Success of the first Sanctuaires du fleuve tours
It was with enthusiasm and radiant sunshine that, on September 27 and October 3, participants in the first two River Sanctuaries bus tours visited the five sanctuaries making up the new tourist route that came into being in 2016.
They began their day in Varennes with a visit to the Maison de l’exposition devoted to Saint Marguerite d’Youville, her tomb and the Sainte-Anne Basilica. They then headed for Boucherville, where they discovered the new Musée d’art sacré and the magnificent Sainte-Famille church. Continuing their journey, they shared a tasty lunch at a restaurant in Vieux Longueuil, before heading to the co-cathedral of Saint-Antoine de Padoue. The guides gave them a wealth of interesting information about this imposing sanctuary and the new heritage and religious museum inaugurated last year.
A few steps from the co-cathedral, visitors crossed the threshold of the Centre Marie-Rose and admired the superb chapel, the rooms where founder Blessed Marie-Rose Durocher lived, and the foundation house dating back to the days of New France. Everyone then took the bus back to the new Mohawk Interpretation Centre and the Sainte-Kateri-Tekakwitha Shrine in Kahnawake, erected in the former Fort Saint-Louis. The visit was very much appreciated, and proved to be a most enriching experience.
“The rave reviews we received at these premieres will spur us on to prepare more tours next year,” says Michel Couturier, President of Les Sanctuaires du fleuve.
