Kwei, Welcome to Mauricie
Here you’ll be welcomed by the descendants of those first inhabitants, with a “Kwei” or “Hello” in the Atikamekw language. The region was also long home to hard-working peasants, brave log drivers and adventurous woodsmen (coureur des bois), together with merchants specializing in fur, iron or paper. Traces of the foundations these original European inhabitants laid can still be glimpsed today, in the smallest plot of land.Located midway between Montréal and Québec City, Mauricie prides itself as well on the cities that have sprung up around its waterways. The legendary Rivière Saint-Maurice and St. Lawrence River flow through the region, and countless lakes and rivers dot its landscape. Mauricie is yet very current, with urban energy providing the perfect counterpoint to rural charm. From lively cities to picturesque villages, a lust for life beats at the heart of the many festivals and events on offer, whether local or international in scope. Featuring stunning mountains and lush valleys, Mauricie’s natural environment is vast and the possibilities for relaxation and excitement, endless. And in this land of wide open spaces, the inhabitants, it is said, have hearts as a big as the sky.