Madawaska and the Northwest Region

From small towns to the urban centre of Edmundston, there are lots of communities to choose from, each with a charm all its own. If you love city life but still want to be surrounded by nature, look no further than the city of Edmundston, whose urban core is nestled among mountains and has a river running through its heart. But this region also has other gems, like Grand Falls, named after its massive waterfall, which has the widest main street east of Winnipeg. Then there’s Saint-Quentin, where you can climb the Maritimes’ highest peak, Mount Carleton, or Saint-Jacques, where you can stroll the New Brunswick Botanical Garden.

The confluence of the Appalachian Mountains with the St. John and Madawaska rivers makes this region an outdoor lover’s dream. The area is crisscrossed with an extensive trail network that will keep you hiking, biking, snowshoeing, and skiing through stunning landscapes year-round. You can also head out to De la République Provincial Park and take in an evening of live entertainment at the open-air amphitheatre after a day of adventuring. If you don’t mind a climb, there’s nothing quite like being at the province’s highest point on the top of Mount Carleton. Everywhere you look there are stunning landscapes ready to be explored.

If you prefer a relaxed lifestyle with a little joie de vivre sprinkled in, then you’ll love living here. There’s always an array of live entertainment at the Grey Rock Casino, and if you want an adrenaline rush, go ziplining over the Grand Falls Gorge. For a more laid-back option, shop for fresh local produce, discover handmade items and run into a friend or two at the Edmundston Downtown Market. If you’re more outdoorsy, there are lots of trails to hike and bike and stunning greens to golf. In the winter, the fun doesn’t stop with downhill skiing or snowboarding at Mont Farlagne, as well as snowshoeing, skating, and skidooing throughout the region.

It was the first inhabitants of this area, the Maliseet (Wolastoqiyik), who dubbed this region Madawaska. Settlers later came from Quebec, with many of today’s Francophone population identifying as Brayons, a distinctive culture that permeates the area. One thing you’ll notice when you arrive is that music is everywhere, so don’t be surprised if someone pulls out a guitar at a café. You’ll find theatre, dance, and visual art shows at the Edmundston Art Centre, a renovated church in the heart of downtown. And with an array of food trucks, restaurants, cafés, and breweries adding flavour, your tastebuds will surely be very happy.