Are you looking for a restaurant on this first evening? I recommend the St-Antoine. Located in an ancestral house in the heart of the Sainte-Flore sector, you’ll instantly feel good in its cozy atmosphere. Several land and sea dishes are on the menu for parents, and children will love the chocolate profiteroles!

Saturday, start by buying a picnic to take with you during your hike. Stop by the bakery Le Grille-Pain Du Coin for cheese bread, cake pops and slices of pizza! You can also buy good poutine sausages from the butchershop called Boucherie Nobert, it’s a delight!

Choose from a variety of hikes! Several itineraries are suitable for families, such as the Thibodeau-Ricard trail (3 km round trip), the Parc de l’Ile Melville ‘secteur des chutes’ (15 km of trails), or Vallée Rocanigan (open until 30th of October 2022). Please note, La Mauricie National Park is temporarily closed from October 2022. Whatever your choice, it will be perfect to enjoy nature!

If the kids still have energy coming back from the hike, head to the indoor pool at the Center des arts (generally open until 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays)! Otherwise, a stop at the municipal library will allow the whole family to enjoy a moment of relaxation (generally open until 4:30 p.m. on Saturdays). Psst! The bookshop Librairie Poirier offers a great selection of kids books!

For dinner, we stay in downtown Shawinigan and try the Chenapan! A local microbrewery beer accompanied by a tasty dish for the parents, a good burger for the kids – and everyone is happy!

On Sunday, well wrapped up on a beautiful fall day, take your family to Parc du Saint-Maurice to enjoy the colors! Don’t forget to take a big blanket to stay warm. If the roulottes Beauparlant on 5th rue de la Pointe are still open (closing October 23, 2022), enjoy a pogo, a poutine, or even a Michigan!