Verchères

Verchères
450 and 579
Highways A-30	R-132
Website	www.ville.vercheres.qc.ca

Verchères (French pronunciation:

was 5,759.

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

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.

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.

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%

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%

• 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.
• 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.

• List of municipalities in Quebec

Media related to Verchères at Wikimedia Commons

• Official site of Verchères