Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts () is a town in the province 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, in the

regional county municipality The term regional county municipality or RCM (, , MRC) is used in Quebec, Canada to refer to one of 87 county-like political entities. In some older English translations they were called county regional municipality. Regional county municipalit ...

of Les Laurentides in the

administrative region Administrative divisions (also administrative units, administrative regions, subnational entities, or constituent states, as well as many similar generic terms) are geographical areas into which a particular independent sovereign state is divi ...

Laurentides The Laurentides (, ) is a region of Quebec. 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 C ...

, also known as the "Laurentians" or the Laurentian Mountains (in English). Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts borders on a lake called Lac des Sables, and is located approximately northwest of

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 ...

, and northeast of

Ottawa Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

. The town has been twinned with

Lagny-sur-Marne Lagny-sur-Marne (, literally ''Lagny on Marne'') is a commune in the eastern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located in the Seine-et-Marne department in Île-de-France from the centre of Paris (20 minutes away from the centre of Paris). The ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

, since 1969 and Saranac Lake,

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

, since 2002.

History

Settlement

In 1849, the first families arrived on the northern fringe of the area, which was a settlement established by

Augustin-Norbert Morin Augustin-Norbert Morin (; October 13, 1803 – July 27, 1865) was a Canadien journalist, lawyer, politician, and rebel in Lower Canada. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada in the 1830s, as a leading member of the '' ...

. Beginning in 1850, a rapid

colonization 475px, Map of the year each country achieved List of sovereign states by date of formation, independence. Colonization (British English: colonisation) is a process of establishing occupation of or control over foreign territories or peoples f ...

of the region began. The arriving families were primarily of

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

background. The village is centred on a Catholic

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...

built in 1904. In 1865, the land on which the church stands was donated to the parish by Dr. Luc-Eusèbe Larocque, brother of the Monsignor. Dr. Larocque had amassed a fortune in the

California Gold Rush The California gold rush (1848–1855) began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California from the rest of the U ...

and had decided to live the life of a

seigneur A seigneur () or lord is an originally feudal title in France before the Revolution, in New France and British North America until 1854, and in the Channel Islands to this day. The seigneur owned a seigneurie, seigneury, or lordship—a form of ...

. He bought several farms around Lac à la Truite (Trout Lake) and area but was too kind-hearted to ask for the rents. There is also a smaller

Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

church, "Holy Trinity Anglican Parish", in the town. In 1926 the

Lord Bishop "Lord Bishop" is a form of address used for bishops since the Middle Ages, an era when bishops occupied the feudal rank of 'lord' by virtue of their office. It is not, however, connected with or dependent upon English bishops having seats in the H ...

of the Anglican Church of Montreal presided over the dedication of the current building. The English

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

community grew from the time the train first arrived in 1892.

Development

With the completion of a railway to Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts in 1892, the town experienced a rapid increase in population. Between 1892 and 1911, a number of

spa A spa is a location where mineral-rich spring water (sometimes seawater) is used to give medicinal baths. Spa health treatments are known as balneotherapy. The belief in the curative powers of mineral waters and hot springs goes back to pre ...

s and hospitals were established. In 1899, a

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...

hospital was founded by Dr. Arthur Richer. Elizabeth Wand, a nurse from New York City established a spa, which still operates as Auberge Tour du Lac. It was believed at the time that fresh mountain air could help cure tuberculosis and other pulmonary diseases. By 1910, many wealthy families from

and northern United States had built residences along the shoreline of Lac des Sables. Octavien Rolland, third son of J.B. Rolland, founder of Rolland Paper was among the first to arrive. Between 1892 and 1910, the assessed value of the buildings in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts had increased 20 times. From the 1950s to the 1980s, the town was a popular tourist centre with large resort hotels and many shops and restaurants.

Recent times

In the 1980s, Sainte-Agathe grew as a four-season tourist destination with a broad range of activities for cottagers and residents alike. As a growing service-centre for the surrounding region, its economic base became more diverse with a strong foundation of tourism activities that included, in the summer, horse-back riding, boating, fishing, and lakeside recreation, as well as the winter activities of cross-country skiing, dog-sled racing, skating, and ice hockey. While the train is no longer in service, there is an extensive bike path that has replaced it called "Le Petit Train Du Nord". It directly connects to other paths that extend as far as Montreal. Today, the town is characterized by its history and tradition of B&Bs, inns, hotels, and spas. As a growing municipality, it has a developing service area that includes a new

Walmart Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores in the United States and 23 other ...

Super 8 Super 8 or Super Eight may refer to: Film * Super 8 film, a motion picture film format released in 1965 * Super 8 film camera, a motion picture camera used to film Super 8mm motion picture format * ''Super 8'' (2011 film), a science-fiction f ...

, and Jean Coutu (among others) strategically placed on the edge of the town so as to not affect its village atmosphere. On February 27, 2002, Sainte-Agathe-Nord and

Ivry-sur-le-Lac Ivry-sur-le-Lac (, literally ''Ivry on the Lake'') is a village and municipality in the Laurentides region of Quebec, Canada, part of the Les Laurentides Regional County Municipality. The municipality completely encompasses Lake Manitou which is ...

merged with Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts to form an expanded city; however Ivry-sur-le-Lac later demerged in 2006.

English community

Next to

Mont Tremblant Mont Tremblant () is a mountain of the Laurentian Mountains, reaching an altitude of 932 metres. It is located in the province of Quebec, Canada, in Mont-Tremblant National Park, about 15 km northeast of the town of Mont-Tremblant and east ...

, Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts has the largest population of English-speaking summer cottage residents in the Laurentians (with a smaller but still sizable winter cottage population as well, particularly on the weekends). Generations of English-speaking cottagers from Montreal,

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

, New York and

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

vacation amidst the lakes and mountains surrounding the town.

Demographics

According to the 2021 Census of Population, 2021 Census, Sainte-Agathe had a population of living in of its total private dwellings, a change of from its 2016 population of . With a land area of , it had a population density of in 2021. Population trend: * Population in 2011: 10115 (2006 to 2011 population change: 4.5%) * Population in 2006: 9679 * Population in 2001: ** Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts: 7121 ** Sainte-Agathe-Nord: 1566 **:The total figure is 8687. However, a later revised total figure was 8964. * Population in 1996: ** Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts: 5669 ** Sainte-Agathe-Nord: 1454 ** Sainte-Agathe-Sud: 2209 * Population in 1991: ** Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts: 5452 ** Sainte-Agathe-Nord: 1221 ** Sainte-Agathe-Sud: 1918 Mother tongue (permanent residents, excluding seasonal cottagers): * French as first language: 91.3% * English as first language: 4.8% * Other as first language: 0.9%

Environment

The town is underlain by

anorthosite Anorthosite () is a phaneritic, intrusive rock, intrusive igneous rock characterized by its composition: mostly plagioclase feldspar (90–100%), with a minimal mafic component (0–10%). Pyroxene, ilmenite, magnetite, and olivine are the mafic ...

bedrock which is covered by stony sandy loam

soil Soil, also commonly referred to as earth, is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, water, and organisms that together support the life of plants and soil organisms. Some scientific definitions distinguish dirt from ''soil'' by re ...

with classic

podzol Podzols, also known as podosols, spodosols, or espodossolos, are the typical soils of coniferous or boreal forests and also the typical soils of eucalypt forests and heathlands in southern Australia. In Western Europe, podzols develop on heathlan ...

profile development.

Education

Commission scolaire des Laurentides is headquartered in this town. * Francophone primary schools: Notre-Dame-de-la-Sagesse, Fleur-des-Neiges, Lionel-Groulx, Monseigneur-Bazinet * Secondary school: École polyvalente des Monts The

Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board The Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board (SWLSB, , CSSWL) is a school board headquartered in Rosemère, Quebec in Greater Montreal. It officially came into existence in July 1998 when English-language schools from eight former school boards were amalg ...

operates

Sainte Agathe Academy Sainte Agathe Academy (SAA; ) is a public anglophone primary and secondary school in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Quebec. It is operated by the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board. Persons from the following communities are zoned to this school for the e ...

, a primary and secondary Anglophone school, in the community.

Notable people

Jean-Jacques Bertrand Jean-Jacques Bertrand (; June 20, 1916 – February 22, 1973) was a Canadian politician and lawyer who served as the 21st premier of Quebec, from October 2, 1968, to May 12, 1970. He led the Union Nationale (Quebec), Union Nationale party. Me ...

(1916–1973), former Quebec

premier Premier is a title for the head of government in central governments, state governments and local governments of some countries. A second in command to a premier is designated as a deputy premier. A premier will normally be a head of govern ...

, was a native of Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts. *

Jonathan Drouin Jonathan Drouin (born March 28, 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey Winger (ice hockey), left winger for the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). After a stellar 2012–13 QMJHL season, 2012–13 season with the Quebec ...

, NHL player for the

Colorado Avalanche The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. The Avalanche compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Con ...

, was born in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts. * Pierre-Luc Dubois, NHL player for the

Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The Capitals compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NH ...

, was born in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts. *

Mikaël Kingsbury Mikaël Kingsbury (born July 24, 1992) is a Canadian freestyle skier. He is the most accomplished moguls and freestyle skier of all time. He achieved eminence early in his career after earning the 2009–10 FIS World Cup Rookie of the Year award ...

, Olympic gold medal

freestyle skier Freestyle skiing is a skiing discipline comprising aerials, moguls, cross, half-pipe, slopestyle and big air as part of the Winter Olympics. It can consist of a skier performing aerial flips and spins and can include skiers sliding rails and ...

Gaston Miron Gaston Miron (; 8 January 1928 – 14 December 1996) was an important Canadian poet, writer, and editor of Quebec's Quiet Revolution. His classic ''L'homme rapaillé'' (partly translated as ''The March to Love: Selected Poems of Gaston Miron' ...

, poet, was born and raised in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts *

Mordecai Richler Mordecai Richler (January 27, 1931 – July 3, 2001) was a Canadian writer. His best known works are ''The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (novel), The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz'' (1959) and ''Barney's Version (novel), Barney's Versi ...

, author, set his novel, '' The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz'', in Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts. *

Ronnie Stern Ronald Stern (born January 11, 1967) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League for 12 seasons with the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, and San Jose Sharks. Playing career Stern was born in Sa ...

(born 1967), ice hockey player * Youri Chassin, MNA for Saint-Jerome since 2018.

Notable organizations

*The Commission Scolaire des Laurentides

school board A board of education, school committee or school board is the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or an equivalent institution. The elected council determines the educational policy in a small regional area, ...

is headquartered in the town. *The Centre Hospitalier Laurentien is the local

hospital A hospital is a healthcare institution providing patient treatment with specialized Medical Science, health science and auxiliary healthcare staff and medical equipment. The best-known type of hospital is the general hospital, which typically ...

References

External links

Official site

History of Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts region

History of Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts town
* French Wikipedia page
BFI entry about 'Snow Fiesta', an NFB film of the 1950 games.
{{Authority control Cities and towns in Quebec Designated places in Quebec