Sherbrooke Murals Self-Guided Walking Tour 2026

Are you looking for information on the Sherbrooke Murals? Then you’ve come to the right place. I did the walk and have all the answers you need!

I visit the Eastern Townships of Quebec often, usually staying in Magog. I heard about this outdoor art gallery and decided to take a Sherbrooke Murals Self-Guided Walking tour with a friend.

Read on for full details with photos on the experience so you can do it, too.

Quick Stats about the Sherbrooke Murals Self-Guided Walking Tour

Distance: Loop One is 3.5 km with 11 murals, while Loop Two is an additional 3.5 km one-way with an additional 7 murals. A total of 18 murals for the complete circuit.
Difficulty: easy, but there is one steep uphill on Frontenac Street
Location: Sherbrooke Tourist Office. If using a mobile app starts at a different location

What you need to know before your Sherbrooke Murals Walk

The route is divided into two sections. The first circuit includes 11 murals, while the second circuit has an additional 7.

The Murales Sherbrooke route is the first of this type in Canada. It is really a walking tour of downtown Sherbrooke, including all the highlights plus those impressive murals. (Murales in French).

A challenge is to locate all the animals, insects, elves, and other things that are hidden within the murals.

The 18 frescos were created by over 40 artists and include 443 characters in scenes from different times in Sherbrooke’s history.

Sherbrooke Murals Quiz

You can take part in the Sherbrooke Murals online quiz with your cell phone for points. There are trick questions just to see how well you observe them.

How To Get To The Sherbrooke Tourist Office

A topiary figure of a bearded gnome with a red hat holding a wooden spoon and a blue orb stands in front of the Sherbrooke Tourist Office. The building features brick and white paneling, with murals on the walls and an information sign with a question mark icon.

The Murals walk starts from the tourist office (Bureau d’information touristiques) at 785 King West, located on the edge of downtown Sherbrooke and across from Lac des Nations.

There is a small parking lot with a limit of 20 minutes. A parking pass is required, which you can get from the tourist office. However, they will explain where you can park nearby on Richmond Street for free.

They also have route guides (English/French), area visitor information, and washrooms. The route guides feature a map indicating where to find each mural and descriptions of each in greater detail than I provide here.

With the Baladodiscovery mobile application, you can have a virtual guided tour by following the route using your cell phone. Also in peak periods, there are staff along the route who can answer questions.

Loop 1: Route Description & What to Expect

The walk starts right from the tourist office, so we headed down a set of stairs to view the first one.

Mural 1 – The Upper Mills

A mural depicting three people outside a log cabin, part of the Sherbrooke Murals walking tour. Two men, one tipping his hat, stand beside a window where a woman looks out. A historical sign is visible on the door of the cabin.

Painted on the side of the tourist office, it headlines people outside a business in 1867. Look for animals and other hidden items, but your guide will give the answers away if you have problems.

Our Detour to Marché de la Gare

A whimsical topiary sculpture in a Sherbrooke park, shaped like a large green duck with an orange beak and cartoonish eyes. The sculpture is surrounded by tall grass and set against a backdrop of trees and open green space. The scene includes a curved pathway and lamp posts, contributing to the park's playful and inviting atmosphere.

We headed for the walkway along the Magog River that goes under King Street and continued over to Lac des Nations, where there is a boardwalk over the end of the lake.

Next to the parking lot and park was the Marche de la Gare (Sherbrooke Train Station Market), and nearby in the park were various pieces of art. A 3.5 km loop here connects the Marche de la Gare and Jacques-Cartier Park, which we went to later.

Mural 11 – We Are In The Movies

A mural titled "We are in the Movies" on the Sherbrooke Mural Walking tour depicts a retro cinema entrance labeled "Cinéma de Paris." People are shown standing outside, waiting to enter, with vintage movie posters and a film reel illustration above them. The Quebec flag is flying next to the mural.

We returned to the official route along King Quest in the downtown area, as we were doing the route in reverse. We saw lots of others walking the route as they either had a booklet in hand or were stopping at the murals.

Insider Tip: About half seemed to be doing it in reverse as well. The tourist office had advised that doing the route in reverse provides a gentler climb along Frontenac. About half the walkers seemed to be doing the route in reverse.

