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🗺️ Farm Day Trips guide
Things to Do Near the Lavender Farms of Sainte-Mélanie & Joliette, Quebec
Lavender and herb gardens in Sainte-Mélanie sit 10 minutes from 26 km of waterfall trails; Rawdon's Dorwin Falls and Joliette's art museum are close.
5 places · updated October 17, 2026
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Updated October 17
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Sainte-Mélanie is in Lanaudière, where the flat farmland around Joliette meets the first hills of the Laurentians. Rivers drop off that edge in a run of waterfalls: the regional park of the Monte-à-Peine and Dalles falls straddles Sainte-Mélanie and Saint-Jean-de-Matha, and Rawdon, 20 minutes west, has Dorwin Falls and the Cascades on the Ouareau River. Joliette, 15 minutes south, is the market and cultural town, with a major art museum and a bike network that crosses the Assomption River.
Les Jardins de Lavande Arômes et Saveurs grows lavender and culinary herbs by hand on rang Pied de la Montagne, with forest trails, a barn shop and booked picnics among the rows from early June. Around it, back roads lead to a monastery shop, an orchard cidery, a bison farm and the house of strongman Louis Cyr. Summer is best for the gardens and the river parks; September and October bring apples and color.
The lavender farms
- Les Jardins de Lavande Arômes et SaveursLavender farm · Sainte-Mélanie
Gardens and trails with picnics (from June 3, 2026), pick-your-own, yoga, workshops and concerts on posted dates; reservations for picnics and workshops.
Best time to visit
Seasons follow the Northern Hemisphere calendar. At Les Jardins de Lavande Arômes et Saveurs, field picnics started June 3 in 2026, and pick-your-own, yoga and concert dates are posted each season. Tubing on the river in the Monte-à-Peine park ran June 25 to August 31 in 2026, and its zip line runs on weekends into late October (October 25 in 2026). Rawdon's Dorwin Falls and Cascades parks are staffed daily from early May to mid-October (May 2 to October 12, 2026). Maison Louis-Cyr opens Tuesday to Sunday from June 19 to September 10, and on weekends in spring and fall. Qui Sème Récolte offers apple picking on Saturdays in August and September and blossom season in spring. The Joliette bike network runs April 15 to October 31, and the Musée d'art de Joliette is open all year.
Places to see nearby parks, trails, beaches and landmarks
- Parc régional des Chutes-Monte-à-Peine-et-des-Dalles🏞️ Park · Sainte-Mélanie · about 3 mi, 8 min drive
More than 26 km of hiking trails with footbridges, lookouts, picnic areas and a nature interpretation trail, plus river tubing in summer and a zip line.
Open daily, sunrise to sunset, all year; tubing late June to August, zip line weekends to October 25 (2026)
Access fee paid at the meters; zip line adults $29.57 plus tax
- Maison Louis-Cyr🏛️ Museum · Saint-Jean-de-Matha · about 8 mi, 13 min drive
The family home of Louis Cyr, once billed as the strongest man in the world, now a museum of his feats with a virtual reality experience, a gift shop and a picnic area.
June 19 to September 10: Tuesday–Sunday 10:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.; weekends May–June and September–November
Adults $12.75, ages 6–12 $5.75, under 6 free; family $27
- Maison et jardins Antoine-Lacombe🌷 Garden · Saint-Charles-Borromée · about 7 mi, 12 min drive
A heritage house with art exhibitions that change through the year and the Jardins du patrimoine, themed gardens laid out in English and French styles.
Open 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
- Musée d'art de Joliette🏛️ Museum · Joliette · about 9 mi, 15 min drive
One of Quebec's major art museums, with a collection from the 14th century to today; fall 2026 shows include a Jean Paul Lemieux exhibition from his stay in Brittany, through January 10, 2027.
Tuesday–Friday noon–5 p.m., weekends 10 a.m.–5 p.m., year-round
Adults $15, family $25, 30 and under $10, 16 and under free
- Réseau cyclable MRC Joliette🥾 Trail · Joliette · about 9 mi, 15 min drive
A 175 km network of bike paths, stone-dust trails and road routes that crosses the Assomption River several times; the panoramic loop in Joliette is 13.6 km.
April 15 to October 31
free
- Parc des Chutes Dorwin💧 Waterfall · Rawdon · about 13 mi, 20 min drive
Rawdon's best-known falls, seen from two lookouts along about 3 km of nature trails.
