Magpie Relay

With a secure covered parking lot, rooms with kitchenettes, cleaning stations, a warehouse for equipment and even a “man cave”, the Magpie Relay is the go to location for visitors seeking accommodations in the area.  

A descendant of the founders of his native village of Dubreuilville, Patrice Dubreuil has certainly inherited the entrepreneurial spirit of his ancestors. Following his studies, he chose to invest in his hometown by purchasing the restaurant attached to the motel owned by his father.

This business was eventually sold, but Pat bought it back a few years later.  After a complete renovation, the building reopened as Magpie Relay Resort, a year-round powersports destination.

With the promise of a great place to stay and an extensive trail system, it's no surprise that Dubreuilville has seen an influx of powersports enthusiasts from across Ontario, Quebec and beyond.

The MooseBack Trail System app links Dubreuilville to over 30 regional trails.

In order to optimize the experience for his customers at Relais Magpie, Patrice decided to digitize the trails in the area and developed the MooseBack Trail System application.

The app features a map that links Dubreuilville to over 30 routes, taking users to Chapleau, Hawk Junction, Hornepayne, Hearst, Kapuskasing, Missanabie, Smooth Rock Falls, Wawa and White River.

This area is a paradise for hikers, snowmobilers and those involved in other motorized sports such as side-by-side motorcycles and other off-road vehicles.

Built over 50 years ago, this building, affectionately known as Le Centre by the locals, has played an important role in the history of the village.

The Le Centre building played an important role in the history of the village: it housed a bowling alley, a bank, a restaurant and was the site of wedding receptions, Christmas parties, Halloween parties and, of course, the Chimo Carnival.  The building was a good representation of Dubreuilville and was founded primarily by and for the logging industry. The building was abandoned shortly after Dubreuil Forest Products closed in 2008.

A few years ago, Patrice Dubreuil purchased the building but unfortunately, due to water damage, the interior of the building was in poor condition. A significant investment would have been necessary to renovate the building and bring it up to current building codes and fire standards, so it was demolished in 2015.

Dubreuillois have always sought out outdoor activities and motorized sports. In 1967, Jean-Paul Dubreuil (Napoleon Dubreuil's son) and his brother-in-law, Jean-Marc Pelletier, travelled by train to Hearst to attend a winter carnival. On their way back, they spotted snowmobile trails along the railroad tracks. The following winter, the two men, along with nine other snowmobilers, traveled from Dubreuiville to Hearst to attend the carnival.

After this first outing, they challenged the Hearst snowmobilers to make the trip.  The following week, 52 Hearst snowmobilers traveled to Dubreuilville to attend the Chimo Carnival, marking the beginning of a long-standing tradition.

The tradition was to ride the rails one way and return on the ACR passenger train, load your snowmobile onto the attached freight car and recover from your weekend.

For many years, the community of Dubreuilville has come together to organize the Chimo Carnival.

There were parades where kings and queens were carried on a big truck, traditional sweet taffy to be eaten on the snow, and all sorts of activities for the family.

In the past, locals have even carved blocks of ice from the Magpie River to build an impressive ice castle. The Chimo Carnival also attracts many people from the predominantly French-speaking community of Hearst.