A network of authentic heritage villages, located in remarkable landscapes

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Village of the Patriots

Samuel de Champlain, the founder of New France, ascended the Richelieu River in 1609 with his Amerindian allies to go and fight the Iroquois. The river was thus named in honor of Cardinal Richelieu, the prime minister of King Louis XIII.

Situated on the shady banks of the gentle Richelieu River, in the heart of a rich agricultural plain, the seigneury of Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu was granted by the king in 1694 but colonized only around 1740. At that time, it was the site of manufacturing enterprises such as a beaver hat workshop, brewery, pottery maker, carriage works and utensil maker.

Saint-Denis experienced an eventful period during the Patriot rebellion of 1837-38. The village was the main assembly and dispatching site for the Fils de la liberté (Sons of Liberty) who advocated resistance to British authority. It was partly destroyed by British troops who set it ablaze, but three monuments and an annual ceremony recall the Patriot victory against British troops on November 23, 1837. A unique museum, the Maison Nationale des Patriotes, is dedicated to them. The visit is interactive and interspersed with historical reconstitutions which plunge you into the past.

A prosperous town, pottery-making capital and major transportation crossroads in the 19th century, Saint-Denis boasts many buildings of heritage interest. During the most prosperous period for the pottery industry, no fewer than 20 potter’s furnaces baked away in the lower part of the village. You can’t shake a shovelful of earth in most of the village without seeing a pottery fragment!

The first streets of Saint-Denis were the Chemin du Roi along the Richelieu River, the Rue du Curé facing the ferry crossing, and Rue Sainte-Catherine. Most of Rue du Curé disappeared in 1835 with the building of a second presbytery. The rest of the street disappeared in 1876 when the Hospice Saint-Louis was built. The space around the church presents a highly typical ensemble. A small museum at the rear of the church displays old religious objects. The church of Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu is one of the most beautiful masterpieces of traditional Quebec religious architecture. It is the oldest church in the diocese of Saint-Hyacinthe after Saint-Pierre in Sorel. A first building made of wood was erected in 1740. Replaced by a stone church in Recollet layout in 1764, almost nothing is known of this first building except that it contained 23 benches. Work on the current church began in 1793. Designed by the parish priest François Cherrier, the church still contains the furniture, decorations and paintings dating from this age. Majestic both inside and out, it is the third church to occupy this site. A former country school, the École de la Côte Plaisance, reminds us of the courage and resourcefulness of pupils attending Quebec’s écoles de rang in the years from 1840 to 1960 (a rang being a straight axis of rural colonization following the system established in New France in the 17th century).

Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu remains a very active municipality today through its economy, tourism and farming. The wine route stops at Clos St-Denis, which offers several products including an excellent ice cider.

The river can be crossed by car to Saint-Antoine-sur-Richelieu on the opposite shore on a charming little boat in summer and right on the ice in winter, when winter cooperates.

Founded in 1740, discover St-Denis-sur-Richelieu, a village offering unique, and exceptional attractions, boutiques, local crafts, restaurants and more.

Experience our history with many available guided tours sponsored by la Maison des Patriotes, relive the past with the Old Market festivities and visit the church that could be a cathedral...

Dare to enjoy our history and cultural heritage!

Jacques Villemaire, Mayor,

Saint-Denis-sur-Richelieu