La Doré, Quebec, a parish municipality nestled in the regional county municipality of Le Domaine-du-Roy and the administrative region of Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean, is a hidden gem in Canada. Known as Notre-Dame-de-la-Doré before 1983, this quaint town is situated along the banks of the Sauger River (Rivière au Doré), nestled between the Ashuapmushuan River and the Laurentian Mountains to the south, in the geographic township of Dufferin.
The history of La Doré, Quebec, dates back to 1882 when the Mission of Notre-Dame-de-la-Visitation-de-la-Doré was established. The village truly began to flourish in 1889 when settlers from Saint-Méthode, Saint-Félicien, Saint-Prime, and Lambton founded the Colony of Rivière-au-Doré. Despite a devastating fire in 1891, the village was rebuilt, showcasing the courage and determination of the pioneers. The Rivière-au-Doré Post Office opened the following year.
In 1904, the mission was elevated to the status of a parish, and in 1906, it was incorporated as the Parish Municipality of Saint-Félicien-Partie-Nord-Ouest. The name was changed to Notre-Dame-de-la-Doré in 1915, and in 1983, it was abbreviated to La Doré, a name that had become commonly used.
According to the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, La Doré, Quebec, had a population of 1,359 living in 610 of its 654 total private dwellings. This represented a slight decrease of -0.4% from its 2016 population of 1,365. With a land area of 288.55 km2 (111.41 sq mi), the population density was 4.7/km2 (12.2/sq mi) in 2021. The population trend over the years has been relatively stable, with the population in 2011 recorded as 1453, and in 2006 as 1454. The mother tongue of the population is predominantly French, with 100% of the population reporting it as their first language.
La Doré, Quebec, is known for its annual truck festival, the Festival des camionneurs de La Doré, which was first held in the summer of 1981. In 1991, the festival organizers introduced a snowmobile festival in January, the Rally des Loups de La Doré, which has evolved into a snow-cross competition sanctioned by the SCM.
Adding to the charm of La Doré, Quebec, is one of the oldest water-powered sawmills still operating in Quebec. The Moulin des Pionniers, dating back to around 1904, is a major tourist attraction and historic site for the village and region.
