THE reference in Quebec!
In 1988, a small shop opens in Montreal in one of the charming century-old buildings of downtown Ontario street. It’s name, AUX QUATRE POINTS CARDINAUX, which can be literally translated from French as “at the four cardinal points”, refers to the specialized services it has to offer to outdoors enthusiasts, travellers and students: the retail of geographical maps and guides.
Two years later, the small registered shop becomes a corporation and acquires the most sophisticated laminating machine of the time. It’s clients will now be able to face nature’s hazards by protecting their maps between two thin and transparent plastic films.
At it’s tenth year of existence, Aux quatre points cardinaux becomes the official distributor for the 1:50 000 and 1:250 000 scale federal topographical maps and also an authorized retailer of the Photocartothèque québécoise for the 1:20 000 scale topographical maps and aerial photographs.
In 2002, the surface of the store is doubled. It now offers a wider range within the products already offered: terrestrial globes, folded and wall maps, travel accessories, Swiss knives and gift suggestions.
The spectacular decrease in the sizes of electronic devices, the development and democratization of global positioning systems (GPS) now bring new tracking tools to explorers of all kinds. As soon as 2004, Aux quatre points cardinaux equipped itself with a new GPS counter. Cartography software and GPS units for road navigation or outdoor activities can now be found (and purchased!) within a store dedicated to adventuring. Since then, the store is an unbeatable source of information regarding which units, maps or accessories fit your needs.
In 2005, Aux Quatre Points Cardinaux becomes the official distributor for the Communauté Métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM) geomatics products such as aerial photographs and orthophotos. Engineers, architects and town planners need aerial pictures of the great region of Montreal for their every day work, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get one. How about a clear, precise and recent image of your property or neighbourhood!
A few months later, the map specialist in Montreal becomes the official distributor for the Photocartothèque québécoise of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Wildlife for the 1:20 000 and 1:100 000 scale provincial topographical maps and a retailer for the aerial photographs. For the first time, people will have the possibility to combine the most detailed topographic maps and aerial photos of all the province of Quebec for their search without going to two different addresses.