Saint-Hilarion

Saint-Hilarion is a municipality of the regional county municipality (RCM) of Charlevoix, in the administrative region of the Capitale-Nationale, on the north shore of the Saint-Laurent River, in Quebec, Canada.

Saint-Hilarion is a picturesque locality, with a pleasant main village. Its economy is based on forestry, agriculture, services (municipality, Caisse Desjardins, elementary school) and certain recreational tourism activities (lodging, restaurants, outdoor activities). This locality can boast of being the heart of Charlevoix, being halfway between Baie-Saint-Paul (21 km) and La Malbaie (28 km).

Understand
In partnership with businesses and organizations, Tourisme Charlevoix and Baie-Saint-Paul City showcase the region's natural attractions (grandiose landscapes of valleys and mountains, its superb border of the river, its maritime space, its streams and bodies of water, its magnificent forests), its picturesque architecture, its regional history (in particular the astroblème of Charlevoix), its artistic and cultural life, as well as the products of the soil, the regional services and its artists and craftsmen. In addition, the community strives to perpetuate the reputation of Baie-Saint-Paul as the cultural capital of Charlevoix, Quebec and Canada.



History
The first inhabitants settled in Saint-Hilarion in 1792. The civil erection dates from 1855 and the canonical erection from 1864. At the beginning of colonization, agriculture and forestry were the main economic activities. The economy also developed thanks to several sawmills and a few cheese factories that were established there in the 19th century. A chapel was erected in 1851 and a first church in 1900. Built of field stones, the current church was erected in 1925.

Among its citizens who have distinguished themselves in society throughout its history, Saint-Hilarion counts Olivar Asselin (1874-1937), a renowned journalist. The landscapes of Saint-Hilarion serve as a backdrop for many painters, including those of the Group of Seven, including Alexander Young Jackson and Arthur Lismer, as well as Georges Pepper and Kathleen Daly.

The festivities of the 150th anniversary of the canonical foundation of the locality were celebrated in 2014.

Geography
Municipality located inland on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River; the closest point to the river is located from the shore. Thus, travelers on Route 138 will cross the bridge (altitude of 30 m) over the Rivière du Gouffre in Baie-Saint-Paul to head northeast via the Côte à Matou along the Ruisseau du Cap Martin. At the top of the hill, the place called Belley is located 280 m. Near Lac à la Mine, the altitude is 309 m. The hamlet of Saint-Hilarion-du-lac is 373 m away. The center of the village of Saint-Hilarion is at an altitude of 398 m. While the hamlet at Lac aux Bois Verts is 344 m. The place called La Gadelle (distanced from road 138) is 383 m away. Then, the altitude of Route 138 gradually decreases going towards Saint-Aimé-des-Lacs.

This territory has a few mountains: the mountain of the Cross (altitude: 506 m) located on the south side of the village, a mountain (465 m) in the Saint-Hilarion-Nord area, a mountain (422 m) on the west side of the lake in Marcel-Audet, and a mountain (446) in the hamlet of Saint-Hilarion-du-Lac. The municipality has three hamlets: Saint-Hilarion-Nord, Saint-Hilarion-du-Lac and the main village of Saint-Hilarion. The main lakes in this territory are: Lac à Marcel-Audet (north part), Lac aux Bois Verts, Lac Simard and Lac à la Mine (west part).

Built on a hill, the church overlooks the village and the surrounding plateau. The panorama of the village is splendid seen from Route 138 coming from La Malbaie, about 2 km before arriving at the village of Saint-Hilarion.

Geology
The center of the village of Saint-Hilarion is located from the north side of the summit of Mont Les Éboulements. The entire municipal territory is located in the heart of the crater of the Astroblème of Charlevoix.

Nearly 400 million years ago, the fall of a meteorite significantly modified the relief of Charlevoix, creating a crater 54 km in diameter; it is the eleventh largest identified impact site on earth. The impact zone would be located along the St. Lawrence River; 60% of the Astroblème covers the north shore of the river and 40% is located under the water of the river. The astrobleme begins on the southwest side a few kilometers west of Baie-Saint-Paul, up to Cap-à-l'Aigle, located on the east bank of the Malbaie River, in La Malbaie. The center of the astrobleme would be the Mont des Éboulements (summit at 768 m), formed by the effect of the raising of the bottom of the crater following the impact. Since this impact, the crater has been strongly metamorphosed under the effect of various erosion agents, making it more difficult to recognize its outline, particularly the part immersed in the St. Lawrence River. Consequently, experts define this ancient impact structure as the astrobleme. Inaugurated in 2014, an interpretation center dedicated to the Charlevoix astrobleme is open to the public; this interpretation center is housed in the former Club House of the Manoir Richelieu in La Malbaie.

The main earthquakes felt in Saint-Hilarion:
 * 1534, (IX on the Mercalli scale),
 * 1663, (IX on the Mercalli scale),
 * 1791, (VIII on the Mercalli scale),
 * 1870, (IX on the Mercalli scale),
 * 1925, (6.2 on the Richter scale),
 * 1988, (5.9 on the Richter scale).

By car

 * From Tadoussac (102 km, time: 1 hr 38 min), take the Tadoussac-Baie Sainte-Catherine ferry; take Route 138 (westbound) to the village of Saint-Hilarion.
 * From Quebec City (114 km, time: 1 hr 22 min), take Route 138 east to the village of Saint-Hilarion.

By bus

 * Operates a daily route between Baie-Comeau and Montreal including stops in Forestville, Tadoussac, Baie-Sainte-Catherine, Saint-Siméon, La Malbaie, Clermont, Saint-Hilarion, Baie-Saint-Paul, Saint-Tite-des-Caps, Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Boischatel, and Quebec City. Trips toward Baie-Comeau start from Quebec City and do not include a stop in Montreal.

Foods and Alcools



 * Others food products

Eat
Since March 2020, in the context of health measures resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, several restaurants or dining rooms in Charlevoix have transformed the mode of meals at the tables into take-out or by delivery service. In general, restaurateurs have shown great resilience by updating their website, integrating interactive and automated applications for remote orders, as well as displaying the menu, opening hours, their mode of operation (e.g., by reservation, car service), health measures required (e.g., vaccination record, mask, distanciation), other services (e.g ., caterer, shops, accommodation, access for the disabled, wi-fi, take-out, delivery), contact details and often the history of the restaurant or site. Considering the evolving context of the pandemic and government measures, it is recommended that customers obtain information from each establishment by consulting their respective website.

Communicate
The federal government installed additional communications infrastructure in La Malbaie (and along highways 138, 170 and 362 between Charlevoix and Quebec City) for the G7 Summit in 2018. These facilities were left in place afterwards, so cell phone and wireless internet connections are better than they were before.