“Atop this hill once grew cranberries” That’s what the name Chemin du Coteau-Rouge whispers. It’s a story etched into the very soil of Longueuil. Chemin du Coteau-Rouge isn’t just a street. It’s a timeline.
For centuries this road climbed a hillside overlooking the St Lawrence River. Its original name Chemin du Coteau-Rouge dates back to 1730. The “red hillside” referenced the vibrant red cranberries the Wendat people harvested there. The atocas as they called them painted the landscape a vivid crimson.
Imagine the scene in the 1700s. Farmers toiled the land. Their lives entwined with the rhythm of the seasons. The sweet tartness of the cranberries a familiar flavor. Chemin du Coteau-Rouge was their artery their connection to the bustling heart of what would become Longueuil.
But times change. In 1957 the name shifted to Boulevard Sainte-Foy. A rebranding effort to elevate the area’s image. Some say it was a necessary evil to shed the reputation of a “shantytown.” The writer and politician Jacques Ferron famously opposed the change. He valued the historical significance of the original name.
But history has a way of reminding us of its presence. In 2022 after much advocacy Chemin du Coteau-Rouge returned. The renaming marked not just a geographical change. It was a celebration of Longueuil’s rich past. A poignant reminder of its humble beginnings. It honored the enduring spirit of the community. The spirit of those who built their homes from nothing. The pioneers who carved a life from the red-hued hillside.
As you stand here today you stand on more than just a street. You stand on layers of history. You stand on a testament to perseverance. To a community that never forgot its roots. The cranberries may be gone. But their legacy lives on. In the very name Chemin du Coteau-Rouge.