With the snow coming down heavy now, my automatic reaction is to think of warmer times and places. I think of swimming, BBQ, lazing about and reading under the shade of a tree.
Les Cascades Rawdon is one of the best places to do all of the above as well as being one of the best natural swimming spots close to the Greater Montreal Area.
I personally can't stand swimming pools. Lakes freak me out because the bottom is usually muddy and I get paranoid about what's crawling around. I find fake beaches gross especially when you happen to walk into a patch of "warm" water and there's little kids everywhere. For me, it's the ocean or a flowing river. So whenever I can, I pack up a picnic basket , my bathing suit and reading material, grab a friend or two and come here to cool off and spend the day.
The Cascades Rawdon is where the Ouareau river changes elevation dramatically in a series of rock ledges and rock pools. What you get is white water rapids, gentle eddys, and rock pools which act as natural jacuzzi's, all surrounded by the forests of Lanaudiere. The crowd here is often young, tattooed, bikini'd and fit. Lots of bikers too. If you want to find a spot on one of the rocks in the middle of the river, wear very good, gripping sandals and have a good sense of balance as you scout out where you want to set yourself up for the day with your cooler and backpack in tow. There is also a picnic table and BBQ area too but try to go early in the day since these get taken up very quickly. They also recently added a snack shack/casse croute. Should you want to take a swim in the Rapids itself, make sure you have water shoes, since the rocks can be sharp in places.
It's a great place to come to when you just want to get out of the city. read more