Discover a place with 350 years of history to celebrate

Petite Nation, in the Outaouais region, is home to such gems as Parc Oméga, Fairmont Le Château Montebello and Kenauk Nature, an immense private nature reserve. This year, the historical seigneury of Petite Nation is actually celebrating its 350th anniversary, and for the occasion, the entire community has banded together to organize a host of activities highlighting important moments in the region’s history and development. Here are some of the festivities on the agenda!

A commemorative evening for the official kick-offs

Although many activities will take place as early as April, the big commemorative evening will be on Thursday, May 16. A show happening on the grounds of the Montebello church will mark the official kick-off to the celebrations, and will feature several artists, including Le Diable à Cinq, a popular local traditional folk band. The organizing committee invites everyone to attend and be part of history by joining in the fun! Performances start at 4:30 p.m. and are free of charge.

A grand celebration of heritage and local figures

In Petite Nation, the festivities will also mark the 25th Salon du patrimoine de l’Outaouais (Outaouais Heritage Fair), hosted by two history- and heritage-oriented organizations, the Réseau du patrimoine de Gatineau et de l’Outaouais and the Fédération Histoire Québec. The event will take place on May 18, 2024, starting at 9:30 a.m., under the honorary presidency of Michel Prévost, and will be held in the magnificent heritage church of Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecours, located on Principale Street in Montebello.

The public will have the opportunity to discover the services and projects of various local organizations and exhibitors, attend a series of lectures and book launches, and meet other history and heritage enthusiasts.

Commemoration of Denis-Benjamin Papineau

Another historical activity presented as part of Petite Nation’s 350th-anniversary celebrations is the day of commemoration of Denis-Benjamin Papineau, a founding father of the municipality of Papineauville. During a formal ceremony, the former town hall will be renamed “Édifice Denis-Benjamin-Papineau.” The event will take place on Saturday, May 18 at 11 a.m.

If you’re a historian at heart, you’ll want to take the opportunity to immerse yourself in the region’s past with a visit to the Manoir Papineau National Historic Site in Montebello – which reopens on May 18 – or the Musée des Pionniers (Pioneers’ Museum) in Saint-André-Avellin, home to hundreds of objects that bear witness to 19th-century traditions.