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′N73°21′W / 45.783°N 73.350°W /45.783; -73.350[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

Verchères (French pronunciation:[vɛʁʃɛʁ]) is anoff-island suburb ofMontreal, inMontérégie,Quebec, located on the south bank of theSaint Lawrence River. The population as of theCanada 2021 Census was 5,759.

In the 17th century, the settlement at Verchères was the scene of anIroquois raid that was apparently thwarted by the ingenuity of a 14-year-old girl named Madeleine (now known asMadeleine 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 ofrowboat 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 isIn 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 inCanadian history.

Verchères is located about 40 km east ofMontréal. The municipality is traversed byRoad 132, an important road that runs along theSt. 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 theGreat 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.

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 ofGeorge Washington ignited theFrench and Indian War theater of theSeven 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 beAlcalde ofNew Orleans,Louisiana (New Spain)
• Bernard Landry formerPremier of Quebec .
• Lynda Lemay, songwriter and singer.
• Calixa Lavallée, composer ofO 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 northwestIndiana. His homestead is a part ofIndiana Dunes National Park.

View of Verchères from the Saint Lawrence River in winter

View of Verchères from the Saint Lawrence River in summer

• List of municipalities in Quebec

Media related toVerchères at Wikimedia Commons

• Official site of Verchères

• Municipalities in Quebec
• Incorporated places in Marguerite-D'Youville Regional County Municipality
• Quebec populated places on the Saint Lawrence River
• Greater Montreal
• 1971 establishments in Quebec

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