By the year 1958, covered bridges (Ponts couverts) were a common sight across Québec, numbering around 1,000. Today, that number has fallen to less than 90.
We came across a few while out driving, but it was only when I got back (and able to access the Internet again) that I discovered we were close to 11 covered bridges, including the only covered bridge in Québec that links an island to the mainland (and the longest at 53m in the area) 🙁 Next trip to the region I will be sure to visit this and the others we missed !
Out of the 11 bridges, I managed to shoot 5 – a start at least.
Levasseur pont couvert
Built in 1928 the Levasseur covered bridge is located near Authier-Nord close to Macamic Lake. The bridge is currently closed to traffic and I’m not sure if they intend to repair it or is another one that is destined to disappear.
Levasseur covered bridge
ISO 100 – 78mm – f5 – 1/250 sec
Levasseur covered bridge
ISO 200 – 70mm – f4.5 – 1/160 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)
Levasseur covered bridge
ISO 100 – 14mm – f4.8 – 1/80 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)
Levasseur covered bridge
ISO 100 – 70mm – f5 – 1/20 sec
Du Petit-Quatre pont couvert
Built in 1950 near Saint-Vital-de-Clermont
Du-Petit-Quatre covered bridge
ISO 100 – 70mm – f7.1 – 1/200 sec
Du-Petit-Quatre covered bridge
ISO 400 – 16mm – f5.6 – 1/30 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)
Du-Petit-Quatre covered bridge
ISO 400 – 14mm – f5.6 – 1/3200 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)
Du-Petit-Quatre covered bridge
ISO 100 – 10mm – f5.6 – 180 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)
Taschereau pont couvert
Built in 1939. Another bridge now closed to traffic. The Taschereau and de Pionniers (see below) are the most northern covered bridges in the province
Taschereau covered bridge
ISO 100 – 13mm – f4.5 – 1/250 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)
Taschereau covered bridge
ISO 100 – 10mm – f4 – 1/200 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)
Taschereau covered bridge
ISO 100 – 20mm – f5.6 – 1/320 sec
The following shot clearly shows the Quebec Town style of construction (used in all the bridges I shot) that incorporate vertical beams with the diagonal beams. This is a variant on the single Town design patented in 1820 by US architect Ithiel Town (1784-1844) that didn’t use any vertical beams and was the most common design in Quebec due to its ease of construction and the ability to mass-produce.
Taschereau covered bridge
ISO 100 – 10mm – f4 – 1/60sec
Des Pionniers pont couvert
Built in 1943 near Val-Paradis in the region of Baie-James.
Des Pionniers covered bridge
ISO 100 – 18mm – f5.3 – 1/1250 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)
Des Pionniers covered bridge
ISO 400 – 13mm – f10 – 1/800 sec
Des Pionniers covered bridge
ISO 400 – 11.5mm – f4.2 – 1/100 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)
Maurice-Duplessis pont couvert
Built in 1948 and named after the 16th Premier of Québec Maurice-Duplessis. Duplessis was a Conservative and leader of the Union Nationale party (a merger of the Quebec Conservative Party and the Action libérale nationale).
Unlike all the other bridges that were painted in the typical red, this bridge is blue and white in recognition of him adopting the fleur-de-lys as the symbol of Quebec’s distinct identity.
Why other bridges are painted red? Red was one of the cheapest colored paints available and was also clearly visible in snow storms.
Maurice-Duplessis covered bridge
ISO 400 – 250mm – f8 – 1/1000 sec
Maurice-Duplessis covered bridge
ISO 400 – 170mm – f9 – 1/1000 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)
Maurice-Duplessis covered bridge
ISO 400 – 19mm – f8 – 1/1600 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)
Maurice-Duplessis covered bridge
ISO 400 – 70mm – f5.6 – 1/1250 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)
Maurice-Duplessis covered bridge
ISO 400 – 18mm – f8 – 1/250 sec(-2ev/0/+2ev)
Maurice-Duplessis covered bridge
ISO 400 – 70mm – f5.6 – 1/2000 sec (-2ev/0/+2ev)
Maybe it’s coming from the UK where covered bridges don’t exist, but I find them fascinating enough to now have the desire of visiting each and every one in the entire province…Another idea for the bucket list 😉
As a start I at least found a great site for my venture that shows the location of all the covered Bridges in Québec (and the rest of the world – but Québec will be a good start).
Covered bridge locations in Quebec
Thanks for stopping by. Until next time.
– Martin
