← Back to the South Shore map
Area · City of Contrecœur, Montreal's outer south shore

Contrecœur

The river at the end of the street, an old village that kept its bell tower, and lots you just can't find on the island anymore. Here's my top 9, neighbour version, not brochure version.

Let's talk about this area

Contrecœur is the outer south shore's fresh-air version. You take Highway 30 or Route 132 along the water, and you arrive in a small town facing the St. Lawrence River, between Verchères and Sorel-Tracy. Founded in 1668, it has kept its village core on Route Marie-Victorin, its bell tower, its marina, and a pace of life you won't find anymore close to the island. I work with families here who want space without cutting the tie to Montreal, and with sellers riding the momentum of a town that just crossed the 10,000-resident mark.

I put this top 9 together for a simple reason: when you buy or sell, you're not just shopping for a property, you're shopping for a village life. Each point comes with an opening for a conversation. Use it.

Maxime Laforest, residential and commercial real estate broker · Équipe Loiselle, RE/MAX Dynamique

The area's top 9

What makes Contrecœur tick.

Nine reasons people choose this town, and why those who get a taste of it never leave.

01 Walkways and lookouts along the St. Lawrence River shore in Contrecœur, with the marina in the background
The icon

The river, at the end of every street

Contrecœur was built facing the St. Lawrence and has never turned its back on it. Boardwalks on pilings stretch 150 metres over the shoreline, walkways and shelters look out over the marina and the reed beds, and Place François-De Sales-Gervais serves as the launch point for kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboarding. Few outer-ring towns offer this kind of direct contact with the water.

Ask me about it: ask me which spots let you walk down to the river. The answer often surprises people discovering the town for the first time.
02 Contrecœur's marina on the southeast shore of the St. Lawrence River, with pleasure boats docked
On the water

A boating park right in the village

Contrecœur's boating park is a marina with about sixty slips and the services a boater expects: electricity, water, fuel, showers. From there, you can navigate between the islands, head down toward Sorel, or up toward Montreal. Keeping your boat five minutes from home, on the real river, changes your whole summer.

Ask me about it: ask me which areas boating enthusiasts prefer. For them, the distance between the house and the dock is part of the buying criteria.
03 Route Marie-Victorin in the centre of Contrecœur village, with Sainte-Trinité church and its white bell tower
Local life

A real village core on the Marie-Victorin

Route Marie-Victorin runs through the heart of Contrecœur like an old-fashioned main street: Sainte-Trinité church, the fourth church built by the people here, city hall and the library facing the river, the shops and snack counters where everyone says hello. Around it, quiet streets with older homes and mature lots. This is a village, a real one, not a stage set.

Ask me about it: ask me the difference between buying in the village and buying in the new developments. Both make sense, just not for the same reasons.
04 Maison Lenoblet-du-Plessis in Contrecœur, a white wooden house with its park clock
Heritage

Maison Lenoblet-du-Plessis, a witness to the patriots

Built around 1794 on the riverbank, this heritage wooden house served as a meeting place for patriots during the rebellions of 1837 and 1838. One theory even holds that part of the 92 Resolutions was drafted here, and legend has it there's a secret tunnel dug toward the river. Today it houses the tourist office and exhibits, in a park that's a pleasure to wander.

Ask me about it: ask me why a town founded in 1668 attracts so many newcomers. Understanding its history helps you grasp the character of each area.
05 Moulin Chaput in Contrecœur, a fieldstone windmill topped with a conical roof, in a riverside park
The postcard shot

Moulin Chaput, a survivor

On Route Marie-Victorin, in a park by the water, stands one of the last original windmills in Quebec. Fieldstone, a conical roof, fields and river in the background: Moulin Chaput is a reminder of the farming heritage that sustained Contrecœur for three centuries. The Cyclo-culture routes, four bike tours through local heritage, pass right in front of it.

Ask me about it: ask me my favourite bike route around here. It's a great way to scout out an area without even realizing you're doing it.
06 Golden sunset over the St. Lawrence River in Contrecœur, with the marina docks and islands in silhouette
Nature

Twenty-nine islands and a forest along the river

Across from the town, the Îles de Contrecœur form a protected reserve of 29 islands where birds nest by the thousands; birdwatchers describe it as a little paradise. On land, the Parc régional des Grèves lines up its free trails through a forest stretching toward Sorel-Tracy, and the Colonie des Grèves has hosted kids on vacation there for generations. Nature here isn't landscaping, it's the neighbourhood.

Ask me about it: ask me which areas give access to the trails or to sunsets over the water. Those addresses have a charm that's hard to beat.
07 Trail and photo exhibit at Parc Cartier-Richard, in the village of Contrecœur
Family life

Parks, a school, and bike paths everywhere

École Mère-Marie-Rose serves more than 400 students in the heart of town, and the ministry has approved the construction of a new elementary school to keep up with the growth. The town maintains about twenty parks with play structures, climbing walls, and exercise stations, plus roughly ten kilometres of bike path connected to the Route verte. High school happens next door, through the Centre de services scolaire des Patriotes.

Ask me about it: ask me which areas let kids walk to school. For a young family, that detail carries more weight than people think.
08
Access

Highway 30, Route 132, and exo to Longueuil

Highway 30 crosses the territory and connects Contrecœur to the rest of the South Shore without a detour, while Route 132 hugs the river for the days when you're in no rush. For public transit, exo routes 701, 707, and 709 shuttle to the Longueuil terminus, right next to the metro. You live away from the traffic, but you stay connected to the city.

Ask me about it: tell me about your actual commute, your job, your hours. I'll give you an honest picture of what the shuttle looks like on a Tuesday morning.
09
What's coming

A small town on the rise

Contrecœur just crossed the 10,000-resident mark and shows one of the steadiest growth rates in the region. The ArcelorMittal steel mills have supported local families for decades, and in fall 2025 the Port of Montreal launched preparatory work on its future container terminal, one of the biggest construction projects in Quebec for the coming years. New neighbourhoods are going up to house all these new residents.

Ask me about it: ask me what these projects could change for a purchase or sale in the coming years. No crystal ball, just an honest read on what's coming.
Let's talk

Thinking about buying or selling in Contrecœur? Let's start with a chat.

A free evaluation of your property, a picture of the local market, or simply answers to your questions. No strings attached, and a straight answer.

Start my real estate project

Photo credits