Saint-Jacques, Quebec, a rural municipality in the Lanaudière region of Canada, spans an area of 26 mi² (67.34 km²). This part of the Montcalm Regional County Municipality is home to approximately 4,300 residents. The region, founded in 1774 by 30 Acadian families from Boston, is known as the "Acadian cradle of Lanaudière." The Acadian families returned to Quebec by boat after a forced expulsion, a disturbance known in French as "Le Grand Dérangement," which began in 1755 and lasted until 1778.
The first removals, involving approximately 7,000 people, were from settlements around the Bay of Fundy in present-day Nova Scotia. The municipality was named Saint-Jacques-de-la-Nouvelle-Acadie to commemorate the Acadians' second pioneering effort. The settlers found key resources for living off the land, including hardwood for building homes and softwood for crafting furniture. The first houses in the municipality were built in 1768.
In 1772, the villagers of Saint-Jacques hired a priest and built their first church in 1775. Nine years later, they began cultivating tobacco, a crop so essential it is pictured on one of the four quadrants of the municipality's coat of arms. Other agricultural crops followed, including corn and grain, and the region saw the development of dairy farms, vegetable farming, mink farming, and maple trees. This led to the development of off-season industries and factories. Despite its success, the municipality remained quiet.
Today, Saint-Jacques is known for its snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and hiking. It is also a destination for fresh organic food enthusiasts and nature lovers who seek to stroll in picturesque lavender fields. The Parc des Cultures, which uses arts, horticulture, and ornament to memorialize the municipality's history, is a popular attraction. The park was recognized with four out of five Fleurons du Québec for its horticultural appeal between 2016–18.
The Maison de la Nouvelle-Acadie (Home of the New Acadia) is a small museum that traces the eight-part story of the Acadian arrival in Canada from 1604 to the foundation of Saint-Jacques in 1774. A mobile application is available for self-guided tours of the village's main sites, several of which are listed on both the Répertoire du patrimoine culturel du Québec and the Canadian Register of Historic Places.
The population of Saint-Jacques, Quebec, has grown significantly since its early days. From a population of 800 in 1895, the municipality now boasts a population of 4,300. The church and convent, once essential parts of the community, are now tourist attractions. The municipality's crops draw tourists in search of lush gardens, fruitful orchards, organic farms, sustainable pork, and an annual gourmet food festival, known as "Les Fêtes gourmandes de Lanaudière."
