Saint-Laurent-de-l'Île-d'Orléans


Saint-Laurent-de-l'Île-d'Orléans is a municipality in the Capitale-Nationale region of Quebec, Canada, part of the L'Île-d'Orléans Regional County Municipality. It is situated on the south side of Orléans Island. Prior to June 6, 1998 it was known simply as Saint-Laurent.
Saint-Laurent has been twinned with Tourouvre in France since 1982.

History

The area began to be colonized around 1660. In 1679, the local parish was founded, initially named Saint-Paul. In 1695, the church was built at Sèche Point. At the request of François Berthelot, Advisor to the King and Count of Saint-Laurent, the parish was renamed to Saint-Laurent in 1698, in order to avoid confusion caused by the frequent practise of twinning the names Saint-Peter and Saint-Paul at the time. The place was also known as L'Arbre-Sec, possibly a reference to a withered tree in the western part of the Seigneury.
In 1722, the civil parish is established. In 1845, the Municipality of Saint-Laurent de l'Isle d'Orleans 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-Laurent.
In the 19th century, Saint-Laurent gained a maritime character due to the many fishermen and boatsmen. Moreover, some 15 shipyards were building up to 400 rowboats, coasters, and schooners a year. From 1905 to 1967, the wharf of Saint-Laurent Limitée was active and was responsible for the construction of many of the boats used by the people of Saint-Laurent.
In 1998, the municipality changed statutes and its name, becoming the Municipality of Saint-Laurent-de-l'Île-d'Orléans.

Demographics

Population

Language

Tourism and attractions

Saint-Laurent-de-l'Île-d'Orléans is part of the Historic District of Île-d'Orléans, and has many classified or recognized monuments. Besides the village boutiques, shops, and art galleries, the main attraction is the Saint-Laurent Maritime Park. This park preserves the maritime heritage, featuring exhibits and guided tours at the former Saint-Laurent Ltd. shipyard.