Daily 10 a.m.–6 p.m. (gate closes 5 p.m.), May 2 to October 12, 2026; unstaffed the rest of the year
Ages 13–64 $15, 7–12 and 65+ $5, family $30 (2026); $10 per car off-season
- Parc des Cascades🏞️ Park · Rawdon · about 14 mi, 22 min drive
The Ouareau River slides over wide rock slabs in a series of cascades; bring a picnic, as barbecues are allowed, but swimming and wading are prohibited.
Daily 10 a.m.–6 p.m., May 2 to October 12, 2026
Ages 13–64 $15, 7–12 and 65+ $5, family $30, parking included (2026)
- Parc régional de la Forêt Ouareau🏞️ Park · Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci · about 34 mi, 50 min drive
A large forest park with a wide trail network for hiking and cycling, camping and refuges, and cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in winter; leashed dogs are allowed.
Open year-round; reception in summer
Where to stop: farms, food and stays
- Brasserie Albion – Sainte-MélanieBrewery or taproom (21+) · Sainte-Mélanie
Sainte-Mélanie brewery serving Neapolitan pizza baked over a fire, about 10 minutes from the lavender.
- Magasin de l'Abbaye Val Notre-DameGeneral store · Saint-Jean-de-Matha
The monks' shop in Saint-Jean-de-Matha for handmade chocolates, caramels and jams, beside forest trails with lookouts.
- Qui Sème RécolteApple orchard · Saint-Jean-de-Matha
Orchard with more than 50 apple varieties and about a dozen house ciders to taste; open Thursday to Sunday from mid-March to Christmas.
- La Terre des BisonsFamily fun farm · Rawdon
Bison farm near Rawdon open Wednesday to Sunday all year, with an interpretation trail, guided tours and a butcher shop.
A one-day plan
- 10:00 AMLes Jardins de Lavande Arômes et Saveurs
Walk the lavender rows and forest trail and browse the barn shop; about 75 minutes (book ahead for a field picnic).
- 11:30 AMParc régional des Chutes-Monte-à-Peine-et-des-Dalles · about 8 min drive
Hike a short loop to the falls lookouts and footbridges; about an hour.
- 12:45 PMBrasserie Albion – Sainte-Mélanie · about 10 min drive
Wood-fired Neapolitan pizza for lunch; about an hour. Call ahead to confirm hours.
- 2:00 PMMaison Louis-Cyr · about 15 min drive
Tour the strongman's family home in Saint-Jean-de-Matha (open Tuesday to Sunday in summer); 45 minutes.
- 3:00 PMMagasin de l'Abbaye Val Notre-Dame · about 10 min drive
Pick up the monks' caramels and chocolates, then walk a forest trail to a lookout; about an hour.
- 4:15 PMQui Sème Récolte · about 10 min drive
Taste house ciders and stock up on juices and jellies before the 5 p.m. close (Thursday to Sunday).
Tips
- Pay the Monte-à-Peine park access fee at the meters when you arrive; the zip line ticket does not include it.
- Rawdon's Dorwin and Cascades parks close their gates at 5 p.m., and dogs and glass are not allowed at the Cascades.
- Plan this route Thursday to Sunday: Qui Sème Récolte opens those days only, and Maison Louis-Cyr is closed Mondays.
- Book the lavender garden picnics and workshops ahead online; dates change each year.
Checked in October 2026 against official park, tourism and business websites. How we check listings
Questions
Can you swim at the Rawdon falls?
No. Swimming and wading are prohibited at Parc des Cascades, and the town enforces it with fines.
How far is Joliette from the lavender gardens?
About 15 minutes by car; the Musée d'art de Joliette and the town's bike paths make an easy add-on.
Is there apple picking near Sainte-Mélanie?
Yes. Qui Sème Récolte in Saint-Jean-de-Matha offers pick-your-own on Saturdays in August and September, depending on the weather.
What else is open in winter?
The Monte-à-Peine park opens year-round for snowshoeing, fat biking and cross-country skiing, and La Terre des Bisons is open Wednesday to Sunday all year.
🪪 Collect a stamp at every stop
The free Lavender Passport keeps a stamp for each farm and stop you visit, in real life and in the Lavender Farm Simulator. At the farm, play Field Quest to collect plant varieties as you walk, climb the leaderboards and unlock sponsor rewards.
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