Bécancour is proud to share with you its heritage, rich in the encounter between the First Nations, the inhabitants of New France and the Acadian people.
We're Julie Boulianne and Laurie Therrien, your real estate brokers in Bécancour. It's our pleasure to continue introducing you to this charming town in which we work on a daily basis. Bécancour is one of the province's oldest cities, after Québec (1608), Trois-Rivières (1634) and Montréal (1642). It was founded in 1647 under Louis d'Ailleboust, who was Governor of New France from 1645 to 1647, and again from 1648 to 1658.
Bécancour becomes a seigneury under Jacques Leneuf de La Poterie. In 1684, Pierre Robineau de Bécancour, 2nd Baron de Portneuf, gave it his name. He led an expedition against the Iroquois in 1696 to protect French missionaries and the Abenakis of the region that later became the state of Maine.
Arrival of the Abenakis
The Abenakis settled along the Bécancour River, formerly known as the Solinak River, in the early 18th century. The Marquis de Vaudreuil invited them to settle in New France following the massacre of their village. They had converted to Catholicism and were allies of the French and Acadians in the fight against the Iroquois and English.
Populated today by some 235 members, their territory is located along the Bécancour River in a place called Wôlinak, meaning "the river of long detours" in Abénaqui. They have preserved their language and traditions, and have a museum presenting their history and culture.
The Conseil des Abénakis de Wôlinak invites you to the Wôlinak Pow-Wow, a colorful annual family event featuring dances, songs, legends, crafts, musical performances, fireworks and more! It's an opportunity to experience special moments where Abenaki and Québécois aboriginal cultures meet.
Bec encore !
The name Bécancour has given rise to a delightful anecdote. A long time ago, an Amerindian couple were descending the Bécancour River when, suddenly, the man, driven by a love impulse as sudden as it was irresistible, planted a resounding kiss on his companion's lips. Surprised and delighted, she would have enjoyed the experience so much that she would have cried out: "bec encore", which became Bécancour by deformation and applied to the river, then to the municipality.
Source : toponymie.gouv.qc.ca
Discover Acadian customs, taste recipes and take part in lively activities. Tintamarre in the streets of Saint-Grégoire with the Drumline from École La Découverte. Enjoy an Acadian plate at the Ô quai des brasseurs microbrewery. A true return to the past (Source: SAPR).
Travel to Acadia... in Bécancour!
Discovering Acadia doesn't necessarily require a long trip to the Maritimes. Just set foot in the Saint-Grégoire area of Bécancour, where many Acadians settled in the mid-18th century. In August, celebrate National Acadian Day with the Société des Acadiens Port-Royal, Quai en Fête, Moulin Michel and Ô quai des brasseurs. Immerse yourself in the 1800s at the "Orsoude chez nous! Deviens Acadien itou!"
Industrial development
In the 19th century, several sawmills were built here, but they did not survive the Great Depression of the 1930s. Bécancour gradually lost its traditional rural and agricultural character in the 1960s, to the benefit of industrial growth. At the end of that decade (1968), a large industrial park and port were built, mainly to accommodate the metallurgical and steel industries.
Today, 26 companies occupy almost half (40%) of the park. These are mainly large multinationals in the electrometallurgy, electrochemistry and soybean oil production sectors, who have chosen this central location in the province. In total, over $3 billion has been invested in the construction of large-scale plants. Aluminerie de Bécancour alone accounts for over 1,000 jobs, or almost 45% of all jobs in the industrial zone. Bécancour is also renowned for having been home to Quebec's only nuclear power plant, Gentilly, which operated from 1972 to 2012 and is currently being dismantled.
With a surface area of 70 km2, the Bécancour industrial park is by far the largest contiguous industrial area in the province (Source: SPIPB).
There are also several old sawmills and a covered bridge of historic interest. The Raymond Bridge is located on the Route de la Seine in Bécancour, south of the village of Précieux-Sang. It crosses the Rivière Blanche, a tributary of the Rivière Bécancour (Source: Fralambert).
Patrimoine Bécancour
Bécancour is home to many heritage sites. The Patrimoine Bécancour organization was created in 2011 to ensure their preservation and to tell the story of the region's people and organizations. It does so through the following activities:
- Monthly conference evenings
- Culture Days
- About National Genealogy Week
- Exhibition on the history of the founding of the town of Bécancour
- Signs for the Jardin des marais tourist kiosk project
- Exhibition on the Sainte-Angèle quay
- Publication of a biannual electronic magazine entitled Mémoire d'ici
- Web Site
- And a Facebook page that counts more than half the population of Bécancour as fans!
Useful links
Find out more about Bécancour :
Trust Julie Boulianne and Laurie Therrien, our experienced brokers at Sutton Alliance, for a successful sale. Their mastery of the local market, their commitment and their customized strategies guarantee the best results for your house, condo or land.
They'll guide you every step of the way, from valuation to finalizing the sale, thanks to their solid network and negotiating skills. Opt for exceptional service with Julie and Laurie to make your real estate project a reality. Choose excellence at Sutton Alliance.