In Quebec, there are now some 80 covered bridges. At the beginning of the century, there were more than 1,200 of them. Vestiges of our rural past, these wooden frames nestled in bucolic landscapes span the numerous waterways of Quebec and bear witness to a bygone era. Among those who resist, some have suffered load restrictions or been pedestrianized. Others fell prey to the flames or suffered the repercussions of the debacles. Condemned, demolished and rebuilt, or preserved and repainted, these bridges fascinate with their history and have, for the most part, become jewels of our heritage.
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The interior of the Rivières covered bridge, built in 1884, allows you to span the Brochets River, in Notre-Dame-de-Stanbridge. Marie-France Coallier Le Devoir
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The Milby covered bridge crosses the Moe River, in Waterville, in the Eastern Townships. It is today listed as a heritage building. Marie-France Coallier Le Devoir
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Fishermen sail on Fitch Lake, near the Narrows Bridge, in Fitch Bay, in Estrie. It is one of the rare covered bridges to rest on the banks of a lake. Built in 1881 for the sum of $775, it was closed to traffic in 1977. The bridge, one of the oldest covered bridges still in place in Quebec, was classified as a heritage building in January 2019, as was the land on which it is located. Marie-France Coallier Le Devoir
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The Milby Bridge was built in 1873. It was listed as a historic monument on December 7, 1992. Marie-France Coallier Le Devoir
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The interior of a covered bridge Marie-France Coallier Le Devoir
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The Narrows Bridge is the covered bridge on which there was probably the greatest number of graffiti in Quebec. The interior was repainted white in 2019, covering up many of these graffiti. In 2015, its fences were repainted and flower boxes were added. Marie-France Coallier Le Devoir
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Several graffiti have since been redone on the Narrows Bridge. Marie-France Coallier Le Devoir
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The Narrows Bridge is the last covered bridge in Stanstead County. Marie-France Coallier Le Devoir
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The Red Bridge, located at the entrance to a campsite at the Coaticook Gorge Park, spans the Coaticook River. In the evening, the covered bridge is illuminated with red lights. This is the third bridge that has been built at this location. The first, rue Saint-Marc, was built in 1887. The second was washed away by the flood of 1998. The third is the one which is still in place today. Marie-France Coallier Le Devoir
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Covered bridges have witnessed many loves. Inside the red bridge, several kisses were exchanged, a tradition that is not lost over time, as evidenced by these graffiti. Marie-France Coallier Le Devoir
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