Saint-Michel-des-Saints, Quebec
Encyclopedia
Saint-Michel-des-Saints is a municipality in the Matawinie Regional County Municipality
of Quebec, Canada. It is the largest and northern-most municipality in the Lanaudière
region (not considering the unorganized territories). The village itself is located at the northern end of Quebec Route 131
along the Matawin River, near the south-western corner of Taureau Reservoir.
The larger lakes in the municipality include Durand, Beauséjour, Hazen, and Kaiagamac. These and the many other ones attract many summer cottage vacationers. The area's forests are popular for hunting and trapping.
It is twinned with the community of Saint-Varent
in the Deux-Sèvres department in western France.
at the suggestion of Father Brassard, honours Michael de Sanctis
who lived from 1591 to 1625.
In 1929, the dam on the Matawin River was constructed that would result in the formation of the Taureau Reservoir. This reservoir drowned the neighbouring village of Saint-Ignace-du-Lac (founded in 1877) and consequently this municipality was annexed by Saint-Michel-des-Saints in 1931, thereby increasing its territory by about 15 square kilometres (5.8 sq mi).
In 1979, the Parish Municipality of Saint-Michel-des-Saints and the United Township Municipality of Masson-et-Laviolette (founded in 1914) were merged to form the new Municipality of Saint-Michel-des-Saints.
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 1178 (total dwellings: 1932)
Mother tongue:
Matawinie Regional County Municipality, Quebec
300px|rightMatawinie is a Regional County Municipality in southwestern Quebec, Canada. Its seat is Rawdon. The population of the MRC according to the 2006 Census is 49,717-Municipalities:*Chertsey*Entrelacs*Notre-Dame-de-la-Merci*Rawdon...
of Quebec, Canada. It is the largest and northern-most municipality in the Lanaudière
Lanaudière
Lanaudière is one of the seventeen administrative regions of Quebec, Canada, situated immediately to the northeast of Montreal. It has a total population of 429,053 inhabitants.-Geography:...
region (not considering the unorganized territories). The village itself is located at the northern end of Quebec Route 131
Quebec route 131
Route 131 is a Quebec highway running from Lavaltrie to Saint-Michel-des-Saints in Lanaudière. This route, combined with Autoroute 31, provides the key route to Joliette, and then continues northward through Saint-Félix-de-Valois, Saint-Jean-de-Matha and Saint-Zénon for a distance of almost 140...
along the Matawin River, near the south-western corner of Taureau Reservoir.
The larger lakes in the municipality include Durand, Beauséjour, Hazen, and Kaiagamac. These and the many other ones attract many summer cottage vacationers. The area's forests are popular for hunting and trapping.
It is twinned with the community of Saint-Varent
Saint-Varent
Saint-Varent is a commune in the Deux-Sèvres department in western France.-References:*...
in the Deux-Sèvres department in western France.
History
In 1863, Thomas-Léandre Brassard settled near the falls of Pine Lake (Lac des Pins) where he built a mill and a manor. Three years later, there were 136 inhabitants. In 1870, the post office opened. By 1883, the Parish of Saint-Michel-des-Saints was officially formed and followed two years later in 1885 by the formation of the parish municipality. The name Saint-Michel-des-Saints, chosen by Ignace BourgetIgnace Bourget
Ignace Bourget was a French-Canadian Roman Catholic priest who held the title of Bishop of Montreal from 1840 to 1876. Born in Lévis, Quebec in 1799, Bourget entered the clergy at an early age, undertook several courses of religious study, and in 1837 was named co-adjutor bishop of the newly...
at the suggestion of Father Brassard, honours Michael de Sanctis
Michael de Sanctis
Saint Michael de Sanctis , sometimes called Michael of the Saints, was a Discalced Trinitarian priest from Vic, Catalonia....
who lived from 1591 to 1625.
In 1929, the dam on the Matawin River was constructed that would result in the formation of the Taureau Reservoir. This reservoir drowned the neighbouring village of Saint-Ignace-du-Lac (founded in 1877) and consequently this municipality was annexed by Saint-Michel-des-Saints in 1931, thereby increasing its territory by about 15 square kilometres (5.8 sq mi).
In 1979, the Parish Municipality of Saint-Michel-des-Saints and the United Township Municipality of Masson-et-Laviolette (founded in 1914) were merged to form the new Municipality of Saint-Michel-des-Saints.
Demographics
Population:- Population in 2006: 2713 (2001 to 2006 population change: 12.4 %)
- Population in 2001: 2414
- Population in 1996: 2339
- Population in 1991: 2275
- Population in 1950: 1902
- Population in 1904: 848
Private dwellings occupied by usual residents: 1178 (total dwellings: 1932)
Mother tongue:
- English as first language: 1.5 %
- French as first language: 95.7 %
- English and French as first language: 0.4%
- Other as first language: 2.4 %