Domaine de Maizerets

Le Domaine de Maizerets is a part of the la Cité-Limoilou borough of Quebec City, Quebec, Canada that has a population of 107,835. The park is currently owned by the Commission de la Capitale Nationale du Québec. The park is operated and maintained by the Société du domaine Maizerets, a non-profit organization that was mandated to that effect. The park offers 11 kilometers of walking trails. Bird watchers and locals frequently visit the park for its beautiful oasis of nature, which is located inside an urban area. The park features an arboretum which was created in 1997 and replaces a vacant lot formerly used as a snow dumping site in the winter. The Arboretum has been recognized as one of the province of Québec's 20 most beautiful gardens. There is a butterfly house, operated only in the summer, located in the arboretum. Visitors can see indigenous and exotic butterflies fly freely in their natural environment. In winter, the park is accessible for skiers and offers ice skating and trails for snowshoeing. The park has several buildings, one of which is the Château Ango des Maizerets, a 16th-century mansion built by the French. The stone barn and the Château are two of the oldest buildings in the borough and both the barn and the Château are classified as patrimonial heritage by the city of Québec. Access to the park is free and is regulated by the Quebec City by-laws.