The communities of Val-Paradis, Villebois and Beaucanton are located at the southwestern doorway to the James Bay territory, right at the edge of the 49th parallel. The first settlers who colonised the region crossed the Turgeon River aboard a barge called La Rosanna, a replica of which still stands at the entrance of Villebois. This land, the home of famous nurse Blanche Pronovost (daughter of Émilie Bordeleau, "Les Filles de Caleb"), consists mainly of farmland and forest. It contains a wealth of heritage in a beautiful setting of green.

Covered Bridges

Mostly all old bridges were built with roofs to prevent premature aging and thus, save on construction costs. In addition to their primary function they also served as meeting places and sites for posting notices. Today, covered bridges are part of our heritage. Built with local materials in the traditional Town style, the Maurice-Duplessis (1943), Pionniers (1948) and des Souvenirs (1954) bridges all span the Turgeon River. The Taschereau bridge (1943) crosses Leslie Brook. The Val-Paradis, Villebois and Beaucanton bridges are still in excellent condition and can be crossed in a car, on bike or on foot. Their wooden structures are engraved with love messages written by young couples seeking a place to hide from indiscrete onlookers.

The Great Fire of Perron Township, the Erratic Blocks and the Saint Joachim Parish

In 1997, a major fire swept through the township of Perron and almost burned down Val-Paradis. You can walk (wear a good pair of running shoes) or cycle through this large burned out area and observe the process of regeneration taking place in the forest. Then, as you go through a patch of forest spared by the fire, you will discover strange formations of erratic blocs, waterfalls and builtin lakes - a stunning reminder of the ancient passage of glaciers! The Saint Joachim catholic church was built in 1948 and is one of the rare buildings in Québec erected in the Dom Bellot architectural style. Paul Bellot, a Benedictine monk born in Paris and exiled to Canada, gave his name to this style recognisable by its sharp angled windows. Today, this historical monument, built of fieldstone and carved granite, is the pride of Beaucanton.