In 1674, the Jesuit Pierre Chaumonot had a chapel built where the current cemetery stands. It served the Huron-Wendat people who had taken refuge near Québec after the war with the Iroquois. Having been cured after a pilgrimage to the Italian shrine of Loreto, Father Chaumonot placed the mission under the patronage of Our Lady of the Annunciation, and the place became known as Lorette.
The town at a glance
RCMQuébec City urban agglomeration
North Shoresurrounded by Québec City
Life in L’Ancienne-Lorette
The vibe
A quiet residential city with its own schools, pool and arena. In mid-August, the Festival Lorettain brings families together for a concert and fireworks.
The housing
Mostly single-family homes, with duplexes and a few apartment buildings.
Nearby
Rivière Lorette woods · AquaGym Élise-Marcotte · Polyvalente de L’Ancienne-Lorette
Good to know
Public transit is run by the Réseau de transport de la Capitale, as in the rest of the urban agglomeration. The city is small, about 7.6 km², and the airport is close by.
Landmarks
- Église Notre-Dame-de-l’Annonciation
- Rivière Lorette
- Jean Lesage International Airport
History
The history of L’Ancienne-Lorette
- 1674Father Chaumonot’s chapel
- 1697Huron-Wendat move to Jeune-Lorette
- 1967The village becomes a city
- 2002Merger with Québec City
- 2006City is reconstituted
In 1697, the Huron-Wendat moved further away, to Jeune-Lorette. Their former village became Vieille-Lorette, or Ancienne-Lorette, and kept growing with French settlers. Over time, the parish lost part of its territory to Saint-Félix-de-Cap-Rouge in 1872 and to Saint-Gérard-Majella in 1909.
In 1947, the village split from the parish under the name Notre-Dame-de-Lorette. It became a city in 1967 and took back the name Ancienne-Lorette. The parish, which included the airport lands, merged with Sainte-Foy on January 1, 1971. In 1987, the city asked for its official name to become L’Ancienne-Lorette.
On January 1, 2002, the city was merged into Québec City. In the referendum of June 20, 2004, 61.7% of voters chose to bring it back. L’Ancienne-Lorette became a separate city again on January 1, 2006, within the Québec urban agglomeration.
Frequently asked questions about L’Ancienne-Lorette
Where is L’Ancienne-Lorette?
In the Québec urban agglomeration, in the Capitale-Nationale region. The city is entirely surrounded by Québec City, between the Les Rivières borough to the east and the Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge borough.
Where does the name L’Ancienne-Lorette come from?
The name recalls the shrine of Loreto in Italy. When the Huron-Wendat left the mission in 1697 for Jeune-Lorette, the old village became Vieille-Lorette, then L’Ancienne-Lorette.
Is Jean Lesage Airport in L’Ancienne-Lorette?
The airport is just west of the city, on land that once belonged to the parish of L’Ancienne-Lorette. That land has been part of Québec City since the parish merged with Sainte-Foy in 1971.
How do I find an apartment for rent in L’Ancienne-Lorette?
Rental units managed by Lease Lane in L’Ancienne-Lorette 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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