# Saint-Jérôme

Saint-Jérôme is a city of 68,000 people (2011) in Laurentides region of Quebec. It is considered a gateway to the Laurentian Mountains and its resorts via the Autoroute des Laurentides (Autoroute 15/AR15).

## Understand

The town is named after Saint Jerome (ca. 347 – September 30, 420), a church father best known as the translator of the Bible from Greek and Hebrew into Latin. His translation is known as the Vulgate.
* Tourist information (Bureau d'Accueil Touristique), 160, rue de la Gare, ☏ +1 450-432-0767. Mid-May to early June: Sa Su 11:00-17:00; early Jun to mid-Aug: daily 10:00-18:00; mid-Aug to mid-Oct: Sa Su 11:00-17:00. (updated Jul 2019)

### History

The territory where the present city of Saint-Jérôme now stands was granted in 1752 by the marquis de la Jonquière, governor of New France, as the seignory of Augmentation des Mille-Iles (literally "enlargement" of the seignory of Mille-Iles). From the 1760s to the 1840s, the seignory was owned by the Dumont and Lefebvre de Bellefeuille families, living in the town of Saint-Eustache, 25 km (16 mi) to the south. The Dumonts and the Lefebvres conceded the farmland to colonists coming mostly from the region lying north of Montreal. The emerging town was then known under the name of Dumontville. The Catholic parish of Saint-Jérôme was constituted in 1834 and the village was constituted in 1845 by Governor Metcalfe.
François-Xavier-Antoine Labelle, a Roman Catholic priest who was the great "colonizer" (promoter of settlement) of the North of Montreal, was in charge of the pastoral administration of Saint-Jérôme of 1868 until his death, in 1891. Eight years after his arrival, he had a railway built linking Saint-Jérôme and Montreal. The opening of roads and the arrival of a railway became essential with the development of the small communities in the Laurentians. These transportation routes for the movement of goods and people would ensure the establishment of trade and industry. The railway was seen as a way to meet the needs for firewood and construction materials for urban centres like Montreal and Quebec.

## Get in

It is about 45 km (28 mi) northwest of Montreal on the Rivière du Nord.

### By car

Highways serving Saint-Jérôme
* Autoroute 15 (Autoroute des Laurentides), a freeway, which continues north to Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, before combining into Route 117.
* Route 117 is part of a branch of the Trans-Canada Highway, that starts from its interchange with Autoroute 40 (Trans-Canada Highway's main route) in Montreal, which becomes Highway 66 in Ontario. Highway 66 ends as part of the Trans-Canada Highway about 14 km west of Kirkland Lake, where Highway 66 intersects with Highway 11, which is another branch of the Trans-Canada Highway.
* Route 158 travels east and west. Travelers can reach Saint-Jérôme heading west from Joliette and heading west from Lachute. If traveling east, a better option is to take Autoroute 50, a freeway, which starts in Gatineau, then travel 8 km north on Autoroute 15 to reach Saint-Jérôme.

### By train

* Exo, toll-free: +1-833-255-6396. Operates commuter trains in the Montreal area. (updated May 2022) Operates a route between Montreal and Saint-Jérôme including stops in Laval, Blainville, and Mirabel. Service is available daily, though on Saturdays and Sundays, the service only travels between Laval and Saint-Jérôme. Transfers from Montreal's Metro are available at Montreal's Lucien-L'Allier station (weekday rush hours only), Vendôme (weekday rush hours only) station and Parc station (weekdays only), and Laval's De la Concorde station (every day). Travel time to Saint-Jérôme from Lucien-L'Allier station is 1 hour 25 minutes, from Parc station is 1 hour, and from De la Concorde station is 40 minutes. There are 13 departures in each direction from Monday to Friday, and 6 departures in each direction on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.

### By bus

The bus station in this city is served by bus routes operated by Exo, the neighbouring transit agency CRT Lanaudière, and the following private intercity bus companies:
* Autobus Galland, ☏ +1-450-687-8666, toll-free: +1 877-806-8666. Operates bus service in Quebec. (updated May 2022) Operates bus service between Mont-Laurier and Montreal and including stops in Mont-Tremblant, Saint-Jérôme, Mirabel, and Laval. Travel time to Saint-Jérôme from Mont-Laurier is 3.25 hours, from Mont-Tremblant is 1.5 hours, and from Montreal is 1.25-1.75 hours.
* Autobus Maheux, toll-free: +1-866-863-6066, service_client@autobusmaheux.com. Operates bus routes within Quebec with some connections to Ontario. (updated May 2022) Operates a bus route between Rouyn-Noranda and Montreal including stops in Val-d'Or, Grand-Remous, Mont-Laurier, Mont-Tremblant, Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, Saint-Jérôme, and Laval. Travel time from Rouyn-Noranda is 7.75 hours, from Val-d'Or is 5.75-6 hours, and from Grand-Remous is 3-3.25 hours. Stops between Mont-Laurier and Montreal are drop off only on the way to Montreal and pick up only on the way to Rouyn-Noranda.

