Sainte-Marthe, Quebec: History, Things to Do and Travel Guide
Sainte-Marthe is a Vaudreuil-Soulanges countryside municipality in Quebec’s Montérégie region, on the south side of Mont Rigaud. The community is agricultural, maple-rich and close enough to Montréal for an easy rural outing, yet it still feels like a rang-road village.
A first visit should connect the village, church heritage, maple country, equestrian landscape and tourism stops promoted through Vaudreuil-Soulanges.
How Sainte-Marthe Started
The municipality’s portrait says Sainte-Marthe formed as a municipality on July 1, 1855, with the first council meeting on August 6 of that year. It also notes that the parish was founded in 1844 and canonically erected in 1846, taking the name Sainte-Marthe in relation to the neighbouring parish of Saint-Lazare.
The local village later sought incorporation. The portrait records a rejected request in 1925, a second request in 1926 and the proclamation of the village corporation on March 13, 1928. Those steps explain the strong village-and-rural split in a municipality otherwise shaped by farms, church life and maple stands.
What Sainte-Marthe Is Like Today
Sainte-Marthe had 1,014 residents in the 2021 census. The municipality says it covers about 80 square kilometres on the south slope of Mont Rigaud, belongs to the MRC de Vaudreuil-Soulanges and has an economy mainly based on agriculture.
Tourisme Vaudreuil-Soulanges adds the visitor angle: Sainte-Marthe has about a dozen equestrian centres, maple products, Auberge des Gallant, hiking and biking trails, an alpaca farm and occasional polo activity. Those details make the municipality more than a drive through farm country; it is a practical rural outing when farm businesses and trail conditions line up.
Things to Do and Places Nearby
Start with the village and church area. The Conseil du patrimoine religieux du Québec records the Sainte-Marthe church at 564 rue Principale, built between 1862 and 1866, with related site elements including a presbytery, calvary, cemetery and outdoor Stations of the Cross.
For food and rural travel, use the Vaudreuil-Soulanges tourism page to confirm current options around Auberge des Gallant, maple businesses, farm stops, riding centres and seasonal itineraries around Mont Rigaud.
Ruisseau Bellefeuille, Ruisseau Bernard and Ruisseau Campeau are useful map references, but the better public plan is village heritage, farm scenery, signed tourism businesses and posted trail access.
Quick Facts
- Province: Quebec
- Region: Montérégie
- Municipality type: municipality
- 2021 census population: 1,014
- Official website: sainte-marthe.ca
- Main setting: south slope of Mont Rigaud, farms, maple stands, village streets and equestrian roads
- Good for: maple products, rural drives, church heritage, equestrian stops, farm visits and Mont Rigaud outings
- Key routes: Vaudreuil-Soulanges local roads, rang roads and Mont Rigaud tourism loops
Travel Notes
Check reservations and opening hours for farms, maple stops, riding centres, restaurants and Auberge des Gallant before arrival. Many visitor services are seasonal or schedule-based.
Rural roads can be busy with farm vehicles, cyclists and event traffic. Use daylight for rang-road touring and keep roadside stops away from field entrances and private lanes. Winter and sugaring-season visits can be rewarding, but reservations and weather checks matter more than in a dense urban destination.