The Laurentides (, ) is a
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
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, ...
. While it is often called the Laurentians in English, the region includes only part of the
Laurentian Mountains. It has a total land area of and its population was 589,400 inhabitants as of the
2016 Census.
The area was historically occupied by the
Weskarini Algonquin First Nation.
[https://morinheightshistory.org/the-indigenous-people-of-the-laurentians/] English Canadians began settling in the 1700s in towns like Arundel and Harrington and St. Columban and Clyde, today's La Conception.
French Canadian
French Canadians, referred to as Canadiens mainly before the nineteenth century, are an ethnic group descended from French people, French colonists first arriving in Canada (New France), France's colony of Canada in 1608. The vast majority of ...
s began settlement in the first half of the 19th century, establishing an agricultural presence throughout the valleys. During the 20th century, the area also became a popular tourist destination, based on a cottage and lake culture in the summer, and a downhill and cross-country
ski culture in the winter. Ski resorts include
Saint-Sauveur and
Mont Tremblant.
The Laurentides offer a weekend escape for
Montreal
Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...
ers and tourists from New England to Ontario, and with the building of a major highway through the area in the 1970s (
Autoroute 15), the area has experienced much growth. Its largest city is
Saint-Jérôme, in its extreme southeast, with a 2011 census population of 68,456 inhabitants.
Administrative divisions
Regional county municipalities
Indian Reserve
*
Doncaster, Quebec
Major communities
See also
*
List of Quebec regions
References
External links
Portail régional des LaurentidesPortail régional des Laurentides
Tourisme LaurentidesOfficial website — Site Officiel
CRÉÉvénements culturels dans les Laurentides
Administrative regions of Quebec
{{Quebec-geo-stub