In 1629, Champlain named the spot Cap de Lévy in honour of Henri de Lévis, viceroy of New France. The seigneury of Lauzon was created in 1636. In 1647, Guillaume Couture, a carpenter and interpreter with Indigenous nations, received land there and became the first settler of Pointe-Lévy.
The town at a glance
RegionChaudière-Appalaches
South Shoreacross from Québec City
Life in Lévis
The vibe
A large city with many faces: older areas near the river, newer residential neighbourhoods and plenty of farmland to the south.
The housing
You’ll find single-family homes, plexes in the older sectors and rental buildings along the main roads, such as Route du Président-Kennedy.
Nearby
Galeries Chagnon · Cégep de Lévis · Hôtel-Dieu de Lévis
Good to know
The Société de transport de Lévis serves the whole city, with routes to Université Laval and Parliament Hill. The Québec Bridge and Pierre-Laporte Bridge link the west end of the city to the North Shore.
Landmarks
- Boulevard Guillaume-Couture
- Maison Alphonse-Desjardins
- Parc de la chute de la rivière Chaudière
History
The history of Lévis
- 1636Seigneury of Lauzon created
- 1647Guillaume Couture settles at Pointe-Lévy
- 1861City of Lévis founded
- 1900Desjardins movement founded
- 2002Merger with nine nearby municipalities
English troops invaded Pointe-Lévy in 1690 and again in 1759. That summer, British cannons set up on the cliffs bombarded Québec City for 70 days. From 1832 on, the Davie shipyards built ships along the shore.
The seigneury was broken up in 1836 after the bankruptcy of John Caldwell, and several villages grew up on the South Shore. The City of Lévis was founded on May 18, 1861, at the initiative of parish priest Joseph-David Déziel. Its name honours François Gaston de Lévis, hero of the Battle of Sainte-Foy in 1760. In the 1860s, the British built three forts there to protect Québec City and its port.
In 1900, Alphonse Desjardins founded the co-operative movement that bears his name in Lévis. The city merged with Lauzon in 1989, then with Saint-David-de-l’Auberivière in 1990. On January 1, 2002, nine more municipalities, including Saint-Romuald, Charny and Saint-Nicolas, joined to form today’s Lévis.
Frequently asked questions about Lévis
Where is Lévis?
On the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, directly across from Québec City, in the Chaudière-Appalaches region. The city stretches from Beaumont in the east to Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly in the west.
How do you get from Lévis to Québec City?
By the Québec Bridge or the Pierre-Laporte Bridge, in the west end of the city, reached from Highway 20 and Route 132. The Société de transport de Lévis also runs buses to Université Laval and Parliament Hill.
Where does the name Lévis come from?
The city is named after François Gaston de Lévis, hero of the Battle of Sainte-Foy in 1760. Long before, in 1629, Champlain had named Cap de Lévy in honour of Henri de Lévis, viceroy of New France.
How do I find an apartment for rent in Lévis?
Rental units managed by Lease Lane in Lévis 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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