Manoir Papineau, Manor house in Montebello, Canada

Manoir Papineau is a manor house built between 1848 and 1850 to plans sketched by Louis-Joseph Papineau and executed by French architect Louis Aubertin, overlooking the Ottawa River at Montebello. Two corner towers flank the river-facing elevation, whose sculpted decor recalls the Greek Revival; the conical roof on the stair tower dates from after an 1892 fire. Interior doorways between adjoining rooms were aligned to create perspectives in the French tradition.

Construction of this Gothic Revival mansion began in 1850 under Louis-Joseph Papineau, a French-Canadian political leader returning from exile in Europe. The manor embodied the wealth and political influence of his family during a crucial period of Canadian history.

The interior displays original furnishings from the 19th century arranged across multiple rooms that show how the upper classes lived. The layout of spaces reflects social customs and daily routines from that era.

The site is managed by Parks Canada, which took it over in 1993 and opened it to visitors. Guided tours of the manor lead through the dining room, three living rooms, and the bedrooms of Louis-Joseph, Azélie and Ezilda Papineau. The landscaped gardens, gardener's house, former family museum and granary stand on the grounds around the house.

The main reception rooms sit at the back of the ground floor, and the east tower has abundant windows on its lower two levels; both details recall the conservatory that once stood there. The spiral staircase in one tower follows French practice, and interior doorways line up to create long views between rooms.