Quai de St-Anne-de-Beaupré

Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Canada

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Quai de St-Anne-de-Beaupré

Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Canada

Firm

Groupe A

Type

Landscape + Planning › Waterway/Wetland

STATUS

Built

YEAR

2022

SIZE

3000 sqft - 5000 sqft

BUDGET

$1M - 5M

The Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré project has been an integral part of the Côte-de-Beaupré landscape since the earliest days of the colony. The arrival of pilgrim boats in the mid-19th century confirmed its strategic position along the axis of Sanctuaire Street, establishing a vital link between the St. Lawrence River and the Sainte-Anne sanctuary, the largest pilgrimage site in North America. As part of a broader effort to reconnect the Capitale-Nationale region with the river, the Sainte-Anne Wharf Development Corporation was created to restore water access for the local community and provide a new gateway for visitors.

The project fulfills the original vision of creating a multifunctional public space that enhances urban vitality and river accessibility, complementing the regional recreational offering. During the summer season, a river shuttle service now connects the tourist core of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré to Québec City’s Old Port.

Despite its modest scale, the project has achieved unprecedented regional success, demonstrating the social and collective value of preserving and enhancing access to the shoreline—particularly outside major urban centres. Executed with conceptual clarity, humility, and respect for limited budgets, the intervention proves that meaningful, high-quality public spaces can be achieved with minimal means, driven by local initiative and community engagement.

Once barely perceptible from Boulevard Sainte-Anne (Route 138), the wharf is now clearly announced by a welcoming pavilion that acts as the symbolic prow of the site. Designed at a human scale, the pavilion emphasizes the surrounding landscape while maintaining a constant visual dialogue with the pilgrimage site through subtle angular compositions. Its simple gabled form, inspired by boat sheds and historic residential buildings of the Côte-de-Beaupré, is clad in light grey metal and eastern white cedar.

The pavilion is a year-round, multifunctional space housing a generous entrance hall, illuminated by sculpted roof trusses and skylights that enhance natural light. A sequence of fountains, benches, and viewpoints guides visitors toward the shoreline, culminating in the monumental artwork Souffle le vent by sculptor Jean-Pierre Morin, which engages the sun, wind, and tides. All materials are locally sourced from Québec and selected for durability, reinforcing the long-term sustainability and attractiveness of the site.