Trappist Monastery Provincial Park

Trappist Monastery Provincial Park contains the standing brick and stone walls of a former Cistercian monastery with Romanesque Revival design situated on a LaSalle River peninsula. The remaining structures sit among walking trails and interpretive markers that guide visitors through the site.

Five Cistercian monks from Bellefontaine Abbey in France founded the monastic community in 1892 and constructed the church between 1903 and 1904. The settlement operated for more than eight decades before its closure in 1978.

The monastery grounds were a place of self-sufficiency where monks made cheese, baked bread, and kept bees as part of their daily routine. These craft activities shaped community life here until the site closed in 1978.

The park is accessible by turning west from Pembina Highway toward St. Norbert, with clear entrance markers and maintained walking trails throughout the grounds. Visitors should wear comfortable shoes since reaching the ruins requires walking and trail conditions vary with weather.

A guesthouse built in 1912 was restored and now operates as St. Norbert Arts Centre, hosting theater performances and art events on the former monastic grounds. This transformation blends the site's religious past with contemporary cultural use.

Location: Winnipeg

Address: rue des Ruines du Monastère

Website: https://gov.mb.ca/sd/parks/park-maps-and-locations/central/trappist.html

GPS coordinates: 49.75830,-97.15640

Latest update: December 14, 2025 18:02