Located in Châteauguay, less than 30 minutes away from Montréal, Île Saint-Bernard is home to exceptional natural and heritage resources! This unique destination comprises two sectors. The first one, called the tertre or knoll of the island, encompasses some 7% of the area, whereas the Refuge faunique Marguerite-D’Youville (wildlife sanctuary) accounts for 93%.
Tertre de l'île
Belonging to the Grey Nuns for more than two centuries, the knoll is now considered a municipal park since it was acquired by the city of Châteauguay in 2011. Access to the site is free and it is tremendously popular for its magnificent landscapes which can be admired sitting on one of the hundreds of Adirondack chairs available to visitors.
Close to a dozen buildings sit on the knoll, including several ancestral ones, offering a variety of services. You will find La Traite Bistro, the Manoir D’Youville (a 115-room hotel), a stone manor, a mill dating back to 1686, a coffeehouse and a playhouse. There is also the organic apple orchard boasting more than 1000 trees that brings delight to families in the fall.
Refuge faunique
Marguerite-D'Youville
Covering 213 hectares, the Marguerite-D’Youville Wildlife Refuge has been officially protected in perpetuity since 2010. The richness of this site lies in the great variety of its ecosystems: marshes, swamps, shorelines, fallow land, maple groves, and oak forests. Eight kilometers of trails have been developed, much to the delight of outdoor enthusiasts, families, birdwatchers, and photographers. A fee is charged to access the wildlife refuge, which is reinvested in the maintenance of the territory as well as the improvement of facilities and services.
One of the attractions of this rich habitat is no doubt bird watching. The site is a major migratory stopover and over 240 bird species have been spotted. Many mammals roam freely, including a large number of white-tailed deer. Plant life is also plentiful and diverse and contributes to stunning scenery, which changes with every new ecosystem seen along the way.
Hikers can enhance their experience with a audioguide which offers information on the history of the hiker island as well as on the fauna and flora sheltering the territory.
Access to the refuge faunique Marguerite-D’Youville, whether in summer or winter, is through the Pavillon de l’île. The site is open year round, from sunrise to sunset. Trails are available to hikers and snowshoers. However, going off trail or bringing dogs or other domestic animals is not allowed.
Secteur Le Grillon
A children's playground is available in the Le Grillon sector.
The play modules may be occupied during your visit to the wildlife refuge.
- Please note that groups led by the Héritage Saint-Bernard team have priority for the use of this equipment.
Preliminary study underway for the control of Common Reed
Invasive Alien Species: Together, we can control them!
2023-2026
Since the summer of 2024, Héritage Saint-Bernard has been participating in the project “Invasive Alien Species: Together, We Control!”, initiated by the Montérégie Regional Environment Council (CRE Montérégie). This project aims to restore and conserve essential habitats for species at risk in the Montreal Metropolitan Community (CMM).
Indeed, as the refuge faunique Marguerite-D’Youville is recognized as an important habitat for the Least Bittern, a species at risk, and as a worrying situation is encountered with the strong presence of the Common Reed (Phragmites australis) throughout this wetland, this territory has been selected for a preliminary study to monitor specific action plans for the control of invasive alien plant species (EVEE) in these fragile habitats.
The current study aims to compare different methods of controlling Common Reed in the refuge faunique Marguerite-D’Youville.
Three methods are being tested:
— Mowing
— Bending
— Underwater cutting
The 3-year project will confirm the effectiveness of these methods and allow us to decide whether to apply them on a larger scale in our shelter.
MONITORING 2025
After this first year of experimentation, the results from summer 2025 show that underwater cutting appears to be the most effective method for reducing the density of this invasive species.
We thank Environment and Climate Change Canada for their financial support in this project.
Social networks
Contact us
Île Saint-Bernard
480, boulevard D’Youville
Châteauguay, Québec J6J 5T9
General Information
450 698-3133
info@heritagestbernard.qc.ca
Protection of personal information
Nadine Lelièvre
vieprivee@heritagestbernard.qc.ca
