In 1636, the Company of One Hundred Associates promised Jacques Le Neuf de la Poterie a land grant on the heights of Cap-Santé and Portneuf. The first settlers arrived in 1675, and the parish’s first register opened in 1679, the date kept as its founding.
The town at a glance
RCMPortneuf
Portneufon a cliff above the river
Life in Cap-Santé
The vibe
A heritage village on the river, and a member of the Association des plus beaux villages du Québec. L’Escale du Roy welcomes visitors and shows the work of local artists.
The housing
Mostly single-family homes, including several well-preserved 18th-century houses. Rentals are few: in 2021, about one household in nine was renting.
Nearby
Parc régional de l’embouchure de la Jacques-Cartier · L’Escale du Roy · Promenade-Fleuve
Good to know
Overnight street parking is banned from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., from November 15 to April 1. The Corporation de transport régional de Portneuf provides two park-and-ride lots for carpoolers in Cap-Santé.
Landmarks
- Vieux Chemin
- Église de la Sainte-Famille
- Fort Jacques-Cartier
History
The history of Cap-Santé
- 1679First parish register opens
- 1759Fort Jacques-Cartier is built
- 1767Sainte-Famille church is completed
- 1855Sainte-Famille municipality is created
- 2000Cap-Santé becomes a town
The seigneury of Portneuf became a barony in 1681. A combined chapel and presbytery was built in 1709, followed by a first stone church from 1716 to 1718. Construction of the current church began in 1754.
In 1759, the church’s building materials were used to build Fort Jacques-Cartier, at the mouth of the river. After the defeat on the Plains of Abraham, the French army spent the winter there, and Lévis left from there in the spring of 1760 for the Battle of Sainte-Foy. Residents later took back the materials and finished the church in 1767.
The parish municipality of Sainte-Famille was created in 1855. The church’s interior decoration was done from 1859 to 1861 by Raphaël Giroux and the plasterer François Blouin. The municipality took the name Cap-Santé in 1979 and became a town in 2000.
Frequently asked questions about Cap-Santé
Where is Cap-Santé?
In the Portneuf regional county municipality, on the north shore of the St. Lawrence, between Donnacona and Portneuf. The town is the seat of the regional county municipality.
Where does the name Cap-Santé come from?
There are several explanations. According to the Commission de toponymie du Québec, it most likely comes from the Old French santeif, meaning healthful, applied to the cape. A 1689 map already calls the place Cap Sante.
What is Fort Jacques-Cartier?
A French fort built in 1759 at the mouth of the Jacques-Cartier River, after the fall of Québec. The French army wintered there before the Battle of Sainte-Foy, and remains are still visible. The site and the nearby Allsopp manor have been protected since 1978.
How do I find an apartment for rent in Cap-Santé?
Rental units managed by Lease Lane in Cap-Santé will soon be listed on the site, along with the online rental application. In the meantime, Cléo can notify you as soon as a unit is posted.
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