The seigneury of Sainte-Croix was granted in 1637 and set aside for the nuns who would settle in Québec, the Ursulines. On September 14, 1647, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, Father Jérôme Lalemant took possession of it on their behalf, which gave the place its name. Settlers received their first lots from 1680, including Louis Houde in 1682.
The town at a glance
RCMLotbinière
South Shoreon the river
Life in Sainte-Croix
The vibe
A regional service centre on the river, with its cliff, views of the St. Lawrence and many old houses. In spring and fall, thousands of snow geese stop on the tidal flats.
The housing
Mostly single-family homes, but also several small apartment buildings and heritage houses. In the 2021 census, nearly three households in ten rented their home.
Nearby
École secondaire Pamphile-Le May · Centre culturel et sportif (arena) · Pointe-Platon ecological reserve
Good to know
Express Lotbinière buses stop on Rue Gauthier and connect to Saint-Apollinaire, where a line links to the STLévis network. Autoroute Jean-Lesage is a few kilometres south via Route 271.
Landmarks
- Domaine Joly-De Lotbinière
- Sainte-Croix church
- Petit Saut falls
History
The history of Sainte-Croix
- 1637Seigneury of Sainte-Croix granted
- 1721Parish established
- 1851Joly-De Lotbinière manor built
- 1915Current church blessed
- 2001Village and parish merge
A first chapel was built in 1694 near the river, on Louis Houde’s land. The chemin du Roy reached the seigneury in 1718, and Sainte-Croix became a parish in 1721. Settlers then moved to the top of the cliff, where a second church opened in 1739.
In 1754, the Ursulines had a flour mill built at the foot of the Petit Saut falls. In 1846, Pierre-Gustave Joly, seigneur of Lotbinière, bought land at Pointe-Platon and built a summer manor there in 1851, Maple House. The parish municipality was created in 1855.
The current church, the parish’s fourth, was blessed on September 3, 1915. The village separated from the parish in 1921. River transport ended in 1926, when the road now called Route Marie-Victorin (Route 132) was paved, and the village and the parish merged on October 5, 2001, to form today’s municipality.
Frequently asked questions about Sainte-Croix
Where is Sainte-Croix?
On the south shore of the St. Lawrence, in Chaudière-Appalaches. It is the seat of the Lotbinière RCM, about 50 km west of Québec City, across the river from Portneuf, Cap-Santé and Donnacona.
What is there to see in Sainte-Croix?
The Domaine Joly-De Lotbinière, with its 1851 manor and gardens, the church completed in 1915 and the Petit Saut falls. In spring and fall, thousands of snow geese stop on the river’s tidal flats.
Where does the name Sainte-Croix come from?
It recalls the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on September 14, the day Father Jérôme Lalemant took possession of the seigneury in 1647. Residents are called San-cruciens and San-cruciennes.
How do I find an apartment for rent in Sainte-Croix?
Rental units managed by Lease Lane in Sainte-Croix 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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