In 1738, Angélique Le Gardeur, daughter of the seigneur of Tilly, was granted a seigneury south of Tilly. She named it the seigneury of Gaspé, after her late husband. In 1806, a road opened between Saint-Nicolas and Saint-Gilles helped the area develop.
The town at a glance
RCMLotbinière
South Shorewest of Lévis
Life in Saint-Apollinaire
The vibe
A fast-growing municipality where the village still sits alongside farms and farmland.
The housing
Mostly single-family homes, with newer buildings added as the population has grown in recent years.
Nearby
Multipurpose centre · Municipal library · Medical clinic
Good to know
The car is the main way to get around. The Express vers Sainte-Foy bus stops in Saint-Apollinaire and connects to Québec City and Lévis by public transit.
Landmarks
- Saint-Apollinaire church
- Autoroute Jean-Lesage (20)
- Rivière Aulneuse
History
The history of Saint-Apollinaire
- 1738Seigneury of Gaspé created
- 1853Parish canonically established
- 1858Church opens
- 1897Railway arrives
- 1974Merger with the village of Francoeur
Saint-Apollinaire separated from Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly in 1845. The parish was canonically established on November 23, 1853, and the abolition of the seigneurial system in 1854 ended the seigneury of Gaspé. The church, designed by François-Xavier and Prime Béland, opened on September 20, 1858.
The railway arrived in 1897 and made the village a stopping point for travellers and goods. The telephone followed in 1905. In 1919, the village of Francoeur separated from the parish.
In the 1960s, the Trans-Canada Highway, now Highway 20, drew businesses and workers who settled with their families. On April 6, 1974, Saint-Apollinaire and Francoeur merged to form today’s municipality. The population grew from 2,560 in 1977 to 7,968 in 2021.
Frequently asked questions about Saint-Apollinaire
Where is Saint-Apollinaire?
On the South Shore, in the Lotbinière RCM, in Chaudière-Appalaches. It borders Lévis to the east and is about 20 km from the Québec City bridges.
How do you get to Québec City from Saint-Apollinaire?
Take Autoroute Jean-Lesage (20) east, then the Pierre-Laporte Bridge or the Québec Bridge. By public transit, the Express vers Sainte-Foy serves the municipality.
Where does the name Saint-Apollinaire come from?
The municipality honours Apollinaris of Ravenna, a 2nd-century bishop and martyr and a disciple of Saint Peter. Residents are called Apollinairois and Apollinairoises.
How do I find an apartment for rent in Saint-Apollinaire?
Rental units managed by Lease Lane in Saint-Apollinaire 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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