St. Claude, an unincorporated community recognized as a local urban district, is nestled in the Rural Municipality of Grey within the Canadian province of Manitoba. This charming locale held village status until January 1, 2015, and has since continued to thrive as a vibrant community.
As per the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, St. Claude boasted a population of 625, residing in 262 of its 277 total private dwellings. This marked a 3.6% increase from its 2016 population of 603. With a land area of 1.84 km2 (0.71 sq mi), St. Claude had a population density of 339.7/km2 (879.8/sq mi) in 2021.
Located to the west of Winnipeg, St. Claude is home to the world's largest smoking pipe. It proudly holds the title of the dairy capital of Manitoba, housing one of the province's largest dairy processing plants. The community also features a dairy museum filled with intriguing artifacts, including a two-headed calf born over 120 years ago.
Despite its small size, St. Claude, Manitoba, offers a wealth of amenities and activities. The community boasts a bilingual library, two grocery stores, a curling rink, a skating rink, a Chinese food restaurant, two gas stations, and a clinic. The skating rink hosts public skating every Friday during the winter, adding to the community's vibrant spirit.
St. Claude also hosts a variety of events, including the annual Winter Carnival, the Summer Rodeo, and community-wide yard sales on the first Saturday in May.
One of the community's historical treasures is the Saint-Claude Gaol Museum (c. 1912), designated a municipal heritage site in 2005. This unique museum was featured in the 2006 film "One Week" starring Joshua Jackson. Locals often have their photos taken at the gaol and published in the local newspaper, The Gazette.
Education in St. Claude, Manitoba, is served by two schools. École communautaire Gilbert-Rosset is the community's French-speaking school, while Complexe Scolaire St. Claude School Complex is the community's bilingual school, educating the majority of students in St. Claude.
The community of St. Claude was named after Saint-Claude, Jura in France, reflecting the area's rich cultural heritage.