This mural is about Sherbrooke movie history and features the Cinema de Paris, which closed in 1987. There are several celebrities in the painting, but I was not personally familiar with any of them.

Mural 10 – The Fifth Element

A mural titled "The Fifth Element" on the Sherbrooke Murals Walking tour, featuring a surreal scene with a large, floating blue sphere in the center. The mural includes stairs, trees, and a fireplace beneath an open sky with cloud formations. Three people are standing in front of the mural, looking and pointing at the artwork, with spherical concrete sculptures and blue and black patterns on the ground in the foreground.

Tip: The official route returns along King, right on Belvedere, and right along Marquette. Instead, we cheated a bit by taking the walkway across from number 11, which went directly to Marquette Street

Number 10 shows the four elements found in nature – fire, earth, water, and air. I found this one to have a very modern look.

Mural 9 – Tradition and Prevention

A mural titled "Tradition and Prevention" on the Sherbrooke Murals Walking tour, showing a vintage fire station scene on a red brick building. Firefighters and community members are depicted around an old fire truck, engaging in various activities. The mural includes a banner in French inviting people to meet a firefighter for a day and a prevention poster. People are looking out from the building's windows, adding a lively and interactive feel to the artwork.

A few steps away from the previous mural, this is my favourite, featuring an old fire station honouring firemen and the police. I particularly like how they used a row of fake fire hydrants attached to hoses as a barrier.

Mural 8 – Canada Games 2013

We walked down (yes, down) Marquette, past the Cathedral Saint-Michel, a Gothic-style Roman Catholic Basilica built between 1914 and 1917. Admire the 105 stained glass windows and visit the Blessed Marie-Léonie Paradis shrine and her museum; you can also access the crypt. Admission charge.

Continue along de la Cathédrale and back to King, where you head down the mill passing La Mare Aug Diable Microbrasserie. We didn’t stop but went to Wellington Street and Mural 8.

This mural represents the Sherbrooke 2013 Canada Summer Games with 224 panels.

A view of Wellington Street in Sherbrooke, showing a quiet urban street lined with a mix of modern and historic buildings. The street features storefronts, including a wooden patio area for outdoor dining on the right side. Trees and lampposts line the sidewalk, and a few parked cars are visible along the street. The overall scene conveys a charming and lively downtown area.

Mural 7 – #Sherbylove

Still along Wellington Street, this one was harder to find and represents what people remember of Sherbrooke. Art is very subjective, and I was not impressed by this mural. However, we were there during the day, and at night, the mural lights up, and the heart in the mural beats.

The exterior of Faro Cafe in Sherbrooke, featuring a modern storefront with large windows and the cafe's name prominently displayed in black letters on a white facade. Two wooden chairs with patterned cushions are placed outside the entrance, creating a welcoming atmosphere. The building also includes red brick elements and signs indicating office space availability above the doorway.

Almost across the street is the Boquebiere Microbrasserie, and while we didn’t stop there, we needed a coffee break, so we stopped at the Fosa Café, which offered sandwiches, coffee, and great pastries.

Tip: Many downtown restaurants are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Mural 6 – Nekitotegwak

A mural titled "Nekitotegwak" on the Sherbrooke Murals Walking Tour, depicting a scenic waterfall cascading down rocks. The mural is framed by a painted stone arch on the side of a red brick building, creating an illusion of a natural landscape emerging from the urban environment. The artwork blends nature with architecture, enhancing the street's visual appeal.

At the end of Wellington Street is the junction of the Magog and St. Francois Rivers mural. You can actually see this junction from the viewpoint nearby.

Meanwhile, across the street is the impressive Hotel De Ville with a nice park in front. You turn left along Frontenac.

Mural 5 – Sherbrooke 2002 Bicentennial

A mural titled "Sherbrooke 2002 Bicentennial" on the Sherbrooke Murals walking tour, depicting a lively street scene from the early 20th century. The artwork includes various storefronts, such as "Bijouterie Skinner" and "Marchand Central Beckett," with people interacting outside, dressed in period clothing. A mix of daily activities and businesses creates a vibrant snapshot of historical Sherbrooke, celebrating its bicentennial.

