History
Barkmere is a city located in the Regional County Municipality of Les Laurentides and the administrative region of Laurentides, in Quebec, Canada . Barkmere was incorporated under the law of Cities and Towns in 1926 from lots from the cantons of Arundel and Montcalm surrounding Bark Lake (now "Lac des Écorces") in Quebec. Even if the city is officially bilingual, there is also a significant German community.
At the end of the 19th Century, people started building at Bark Lake. Montreal adventurers trekked to this beautiful place by train, wagon and foot. Important families would spend the summer and it was quite an expedition to leave Montreal by train. The Miller family would send a wagon to collect travellers who often had to sleep overnight in the only hotel in Arundel. The would 'wheel' them to the lake where they would have to paddle to their cottage. Once a week, local farmers would offer fresh products at the landing. There was no road around the Lake and today still, most of the summer cottagers must use a boat to get to their cottage. The wild aspect of the lake is thus preseved and water quality is excellent. Barkmere is truly a rare gem and its isolation and tranquility make it an exceptionnal site.
The Region
You will find many activities for the whole family around Barkmere. At a twenty minutes' drive from Barkmere, Mont-Tremblant (St. Jovite) is a very picturesque village (restaurants, boutiques, wholesalers, festivals, sport shops). You can rent a canoe in St. Jovite and row to Huberdeau on the Red River. Also, for trekking or cycling fans, the Aerobic Corridor is a long multipurpose trail of 58 kilometers that connects the Municipality of Morin-Heights to the Municipality of Amherst through the municipalities of Huberdeau, Arundel, Montcalm, Lac-des-Seize-Îles and Wentworth North. The trail follows the right-of-way of the Canadian National railroad, abandoned since 1962. To see the map.
There is also good farm land in the region. You can buy fresh farm products at Morgan Farm, in Weir or at Runaway creek Farm in Arundel. At 5 minutes drive from Bark Lake, Pyane fishing pond offers lots of fun for all ages along with the Complex Fort ouest paintball. Feel like canoeing/kayaking: you can rent a skiff to go down the river Bevan to the Red river or to go up the river to big Bevan Lake at Canot/Kayak Arundel.
It would be too exhaustive to describe all that you can do around Barkmere. For more details on activities in the Laurentians, consult the website of Découvrir Laurentides This new website offers a complete picture of the activities given by activities and by municipality. It also offerts an interactive map easy to consult.
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What to do in the region ?
- For the kids, Camp des Débrouillards, in Barkmere
- Arundel Golf Club
- Paintball Fort Ouest Complex
- Cinéma Pine in Ste-Adèle
- Canoe Kayak Arundel
Useful Links
- For Transportation in the Laurentians
CLSC Mont-Tremblant
- 635, Léonard st., Mont-Tremblant J8E 3H9
Saint-Jovite Medical Centre
- 992, Saint-Jovite st., Mont Tremblant J8E 3C1
Sainte-Agathe Hospital
- 234, Saint-Vincent st., Ste-Agathe-des-Monts J8C 2B8
Rivière Rouge Service Centre
- 1525, L'Annonciation st., Rivière Rouge J0T 1T0