Saint-Jean-de-l'Île-d'Orléans (, ) is a municipality in the
Capitale-Nationale region of
Quebec
Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
,
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
. It is part of the
L'Île-d'Orléans Regional County Municipality
L'Île-d'Orléans () is a regional county municipality in central Quebec, Canada, in the Capitale-Nationale region. Its seat is Sainte-Famille-de-l'Île-d'Orléans. The population in the 2016 census was 7,082 people.
The RCM consists solely of ...
, on the southeastern side of
Île d'Orléans
Île d'Orléans (; ) is an island located in the Saint Lawrence River about east of downtown Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. It was one of the first parts of the province to be colonized by the French, and a large percentage of French Canadians c ...
.
Prior to April 5, 2003, it was known simply as Saint-Jean.
History
The area was first colonized early in the 17th century. In 1680, a mission was founded and served by the priest of
Sainte-Famille. In 1714, the Parish of Saint-Jean-Baptiste was formed and became a civil parish in 1722. It is believed that this name commemorates Jean de Lauson,
Seneschal
The word ''seneschal'' () can have several different meanings, all of which reflect certain types of supervising or administering in a historic context. Most commonly, a seneschal was a senior position filled by a court appointment within a royal, ...
in New France and son of
Governor Lauson, born circa 1620 and killed at the mouth of the Maheu River in 1661 by the Iroquois. Nevertheless, it could also be attributed to John the Baptist in line with the many other religious toponyms on the island.
Although having a well-established agricultural history, Saint-Jean's location on the
Saint Lawrence River prompted also development of maritime and fishing trades. It was especially known for its
river pilots who would guide vessels through the treacherous Saint Lawrence navigation channel. Over the centuries, a great number of river pilots came from Saint-Jean.
In 1845 the Municipality of Saint-Jean was formed, but abolished in 1847 when it became part of the County Municipality. In 1852, its post office opened. In 1855, it was reestablished as the Parish Municipality of Saint-Jean-Baptiste. In 2003, it changed statutes and its name, becoming the Municipality of Saint-Jean-de-l'Île-d'Orléans.
Demographics
Population
Language
Tourism and attractions
Like the neighbouring municipalities, Saint-Jean has a rich cultural heritage with many historic buildings. Just past the heart of the village, there is a long line of quaint houses (formerly belonging to river pilots), art galleries, and artists' studios. Of particular interest is the Mauvide-Genest Manor, a rare and exceptional example of
French seigneurial past and one of the oldest remaining manor houses in Quebec. This National Historic Site was built in 1734 and restored in 1999, and is now open to the public as a historic interpretation centre.
See also
*
List of municipalities in Quebec
__FORCETOC__
Quebec is the Population of Canada by province and territory, second-most populous province in Canada with 8,501,833 residents as of 2021 and is the largest in land area at . For statistical purposes, the Provinces and te ...
References
External links
Île d'Orléans - Saint-Jean-de-l'Île-d'Orléans portraitMauvide-Genest Manor
{{DEFAULTSORT:Saint-Jean-de-l'Ile-d'Orleans
Incorporated places in Capitale-Nationale
Municipalities in Quebec
L'Île-d'Orléans Regional County Municipality