I really like this one, which shows storefronts from 1902 and includes 23 characters.

Promenade Des Rapids

We took a detour from the route here by taking the Rapids walkway along the Magag River Gorge with spectacular views to see the rapids before returning to Frontenac Street.

Mural 4 – CHLT-TV 50 Years of looking at it our way

A mural titled "CHLT-TV, 50 Years of Looking at it Our Way" on the Sherbrooke Murals walking tour, depicting a celebratory scene in front of a historic building with a banner commemorating CHLT-TV's 50th anniversary from 1956 to 2006. A diverse group of people, dressed in various styles reflecting different eras, are gathered on the steps and entrance, highlighting the community's engagement and shared history with the television station.

Continue walking up steep Frontenac Street to Mural 4. This one is huge and highlights the anniversary held in 2006. It includes 30 well-known personalities. Directly located across from the Sherbrooke Nature and Science Museum.

Mural 3 – 100 Years At Your Service

Is all about the electricity service in Sherbrooke in the early days. The Frontenac power plant is the oldest hydroelectric plant that is still operating in Quebec.

Mural 2 – Heart, Culture and Education

A mural titled "Heart, Culture and Education" on the Sherbrooke Murals walking tour, featuring an enormous bookshelf filled with oversized books and miniature people interacting with them. The mural includes figures reading, exploring, and engaging with the books, symbolizing the importance of literature and education. Several visitors are observing the mural and reading an informational plaque in the foreground.

Walk around the corner and along Belvedere Nord. It shows a giant bookcase, but it is set next to a large parking lot, so not as impressive.

Loop 2: Route Description & What to Expect

Return to King Street and the tourist office, or continue another 3.5 km one way to see Murals 12 to 18. We did not visit these, but they are mainly historical street scenes.

What to Bring during your Sherbrooke Mural Walk

Here’s what you’ll want to wear for your Mural walk:

Hat – it can be sunny and hot, so a hat to protect you from overheating

Walking shoes – comfortable shoes for the 3.5 km walk

Sunscreen – if walking in the summer, like I was, you will need this

Sunglasses – it was very sunny during my walk, and these helped

Water Bottle – to keep you hydrated

Things to do in Sherbrooke and the area

A scenic view of La Gorge Coaticook featuring a wooden walkway with a metal railing, winding through a lush, forested area. The path overlooks a rocky river gorge surrounded by dense green foliage, offering a tranquil and immersive nature experience. The overcast sky and misty atmosphere enhance the serene ambiance of the landscape.

If you have free time in the area, you might wish to explore the Eastern Townships further:

Nations Walk is a 3.5 km walk from the tourist office around Lac des Nations via the Parc Jacques Cartier.

Riviere Magog Loop – listed as 12.9 km, you can shorten it at Parc Jacques Cartier if you wish. South shore along some residential streets, but mostly a forest path.

Mont Orford National Park – numerous trails for all levels

Coaticook – visit the Suspension bridge and forest trails. At night, with the Foresta Lumina, the trails are illuminated. Very popular, so reservations are necessary.

Cycling – La Route Verte has numerous bike routes, including some in Sherbrooke itself and another along the Magog River.

Nordic Spa Thermal Experience – relax at this oasis located on the shores of Lac des Nations

You might also check out my post on whale watching in Tadoussac.

FAQs: Sherbrooke Murals Self-Guided Walking Tour

What is the Sherbrooke Murals walk?

The mural walk goes through downtown Sherbrooke with 11 murals on loop 1, which is 3.5 km, and 7 more murals on the 3.5 km second section.

How long is the Sherbrooke murals walk?

Loop 1 takes about 2 to 3 hours to walk, depending on how long you take at each mural, observing all the characters. Loop 2, also 3.5 km, takes the same amount of time.

What is the cost for the Sherbrooke murals walk?

No charge, it is a self-guided tour, and you can pick up a free map with details from the Sherbrooke Tourist Office. There is also a mobile application available.

Wrap-up: Sherbrooke Murals Self-Guided Walking Tour

Sherbrooke’s Murals Urban Walking Tour is worth every second and is a great way to explore the downtown area while viewing outdoor art and learning a little about the local history.