On April 1, 1738, the seigneury of Saint-Gilles was granted to Gilles Rageot de Beaurivage, a prominent Québec City merchant. It was sold in 1782 to Alexander Fraser. Around 1791, Arthur Davidson, who managed the seigneury for his young son Walter, had a sawmill and flour mill built on the Rivière Beaurivage, in what is now Saint-Gilles.
The town at a glance
RCMLotbinière
South Shore20 minutes from Lévis
Life in Saint-Gilles
The vibe
A large rural municipality where family farms and woodlots cover most of the land, around a quiet village.
The housing
Mostly single-family homes, with a few semi-detached houses and small apartment buildings in the village. In the 2021 census, a little under one household in five rented its home.
Nearby
École Étienne-Chartier · Municipal library · Soccer fields
Good to know
The car is the main way to get around. Express Lotbinière buses stop at the municipal hall and connect to Saint-Agapit and Saint-Apollinaire, where a line links to the STLévis network.
Landmarks
- Rivière Beaurivage
- Saint-Gilles church
- Centre récréatif de Saint-Gilles
History
The history of Saint-Gilles
- 1738Seigneury of Saint-Gilles granted
- 1810Craig Road opens
- 1828Parish canonically established
- 1855Municipality incorporated
- 1883Church completed
The opening of the Craig Road in 1810 made it easier for settlers to arrive. Between 1811 and 1820, seigneur Walter Davidson granted 72 lots in the Saint-Gilles area. In 1819, he bought land there to build a manor. The parish was canonically established on February 17, 1828, and civilly on July 11, 1835.
The parish municipality was incorporated on July 1, 1855, and its land was later used to form several neighbouring parishes. When Saint-Narcisse was founded in 1872, the two parishes had to share one priest, who lived in Saint-Narcisse. In 1876, the archdiocese even ordered Saint-Gilles abolished, but parishioners had the decision reversed by June.
The current church was built in 1882 and 1883 to plans by architect David Ouellet, with a presbytery, a cemetery and a calvary nearby. On September 24, 2016, the parish municipality of Saint-Gilles became the municipality of Saint-Gilles.
Frequently asked questions about Saint-Gilles
Where is Saint-Gilles?
On the South Shore, in the Lotbinière RCM, in Chaudière-Appalaches. The municipality is about 20 minutes from Lévis and 30 minutes from Québec City.
How do you get to Saint-Gilles from Québec City?
By car, take Highway 20 to the Saint-Apollinaire or Saint-Étienne-de-Lauzon exit, about 20 km from the village. By public transit, Express Lotbinière links the municipal hall to Saint-Apollinaire, where a line connects to the STLévis network.
Where does the name Saint-Gilles come from?
It comes from the seigneury of Saint-Gilles, granted in 1738 to Gilles Rageot de Beaurivage, a Québec City merchant. Residents are called Gillois and Gilloises.
How do I find an apartment for rent in Saint-Gilles?
Rental units managed by Lease Lane in Saint-Gilles 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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