Dégelis, a city nestled in the Témiscouata Regional County Municipality within the Bas-Saint-Laurent region of Quebec, is a hidden gem waiting to be explored. With a population of 3,051 as per the Canada 2011 Census, this city is a perfect blend of history, culture, and natural beauty.
The city of Dégelis, located on the banks of the Madawaska River, owes its name to a unique physical phenomenon. A zone of the river in front of the village never freezes, a phenomenon known as a Dégelis in Old French. This term refers to a zone on the water free of ice, a local winter thaw, or an opening in the ice during the seasonal thawing.
The area corresponding to Dégelis was named Dégelé (English: thawed) in a report by Joseph Bouchette in 1815. Over the years, the spelling varied considerably, with clerical and administrative documents referring to the parish as Dégely, Ste. Rose Dégely, or (Sainte-Rose-du) Dégeli. The Catholic mission founded in 1860 took the name of "Sainte-Rose-du-Dégelé," and the municipality of the parish, officially created in 1885, kept the same name. In 1969, the name was shortened to Dégelis when the place received town status.
Dégelis is conveniently situated on Autoroute 85, also known as the Trans-Canada Highway, close to the Quebec-New Brunswick Border. It is located on the south slope of the St. Lawrence River, 290 kilometres southeast of Quebec and 500 kilometres southwest of Gaspé, near the border with New Brunswick. The city is in close proximity to Rivière-du-Loup, La Pocatière, Quebec, and Edmundston in New Brunswick. The territory of Dégelis covers an area of 562.84 square kilometres.
Founded in 1885 as Sainte-Rose du Dégelé, Dégelis has a rich history. Before its foundation, it served as a military fort used to defend Canada's border with the United States. From 1814 to 1823, four families of British soldiers lived in two locations in the territory of the current city. In 1839, the construction of the fort began on the current city of Dégelis. The small fort was part of a series of forts which included Fort Ingall. Soldiers and settlers inhabited the fort and its surrounding area, with some settlers remaining in the region after the Aroostook War.
As per the 2021 Census of Population conducted by Statistics Canada, Dégelis had a population of 2,884 living in 1,385 of its 1,518 total private dwellings, a slight increase from its 2016 population of 2,863. With a land area of 556.78 km2, it had a population density of 5.2/km2 in 2021. The mother tongue of most residents is, and has always been, French.
Dégelis, Quebec, with its rich history and beautiful landscapes, is a must-visit destination for those seeking a unique blend of culture and natural beauty.
