Until the early 19th century, the Sainte-Foy plateau was mainly farmland. Around 1850, naval officer Daniel Ross divided his Carouge farm into four lots and opened a road, first called chemin Ross. It became route de Valleau in 1867, then chemin du Trait-Carré. It later took the name chemin des Quatre-Bourgeois, honouring the four landowners whose land was used to open it.
The neighbourhood at a glance
BoroughSainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge
Sainte-Foybetween the Duplessis and Henri-IV highways
Life in the Plateau
The vibe
A mostly residential neighbourhood, younger than the city average, with its parks and local shops.
The housing
Mostly apartments in buildings under five storeys, along with single-family homes.
Nearby
Centre commercial Quatre-Bourgeois · Bibliothèque Monique-Corriveau · Université Laval
Good to know
The Duplessis and Henri-IV highways border the neighbourhood; Autoroute Duplessis leads directly to the bridges to the South Shore.
Landmarks
- Chemin des Quatre-Bourgeois
- Parc Sainte-Geneviève
- Église Sainte-Geneviève
History
The history of the Plateau
- 1867Chemin Ross becomes route de Valleau
- 1950Chemin des Quatre-Bourgeois made official
- 1966Sainte-Geneviève church is built
- 1974Place des Quatre-Bourgeois is built
- 2002Sainte-Foy merges with Québec City
The area belongs to the municipality of Sainte-Foy, formed in 1845 and re-established in 1855. On March 10, 1949, it became a town, and on May 4, 1950, it made the name chemin des Quatre-Bourgeois official. After the Second World War, the baby boom and a growing road network turned its fields into suburbs: by 1971, Sainte-Foy had 21 times more residents than in 1941.
Boulevard Champigny, opened in 1958, became boulevard Maurice-Duplessis in 1961, then Autoroute Duplessis in 1981. The Sainte-Geneviève and Saint-Mathieu-Apôtre parishes were created in 1960 and 1964. The Sainte-Geneviève church, on avenue D’Amours, was built in 1965–1966 to plans by architects Laroche, Ritchot and Déry, with a cedar-shingle roof and white stucco walls.
In 1974, Place des Quatre-Bourgeois was built at the junction of Autoroute Duplessis and chemin des Quatre-Bourgeois. Sainte-Foy merged with Québec City on January 1, 2002, and the Plateau became one of its neighbourhoods. Its population grew from 13,905 in 2001 to 14,815 in 2021.
Frequently asked questions about the Plateau
Where is the Plateau neighbourhood?
In the Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge borough, in the south of Québec City, mostly between the Duplessis and Henri-IV highways.
Where does the name chemin des Quatre-Bourgeois come from?
It honours the four landowners whose land was used to open the road, laid out around 1850 by Daniel Ross. The Town of Sainte-Foy made the name official on May 4, 1950.
What are the main roads in the Plateau?
The Duplessis and Henri-IV highways, chemin des Quatre-Bourgeois, chemin Sainte-Foy, boulevard du Versant-Nord, boulevard Hochelaga and avenue Duchesneau.
How do I find an apartment for rent in the Plateau?
Rental units managed by Lease Lane in the Plateau 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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