Verchères

Verchères (French pronunciation: [vɛʁʃɛʁ]) is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in Montérégie, Quebec, located on the south bank of the Saint Lawrence River. The population as of the Canada 2021 Census was 5,759.

Verchères
Municipality
Statue honouring heroine Madeleine de Verchères.
Location within Marguerite-D'Youville RCM.
Verchères Location in southern Quebec. Show map of Southern Quebec Verchères Verchères (Quebec) Show map of Quebec Verchères Verchères (Canada) Show map of Canada
Coordinates: 45°47′N 73°21′W[1]
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
Region	Montérégie
RCM	Marguerite-D'Youville
Constituted	September 18, 1971
Government [2][3]
• Mayor	Alexandre Bélisle
• Federal riding	Pierre-Boucher—Les Patriotes—Verchères
• Prov. riding	Verchères
Area [2][4]
• Total	85.20 km2 (32.90 sq mi)
• Land	72.63 km2 (28.04 sq mi)
Population  (2021)[4]
• Total	5,759
• Density	79.3/km2 (205/sq mi)
• Pop 2016-2021	1.3%
• Dwellings	2,453
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Postal code(s)	J0L 2R0
Area codes	450 and 579
Highways A-30	R-132
Website	www.ville.vercheres.qc.ca

History

Welcome sign at the south entrance, along the Marie-Victorin road

Overview of the magnificent village cemetery

Heritage house along the Marie-Victorin road (route 132)

In the 17th century, the settlement at Verchères was the scene of an Iroquois raid that was apparently thwarted by the ingenuity of a 14-year-old girl named Madeleine (now known as Madeleine de Verchères). A cast-iron statue of Madeleine de Verchères stands today by the former location of the settlement stronghold on the shore of the Saint-Lawrence river.

In French, the word Verchères can be used as an adjective to describe a specific type of rowboat invented in Verchères at the end of the 19th century, i.e. chaloupe verchères. A specimen of the rowboat is on permanent outdoor display during the summer and fall at the Parc Jean-Marie Moreau across from the town office.

The motto of Verchères is In Tenebris Lumen Rectis Corde. The streets of Verchères are mostly named after the patronyms of residing families but also after local people who rose to celebrity in Canadian history.

Geography

Verchères is located about 40 km east of Montréal. The municipality is traversed by Road 132, an important road that runs along the St. Lawrence River and connects several municipalities along the south shore. The river plays a significant role in the economy of Verchères, offering picturesque views and opportunities for recreational activities.

The terrain is relatively flat, typical of the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence Lowlands, with some gentle elevations and wooded areas. The landscape of Verchères is typically rural, with farmland, natural areas and residential zones.

Demographics

City Hall of Verchères

Florentine-Dansereau residence

Population

Canada census – Verchères community profile

	2021	2016	2011
Population	5,759 (-1.3% from 2016)	5,835 (+2.5% from 2011)	5,692 (+8.6% from 2006)
Land area	72.63 km2 (28.04 sq mi)	72.57 km2 (28.02 sq mi)	73.27 km2 (28.29 sq mi)
Population density	79.3/km2 (205/sq mi)	80.4/km2 (208/sq mi)	77.7/km2 (201/sq mi)
Median age	41.8 (M: 42.4, F: 43.2)	40.8 (M: 40.8, F: 40.9)	40.7 (M: 40.1, F: 41.3)
Private dwellings	2,453 (total)	2,440 (total)	2,406 (total)
Median household income	$90,000	$75,955	$68,946

References: 2021^[5] 2016^[6] 2011^[7]

Historical Census Data - Verchères, Quebec^[8]

Year Pop. ±% 1976 3,586 —     1981 4,473 +24.7% 1986 4,530 +1.3% 1991 4,781 +5.5%

Year Pop. ±% 1996 4,854 +1.5% 2001 4,782 −1.5% 2006 5,243 +9.6% 2011 5,692 +8.6%

Year Pop. ±% 2016 5,835 +2.5% 2021 5,759 −1.3%

Language

Canada Census Mother Tongue - Verchères, Quebec[8]
Census		Total		French				English				French & English				Other
Year		Responses		Count	Trend	Pop %		Count	Trend	Pop %		Count	Trend	Pop %		Count	Trend	Pop %
2021		5,760		5,550	0.7%	96.4%		60	7.7%	1.0%		50	100.0%	0.9%		75	0.0%	1.3%
2016		5,770		5,590	0.8%	96.9%		65	8.3%	1.1%		25	0.0%	0.4%		75	66.7%	1.3%
2011		5,675		5,545	10.1%	97.7%		60	50.0%	1.1%		25	25.0%	0.4%		45	50.0%	0.8%
2006		5,185		5,035	8.3%	97.1%		40	33.3%	0.8%		20	100.0%	0.4%		90	125.0%	1.7%
2001		4,730		4,650	2.3%	98.3%		30	25.0%	0.6%		10	n/a%	0.2%		40	60.0%	0.9%
1996		4,825		4,760	n/a	98.7%		40	n/a	0.8%		0	n/a	0.0%		25	n/a	0.5%

Government

Municipal

Municipal elections are held en bloc, according to a six-district system.^[9]

Notable people

• Jean Blouf, pioneer of Verchères
• Joseph Coulon de Jumonville whose death while a prisoner of George Washington ignited the French and Indian War theater of the Seven Years' War
• Louis Coulon de Villiers who is the only officer to whom Washington ever surrendered.
• François Coulon de Villiers another of the Coulon brothers who would later be Alcalde of New Orleans, Louisiana (New Spain)
• Bernard Landry former Premier of Quebec .
• Lynda Lemay, songwriter and singer.
• Calixa Lavallée, composer of O Canada.
• Pierre Bouchard, Montreal Canadiens retired former professional hockey player.
• Alexandre Beaudoin, fingerprint scientist
• Joseph Bailly, fur trader and first permanent Euro-American settler in northwest Indiana. His homestead is a part of Indiana Dunes National Park.

Panorama

View of Verchères from the Saint Lawrence River in winter

View of Verchères from the Saint Lawrence River in summer

See also

• List of municipalities in Quebec