Quick trips - just the highlights
This is the ideal time of year to paddle the Seine -- the leaves are in, the water is high and there is plenty of evening sunlight. Here...
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PADDLING THE SEINE
PADDLING THE SEINE
This is a personal web site about paddling the lovely Seine River in Winnipeg. It includes a link to a map that is a very detailed guide to different sections of the river, places where you can put-in, and some hazards and fun stuff to watch out for.
The map, with pictures and information on more than 40 points of interest, is just below. Click the icon in the top left to reveal the control tab and the list of points of interest, with photos and descriptions of each one. You can switch to satellite view (once the control tab is open, scroll to the bottom of it) and zoom in very, very tightly to see exactly where things are.
Below the map, I describe the river in six sections that take between 1.5-3 hours to paddle upstream and down (returning to your start).
Feel free to open the map in a new tab (top-right button), zoom in to any given area, and follow along.
Anchor 2
Anchor 1
SECTION 2: NORTH ST. VITAL
(blue on map)
round-trip time: 2:30-2:45
This quaint section of the Seine runs between golf courses on the east bank and older residential neighbourhoods and parks on the west. Many residents have chairs, swing sets and more next to the river in their yards. A good place to put in is the Tremblay Street bridge (but there are a few places along Egerton Ave such as Blenheim if you want a shorter outing). The hazards are a shallow area in the northern section, a really low bridge through the Windsor Park golf course, and rocks under the tunnel under Fermor (see interactive map). Video of this section here: https://vimeo.com/226671572
SECTION 3: NIAKWA-LAVALLEE
(orange on map)
round-trip time: 3 hours
This section of the Seine is the most densely-populated. It takes you by a golf course and behind many big apartment towers. Toward the south end, there are townhouses and newer suburban homes, an open area with hydro lines and a bridge under Bishop Grandin. A decent place to put in is at Niakwa Rd. (see interactive map). Video of this section here: https://vimeo.com/265936340
SECTION 4: BOIS DES ESPRITS
(grey on map)
round-trip time: 1:30
This is the shortest and arguably the most scenic section. It has a bit of a bayou feel when the leaves are in. It runs through a suburban forest with groomed trails which are very popular with people out for a stroll or a bike ride. Houses, seniors' homes and more are close to the shorelines. You can put in at John Bruce Rd and go upstream until the rocks and riffle structure at Shorehill Drive. Hazards include low branches in a few spots and one tricky corner (Dead Man's Curve), where the river narrows and there are rocks and rebar, just south of John Bruce Rd (see map). Video of this section here: https://vimeo.com/424993429
SECTION 5: RIVER PARK SOUTH
(yellow on map)
round-trip time: 2:00-2:15
This is the edge of the city and, thanks to a riffle structure at Shorehill Drive, often the highest water level of the Seine within Winnipeg. New condo towers sit across the river from empty forests and old country homes. Deer, beaver and other wildlife are plentiful. There is also some very interesting folk art along the way. A giant hand lets you know you're approaching the perimeter. You can put in on a public path just south of Shorehill Dr next to the Morrow Gospel Church. At the other end is a grassy shore at the end of Sumka Rd, immediately south of the perimeter (see interactive map). Video of this section here: https://vimeo.com/224144733
SECTION 6: PRAIRIE GROVE
(green on map)
round-trip time: 2:00-2:15
This section is the countryside. You pass through farmland, a few large exurban properties and, at the southern end, reach what is essentially the start of the river in the Winnipeg region - the siphon where water comes up from under the Red River Floodway and starts its journey toward downtown. The major hazard on this section is a very small culvert under the rail tracks (#4 on the map). Best to portage around unless the water level is very low and you have serious skills. A great place to start is at the end of Sumka Road (#6 on the map), head upstream. Video of this secton here: https://vimeo.com/347955304
SECTION 1: ST. BONIFACE
(pink on map)
round-trip time: 2-2:30
The northernmost section of the Seine runs through residential, industrial and protected park areas of the city. There are a lot of bridges to pass under on your way to the mouth of the river, where it empties into the Red. You are very close to downtown, yet there is a surprising amount of deer, turtles and other wildlife along the shore. A good place to start is at the Tremblay Street bridge (see interactive map). The water level can be very low by the end of June in dry years, and there are some shallow and rocky sections (one often involves a very short portage). Video of this section here: https://vimeo.com/96272911
SCENES ON THE SEINE
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SOME VERY GOOD SEINE-RELATED RESOURCES
CHARLES GOES CANOEING
A very good guide to distances between points on the Seine and other area rivers.
https://sites.google.com/view/charlesburchillhome/charles-burchill-home/canoeing/winnipeg-canoe-access-points
SAVE OUR SEINE
A great group of people who have cleaned up and beautified the river and surrounding trails. They have produced printed maps of the Seine River Greenway (now hard to find) that are much more detailed than anything I have found online.
Links to Seine resources
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