Boucherville Islands National Park

The islands offer a bucolic escape from nearby Montreal.

Birdwatching is a popular activity on the islands.

Canoe around these charming islands.

This park embraces a string of islands in the middle of the mighty St. Lawrence River, about six miles from downtown Montréal.

Boucherville Islands National Park (Parc National des Iles-de-Boucherville) covers about three square-miles of land. The cool calm of these islands are in stark contrast to the nearby steel and cement high rises.

Visitors reach the islands on a cable ferry and can walk from one island to the next over wood bridges and watch for Canada geese, ospreys, great blue herons and several species of duck.

The five islands, Sainte-Marguerite, Saint-Jean, à Pinard, De la Commune and Grosbois, offer their own unique views of Montréal and old Boucherville.

In addition to birding, there are guided canoe tours and walks. Visitors can also kayak, fish, hike and bike.

During winter, visitors can cross-country ski, ice-fish and snowshoe.