Ville de Repentigny

Population 81 299
L’Assomption County

Repentigny was founded in 1670 by Jean-Baptiste Le Gardeur, son of the seigneur (lord), Pierre Le Gardeur. The first census, in 1677, showed just 30 inhabitants. For some 250 years, Repentigny was inhabited by a few hundred peasants who subsisted through farming. The first mayor was Benjamin Moreau, appointed in 1855, and his name is now borne by the bridge located at the entrance to the town. By 1920, Repentigny started to become known as a vacation destination for Montrealers, due to its 8 km-long beach. (The western point of the town was at one time called Repentigny-les-Bains because of the many summer residences owned by Montrealers.) Nowadays, vacationing has given way to suburban living. Situated at the eastern extremity of Montreal Island, at the mouth of the L’Assomption River and on the shores of the St. Lawrence, Repentigny is served by two major highways, Autoroutes 40 and 640, linking it to the main centres. It marks the beginning of the Chemin du Roy tourist route in Lanaudière. A farming village until the 1940s, Le Gardeur has become a city while preserving, in Rue Notre-Dame, a true gem of a heritage site. The town, situated on the banks of the L’Assomption River, is the birthplace of two great adventurers (and relatives), Salomon and Joseph Juneau, who went on to co-found the two American cities of Milwaukee and Juneau.

Culture and heritage

• Historical buildings and sites

Services

• Parking