Saint-Antoine, New Brunswick: History, Things to Do and Travel Guide
Saint-Antoine is a former village in New Brunswick, in the Acadian Coastal region. It is now part of the Town of Champdoré, a Kent County municipality created through New Brunswick’s 2023 local governance reform.
The clearest local details are Acadian settlement, the former Higho name, Saint-Antoine-l’Ermite Church, local parks and trails, and the memorial to Louis J. Robichaud, the first Acadian premier of New Brunswick.
How Saint-Antoine Started
Champdoré’s history page says Saint-Antoine was formerly known as Higho, Higho de Cocagne and Saint-Antoine-l’Ermite. It places the community’s documented settlement story more than 185 years back.
The Pioneer Monument was installed in 2010 at the site of the village’s first cemetery. Champdoré says the monument commemorates the builders who began arriving in 1833, giving Saint-Antoine a visible marker for its founding generation.
The church became a second major anchor. Champdoré identifies Église Saint-Antoine-l’Ermite as a local heritage place because it marked the permanent religious presence in the village. The large stone church was built in 1923 and remains one of the strongest visual landmarks connected to the old village core.
Saint-Antoine became an incorporated village in 1966. On January 1, 2023, the former village joined Sainte-Marie, Saint-Paul, Grand Saint-Antoine and parts of Wellington and Harcourt to form the new Town of Champdoré.
What Saint-Antoine Is Like Today
Saint-Antoine remains the main named community inside Champdoré. Statistics Canada recorded 1,791 people in the former Saint-Antoine village census subdivision in 2021, while Champdoré describes the larger post-reform municipality as having about 5,100 residents.
The community is Francophone, rural and close to larger service centres. Champdoré’s history page notes Saint-Antoine’s location north of Moncton and describes the former village as a place where people could live in the country while staying within reach of the city.
Tourism New Brunswick presents Saint-Antoine through community activities, multipurpose trails, two parks, a winter recreation centre and the Louis J. Robichaud memorial. That visitor identity is local rather than resort-scale.
Things to Do and Places Nearby
Start with the Saint-Antoine-l’Ermite Church area. The heritage listing gives the church its clearest historical value, and the 1923 stone building is one of the easiest ways to see how the village organized public life around parish institutions.
Look for the Pioneer Monument if you want the community’s early-settlement marker. It connects the modern town to the families and builders Champdoré dates to 1833.
Use Tourism New Brunswick’s Saint-Antoine listing for current visitor ideas. It points to trails, community parks, winter recreation and the Louis J. Robichaud monument, which honours a major New Brunswick political figure born in Saint-Antoine.
Quick Facts
- Province: New Brunswick
- Region: Acadian Coastal
- Community type: Former village within Champdoré
- Population: 1,791 in 2021
- Earlier names: Higho, Higho de Cocagne and Saint-Antoine-l’Ermite
- Main heritage landmark: Église Saint-Antoine-l’Ermite
- Historic incorporation: Village status in 1966
- Current municipal website: https://champdorenb.ca/
Travel Notes
Saint-Antoine is easiest by car. Route 115 is the main regional approach, with local roads leading through the former village and the larger Champdoré municipality.
For a short visit, keep the focus on the church, the Pioneer Monument, the Louis J. Robichaud memorial and one public trail or park. Confirm current recreation facilities and seasonal programming through Champdoré or Tourism New Brunswick before travelling.