Rouyn-Noranda

It all started with Rouyn and Noranda… a fierce rivalry! Today, it’s Rouyn-Noranda—a vibrant city where 12 urban and rural districts thrive, and culture is very much alive. Its population of over 43,000 is spread across a vast territory of 6,484 km².

Noranda Came First

Noranda was the first. It was born out of organized diversity: with its straight avenues numbered by the Noranda Mines urban planners; with its nearly identical duplexes (the bathroom is always at the top of the stairs); and with its miners who came from all over the world—China, Eastern Europe, Italy, and more. Over time, Noranda became the artsy rebel—the one that lends its alleyways to all sorts of artistic performances, installations, and murals. Sometimes discreet, working hard in the smelting plant’s intense heat or brainstorming in its convention centre, it regularly surprises us with original events. It’s the one whose streets overflow with cars when the arena hosts the Huskies*. It’s trained great athletes in hockey, badminton, curling. From its side of the lake, Noranda stirs emotion and proudly offers its diversity, creativity, and hard-earned medals, all to the soundtrack of mining activity.

Rouyn – Born from Chaos

Rouyn was born in the chaos of prospectors staking claims and digging shafts everywhere. It’s where merchants settled to attract miners from across the lake. It’s the commercial hub, the student town, the industrial centre. From its shore, Rouyn builds, invents, studies, and innovates. Its shops flourish along the Principale, Perreault, and Gamble streets, with the university just steps away from downtown. Within a few city blocks, you’ll find a chocolate shop, a microbrewery, all kinds of restaurants, a bakery-pastry shop, and plenty of cozy spots for a drink, an ice cream, or a bit of window-shopping.

Rouyn-Noranda – A Unique Whole

And then, there’s Rouyn-Noranda. A one-of-a-kind union, constantly reinventing itself around a lake, surrounded by forests. Rouyn-Noranda is both nature and city. It’s a bike path that connects both shores of Lake Osisko while winding through forest trails. It’s a culture so vibrant it reaches even the rural districts. It’s a place that celebrates both snow and sunshine through diverse and eclectic festivals. It’s ending each day with the privilege of watching the sun melt into the water or crystallize into the pink-orange-red snow on the lake.

Living in Rouyn-Noranda

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