), like at the Prévost station. Tourist guides suggest three heritage walking circuits in the town.
Downhill and cross-country skiing have a museum and even a Hall of Fame in Saint-Sauveur. The museum showcases the exploits of our skiers, such as the legendary founder, Jack Rabbit, whose nickname says everything about his speed on the slopes.
Une journée au magnifique village de Sainte-Adèle
Typical of the late-19th-century colonization period in the Laurentides, the Mont-Rolland train station is greatly appreciated by cyclists today. The station has a coffee shop and patio for a rest along the Le P’tit Train du Nord linear park.
Discover Sainte-Adèle on foot, by bike or even by cart by following the circuit of murals about the Pays-d’en-Haut, or the heritage circuits, starting from the tourist office in the Place des citoyens.
Art public et plages du lac aux Sables
Val-David’s small train station houses the tourist office, from where you can take a walking tour along the heritage and public art circuit. You’ll notice that the town is home to a lot of artists, as seen from the 1001 Pots event.
Bordered by the majestic Lac aux Sables, Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts has not one, but three beaches. Sainte-Lucie beach is very popular as it is located right downtown.
De gare en gare, on découvre art et patrimoine
A beautiful reconstruction of the original, which dated from 1904, the Mont-Tremblant train station is now a cultural site and art centre. Another heritage circuit waits to be discovered in the historic part of the village.
The old presbytery houses an art centre where you can set out on a cultural and heritage circuit of Saint-Faustin–Lac-Carré. Rising above the sculptures at the Parc de la Gare is the “Love Tree,” from which dangles hearts filled with love messages.
Prochaines stations : Labelle et Nominingue
As the settlement of the Laurentides came about through the efforts of Curé Labelle and his project for a railway in the “Pays-d’en-Haut,” a railway museum, in a train station of course, was needed to tell the region’s full story.
The Nominingue train station, where the heritage circuit begins, houses a tourist office, a heritage room and an exhibition centre. The hamlet around the station is made up of small houses owned by artists and artisans and a gazebo for musicians.
Terminus, tout le monde descend à Mont-Laurier!
It’s the end of the Route des Belles-Histoires (beautiful stories route). Mont-Laurier train station is the end of the Le P'tit Train du Nord linear park. Shift from the self-guided heritage circuit with a guided walking tour led by a podcast.
The historical walking tour ends at the 1937 power station and Alix-Bail house. The Rivière du Lièvre’s current was strong enough for a power station to be built there in 1912. You can see (from the outside only) the log house of Alix the merchant.
