Church of Saint-Joachim

The first church in Saint-Joachim, located near the large farm of Cap Tourmente, was burned down by the troops of James Wolfe during the British conquest of 1759. The pastor and seven parishioners lost their lives in the tragedy.

A new church was built between 1771 and 1779 at the heart of the village, on the road connecting the key sites of the mill and the creamery. Today, this church has been classified as a historic monument. It owes its exceptional interior decoration to sculptor François Baillairgé and his son Thomas.

Photo: Current church of Saint-Joachim (Bergeron Gagnon inc, 2015. Inventaire du patrimoine bâti de la MRC de La Côte-de-Beaupré)

After the village was destroyed by Wolfe’s troops in 1759, the inhabitants of Saint-Joachim had no choice but to rebuild. They took advantage of the opportunity to adapt construction styles and locations to the local climate and environment.

The village centre was relocated farther inland to escape strong and humid winds, but remained close to the river. For a long time, the river was the only form of transportation between villages, and it was impossible to settle farther to the east given that the lands belonged to the Séminaire de Québec.

Picture: Village of Saint-Joachim (Coll. of Les Archives de la Grande Ferme).