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The cycling path along the Soulanges Canal stretches for 35 kilometres. (JOHN KENNEY/Gazette file photo)
Our Own Backyard
Discover the Soulanges Canal on two wheels
Kristina Edson
The Gazette
Friday, May 23, 2008
The cycling path along the Soulanges Canal stretches for 35 kilometres. (JOHN KENNEY/Gazette file photo)
While there are many things to see and do in faraway places,
the best can sometimes be found right in our own backyard. With that
in mind, The Gazette's West Island section will explore attractions
and delights in our corner of the world, both on and off the island.
With the price of gasoline putting a cramp in most wallets these
days, there seems no better time to ditch the family car altogether
and mount a bicycle instead for a day trip.
Though the well used and well known Lachine Canal bicycle path
attracts scores of riders each season, cycling enthusiasts and
weekend warriors might want to explore the picturesque Soulanges
Canal bicycle path in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region.
Parts of the approximate 35-kilometre-long linear paved surface,
that is open free-of-charge to all riders, are just under 20 years
old, while newer sections have been added in the last eight to 10
years.
A rider travelling close to 20 km/hr can cycle the entire path in
about four hours.
Depending on your point of view, the path begins (or ends) at Parc
des Ancres in Pointe des Cascades, and meanders through Les Cèdres,
Coteau du Lac, Les Coteaux, St. Zotique and Rivière Beaudette.
Bike riders, roller bladers, joggers and walkers are treated to the
narrow, shimmering water surfaces of the now unused Soulanges Canal
on one side, and often sunflower filled fields that can play host to
cows, goats and other animals at various points along the route. The
path also goes through forests and swamps and borders many rural
backyards.
Tourism Montérégie estimates that 150,000 cyclists use the trail
each year.
Les Cèdres Mayor Géraldine Quesnel, who heads up a committee
comprised of two representatives each from the six towns traversed
by the cycling path, says the route is maintained by a company that
keeps the surface clean, the surrounding grass clipped and garbage
containers empty.
There are also picnic tables along the route.
"We did a lot of repaving last year," Quesnel said, adding that
more repairs will be carried out this year thanks to provincial
funding and money provided by the Vaudreuil-Soulanges regional
county.
While riding, history buffs can take a break and check out a few
places of interest. More than 75 anchors retrieved from the depths
of lakes St. Louis and St. François - some dating to the 18th
century and weighing close to 15 tons - are on display at Parc des
Ancres in Pointe-des-Cascades.
Visitors can also take a free guided tour to learn more about
anchors.
Le Petit Pouvoir in Les Cèdres is a former hydroelectric structure
located off the path that still captures the attention of passers-by
with its whimsical redbrick circular exterior.
Also of note is the Coteau du Lac National Historical Site, less
than a kilometre from the path.
Perhaps the biggest attraction however, is the 23-kilometre long
Soulanges Canal that connects Lake St. François to Lake St. Louis
and borders most of the bicycle path.
The canal was opened in 1899 as a bypass for boats needing to avoid
a portion of the St. Lawrence River rapids between the Atlantic and
the Great Lakes. Cargo ships used the canal for 60 years before it
was closed in 1959 when the St. Lawrence Seaway opened.
Efforts are under way to restore the canal's nine bridges and five
locks and open the waterway to tall ships, yachts and cruise liners.
The declining bridges and locks are a major scenic draw for those
cycling the bike path.
For info on the Soulanges Canal cycling path go to
www.tourisme-monteregie.qc .ca