Trois-Pistoles is a city of 3500 people (2011) in Bas St. Laurent in Quebec. It is mainly known to English-speaking Canadians for its homestay language immersion program, which nearly doubles the population of the town each summer.
Understand
If you are in Trois-Pistoles, and you're not a language student, you are likely here because you are going to take a ferry to Les-Escoumins, or because you have just arrived by ferry. Nevertheless, the town is worth a short stopover and a cup of coffee across from the church.
The town is said to have been named for a silver goblet worth three pistoles, an old French coin, that was lost in the river in the 17th century.
- Bureau d'Information Touristique de Trois-Pistoles (Tourist information office), 51 Rte 132 ouest. F-M 09:00-16:00. Information in English and French.
Get in
By train
- 1 Trois-Pistoles railway station, 231 Rue de la Gare. One train, Montreal-Halifax, calls three times per week in each direction in the middle of the night
By bus
- Orléans Express, Petro-Canada, 684, rue Richard at Hwy 138.
By boat
- 2 Ferry terminal. Ferries across the river to Les Escumins depart two to four times per day throughout the year. In high season, advance reservation is strongly recommended. If you are lucky, you can see whales and dolphins from the ferry. Foot passengers one-way/same day round-trip: adult 12-64 $22.25/28.00, adult 65 and over $20.75/27.00, child 5-11 $14.50/22.00, child under 5 free. Vehicles each way: car or truck (up to 6.5 m) $50, motorcycle $33, bicycle $9.
Get around
Map of Trois-Pistoles
See
Notre-Dame-des-Neiges Church
- 1 Maison VLB, 23, rue Pelletier, ☏ 1 418-851-2001. Wednesday to Sunday. This house is owned by and celebrates the famous Quebec novelist Victor-Lévy Beaulieu.
- 2 Eglise Notre-Dame-Des-Neiges, 30 Rue Notre Dame Est, ☏ 1 418-851-4031. Late Jun to early Sep: daily 09:00-16:30, Su 11:00-16:30. During the summer season, guided tours and the "Passion Collection" exhibition of figurines of monks.
- Musée Saint Laurent, 552 Rue Notre Dame Ouest, ☏ 1 481-851-2455. Late June-early Sep: daily 09:00-17:00. A collection of antique cars, bicycles, furniture, dishes, toys, old stoves, tools. Adults $5, children $2.
Do
- La Coop de Kayaks de Mer des Îles, 60, rue du Park, ☏ 1 418-851-4637. Sea excursions with experienced guides.
- National Trail - Basque Coast Section, ☏ 1 418-714-2599. The 144-km Bas-Saint-Laurent National Trail stretches from Trois-Pistoles to Degelis crossing 10 municipalities. The course is divided into 12 sections each with between 8 and 15 km. At each point of departure and arrival of a section, a parking lot is set up with an information panel. The Trois-Pistoles part of the trail starts from the Basque Adventure Park in America and ends at the Basque Footbridge. Hikers will move from a seascape to a more forested landscape along the Trois-Pistoles River.
Buy
- Basques public market, 400-1 Jean-Rioux Street. Late June to mid-Oct: Sundays 10:00-15:00. In the parking lot at the Caveau des Trois-Pistoles microbrewery (rue Pelletier).
Eat
- Le Biarritz, 89 Rue Notre-Dame Ouest, ☏ 1 418-851-4705. Daily 07:30-19:30. Known for its seafood and breakfasts.
- La Belle Excuse Restaurant, 138 Notre Dame Ouest, ☏ 1 418-857-3000. Osso buco and bib of beef, plate Treasures of the sea, fresh and pickled fish, mussels, fresh pasta, spare ribs, homemade desserts, Sunday brunch, edible flower gardens.
- Cantine d'Amours, 66 rue Notre-Dame Est, ☏ 1 418-851-3337. Daily 10:30-00:00. Québécois fast food. Poutines, burgers, etc.
- 1 Pétro-Canada Trois-Pistoles, 684 Richard, ☏ 1 418-851-4347. Decent place for breakfast.
Drink
- Le Caveau des Trois-Pistoles, 21 Rue Pelletier, ☏ 1 418-851-4440. Th-Sa 15:00-22:00. Brewery and tasting room. Tour the brewery, taste the beer, enjoy the life music some nights. Varied beers ranging from German kellerbier to rye steak, an IPA smoke, abbey-style beers, with the double, triple and quadruple Pistol series.
- 1 Cafe Grains de Folie, 1, rue Notre-Dame-Ouest, ☏ 1 581-645-8282. M-W 08:00-18:09, Sa 09:00-22:00, Su 09:00-17:00. Coffees, beer on tap, wines by the glass, bar food. In good weather one can seat outside. Good quality coffee.
Sleep
- 1 Hotel Trois-Pistoles, 330, rue Notre-Dame ouest (hotel) and 64 route 132 ouest (motel), ☏ 1 418-851-3310, toll-free: 1-866-616-4258, fax: 1 418-851-4902. A 30-room motel on the highway and a 15-room hotel on the main street of the village, under common ownership. Motel: double/queen $65-100, 2 double beds $110-120; hotel: double/queen $100-110, 2 double beds $110-130.
- Motel Riviere Trois-Pistoles (about 4 km from Trois-Pistoles), ☏ 1 418-851-4178, toll-free: 1-866-751-4178. Non-smoking budget hotel. Free parking and WiFi. Air conditioning, microwave, and refrigerator in room. Double $93, queen $98, queen single $104, 2 doubles $114.
Connect
Go next
| Routes through Trois-Pistoles |
| Lévis ← Rivière-du-Loup ← | W  E | → Rimouski → Gaspé |
| Lévis ← Rivière-du-Loup ← | W  E | → Rimouski → Moncton |
Lévis ← Rivière-du-Loup ←  ← | W  E | → Rimouski → Gaspé |