## See

* 45.778056-74.00251 Cathedral of Saint-Jérôme, 355 Place du Cure-Labelle. M-F 13:00-16:30, M-Sa 08:30-12:00. It was built in 1897 in neo-classical style. It is 24.6 m high, 76.9 m long and 30.7 m wide. The large atrium is below the Casavant organ. Fence pink fence is lined with windows, made in France. Delphis-Adolphe Beaulieu created the grouped windows. In 1908, he added a transversal way to church. It includes a small museum. (updated Jul 2019)
* Vieux-Palais, 584 Rue du Palais. Modern art museum and public library. (updated Jul 2019)
* Musée d'art contemporain des Laurentides, 101, Place du Cure-Labelle, ☏ +1 450-432-7171. Tu-Su 12:00-17:00. (updated Jul 2019)
* Statue of Antoine Labelle, 349 Labelle Street. Known as curé Labelle, he was principally responsible for the settlement of the Laurentians. (updated Jul 2019)

## Do

* Route verte cycling path. Saint-Jérôme is an important stop on the north-south trunk of the "route verte" cycling path from Blainville on the outskirts of Montreal to the south, and Mont-Tremblant to the north. The path never shared the road with a motorized vehicle. North of Saint-Jérôme, the trail is known as the "P'tit Train du Nord" linear park (rail trail) and is also used as a cross-country ski trail in winter. (updated Jul 2019)
* Centre de Ski de Fond Gai-Luron, 2155, Montee Sainte-Therese. Trails for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing & fatbiking. Equipment rentals. Cross-country skiing daily rate (M-F/Sa Su): adult $18/$20, 13-17 years old $14/$16, 5-12 years old $5/$5; snowshoeing and fatbiking rates are less. (updated Jul 2019)
* Several summer festivals
* Melançon Arena, an indoor arena

## Buy

* Carrefour du Nord, 900 Boulevard Grignon,. M Tu 10:00-18:00, W-F 10:00-21:00, Sa 09:00-17:00, Su 10:00-17:00. A regional shopping mall with a Canadian Tire. (updated Jul 2019)

## Eat

* Boeuf Cochon, 255 Martigny Ouest, ☏ +1 450-436-9008. M-W 11:00 - 22:00, Th F 11:00 - 23:00, Sa 14:00 - 23:00, Su 14:00 - 22:00. Steakhouse and bar. Pasta, seafood and chicken also available. Burgers and sandwiches $14-18, steaks $26-135. (updated Jul 2019)
* Restaurant Chez Johnny, 603 Rue St-Georges, ☏ +1 450-436-1339. M-Th Sa 08:00 to 01:00, F 08:00 to 02:00, Su 09:00 to 00:00. Diner since 1945. Burgers, sandwiches, omlettes. (updated Jul 2019)
* La Conquistadora, 549 rue Saint-Georges, ☏ +1 450-592-2660. Tu-Su 11:00-15:00; Tu-Th Su 17:00-20:00, F 17:00-21:00, Sa 17:00-22:00. Mexican and Salvadoran cuisine. (updated Jul 2019)

## Drink

* Microbrasserie Dieu du Ciel, 259 de Villemure Street, ☏ +1 450-436-3438. M-Th 11:30 to 02:00, F 11:30 to 03:00, Sa 14:00 to 03:00, Su 14:00 to 01:00. Microbrewery pub with full menu. (updated Jul 2019)

## Sleep

* Camping Lac Lafontaine Cottage & RV Resort, 1100 Boulevard du Grand Héron, ☏ +1 450-431-7373. 357 campsites. Serviced sites: 15-, 30- and 50-amp. Cabins. Swimming lake with beach, heated swimming pool, splash pad, children's playground, beach volleyball, shuffleboard, arcade & pool table, horseshoe pits and petanque, pedalo & kayak, Wi-Fi. Cyclists welcome. Community centre, restaurant and convenience store. Planned events & activities throughout the season. Late Jun to early Sep: tent $37, serviced sites $42-58. (updated Jul 2019)
* Motel La Cheminee, 2374 Boulevard du Curé-Labelle, ☏ +1 450-438-4175. Breakfast included, landscaped gardens, walking trails. $98-160. (updated Jul 2019)
* Best Western Hotel St. Jerome, 420 Monseigneur-Dubois Boulevard, ☏ +1 450-438-1155, toll-free: +1-800-780-7234. Breakfast included, Wi-Fi, pool, fitness centre, fridge in room, wheelchair accessible rooms. From $136. (updated Jul 2019)