Nestled in the Laurentian Mountains, 200 kilometres north of Montreal, lies the charming village of Nominingue, Quebec. Formerly known as Lac-Nominingue, the village changed its name on September 16, 2000. Today, it stands as a testament to the rich history and natural beauty of Quebec, Canada.
Nominingue is conveniently located along Route 117, between Mont-Laurier and Rivière-Rouge, and is in close proximity to the International Airport of Rivière-Rouge/Mont-Tremblant. The village is surrounded by dozens of picturesque lakes, including Petit and Grand Lac Nominingue, Lac des Grandes Baies, and Lac Sainte-Marie. It is also near the Papineau-Labelle Wildlife Reserve and Rouge-Matawin Wildlife Reserve, making it a haven for nature lovers.
The village was established in the late 1880s by pioneers sent by Curé Labelle to develop this mountainous and wild region. It was once the last station of the famous "P'tit train du Nord" (Little train of the North), until it was extended to Mont-Laurier in 1909. The former Canadian Pacific Railway station in Nominingue is now a small museum and rest stop for cyclists. Outdoor activities such as golf, disc golf, biking, fishing, and hunting are popular among locals and tourists alike.
The name Nominingue comes from an Algonquin word meaning "vermilion" or "red ochre", referring to a variety of red chalk found in the area.
The first settlers arrived in Nominingue in March 1883 from Montreal. By the following year, the village's first sawmill and flour mill were in operation. In 1884, the parish of Saint-Ignace-de-Loyola-de-Nominingue was established, served by Jesuits until 1891. The village's post office opened in 1887 under the name Nominingue.
On September 15, 1904, the Village Municipality of Nominingue was formed by separating from the Township Municipality of Loranger. This township was created on June 15, 1896, out of an unorganized area, and named after Louis-Onésime Loranger. The Municipality of Loranger-Partie-Sud-Est was founded on April 29, 1920, when it split off from the Township of Loranger. It was renamed the following year to Lacaille, after its first mayor, then in 1931 to Bellerive, and renamed again in 1962 to Bellerive-sur-le-Lac.
The Municipality of Lac-Nominingue was formed on October 30, 1971, through the amalgamation of the Village Municipality of Nominingue, the Township Municipality of Loranger, and the Municipality of Bellerive-sur-le-Lac. On September 16, 2000, it was renamed to Nominingue since there no longer was a Lake Nominingue (this lake was renamed shortly before to Grand lac Nominingue).
As of 2021, Nominingue is home to 1,176 residents, with a total of 1,937 dwellings. The mother tongue of the residents is predominantly French, with 94.8% of the population speaking it as their first language. English is the first language for 0.9% of the population, while 0.7% speak both English and French as their first language. Other languages make up 3.6% of the first languages spoken in Nominingue.
