Repentigny, QC
Sitting between the L'Assomption and Saint Lawrence Rivers, Repentigny is a suburb of Montreal that sits just to the northeast of it. It is Quebec’s 13th largest city, though in the past it had a very small population, with the 1677 census showing only 30 residents. Today, there are over 80,000 people living in the city, most of which commute to Montreal for work. It merged with neighbouring Le Gardeur in 2002, which made the population increase by around 70 percent.
Repentigny is linked to Montreal by the Le Gardeur and Charles-De Gaulle bridges, as well being connected to its Central Station by commuter rail. This makes it an attractive city for those that don’t want to live right in Montreal, but want to be close enough to it to enjoy its culture, nightlife and attractions. Still Repentigny has a unique heritage all on its own, with most sites sitting right along the riverfront, like Parc de l'Île-Lebel and Moulin Antoine-Jetté. Also be sure to try the local delicacy Sieur de Legardeur cheese, which is made in a factory in the Le Gardeur neighbourhood.
In terms of living, Repentigny’s downtown area is the trendiest area to live in, though places closet to the rivers are the most expensive due to their fabulous views. As well, education is extremely good in the city, with a couple of schools being open for over 50 years. Repentigny is also home to the third largest secondary school in the province. It should be noted that schools in the city are Francophone, so your children should be well-versed in French.
One fantastic reason why Repentigny is such a fascinating city is its annual events. Of these, most Repentigny residents will say that the winter Festival de Feu et de Glace, Festival l'Oktoberfest des Québécois in the fall and the summer’s Rendez-Vous Estival are by far the best, although there are plenty of others. There are also a few place to visit in the city, including the iconic Notre-Dame-des-Champs Church, the Diane-Dufresne Art Centre and the Public Art Gardens. When you are not working, there are plenty of things to do in Repentigny in your spare time, like fishing, cycling, swimming and ice skating.
Parc Des Artisants
