Sainte-Agathe has no shortage of beautiful homes, in a variety of architectural styles. Along Préfontaine Street, you will notice many of them feature solariums. These structures recall the period when tuberculosis patients treated at the Sainte-Agathe Sanatorium* would continue their recovery in these houses, used as rest homes.
These covered rooms, called “cure porches,” were south-facing, which allowed patients to benefit from the sun’s warmth in winter as well as the fresh air of the great outdoors, believed to help cure the disease. There are no solariums facing north.
The presence of all those sick patients in public spaces prompted the municipal authorities to enact rules that, although they may bring a smile to your face today when you watch the accompanying video, were probably quite effective in preventing contagion.
Passing by, note the more modern annex to the rear of the CLSC (Pavillon Grignon), which was Sainte-Agathe’s first hospital (see Point 3 – Hôpital de la Providence).
*Optional detour to the former sanatorium
(Point 11, away from the main walking tour, a 1-kilometre return trip)
To get to the sanatorium from Préfontaine Street, walk half a kilometre north on Saint-Vincent Street.