Rigaud, Quebec - Definition

Rigaud is a municipality in southwestern Quebec, Canada in Vaudreuil-Soulanges at the junction of the Ottawa River (Riviere des Ouatouais) and the Rigaud River. It is the farthest western suburb of Montreal. The commuter train to downtown Montreal starts at the Rigaud station.

Its main attraction is Mont-Rigaud, a small mountain with downhill ski runs, a private school (Collège Bourget), a monestary, and a shrine dedicated to the Virgin Mary (Sanctuaire Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes). The mountain is also home to an unusual, natural rock garden known as the "champs de patates", so named because of the local legend that it was once a potato field, turned to stone by God because the farmer worked on the Sabbath. Also located in Rigaud is a training center for the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency.

According to the 2001 Statistics Canada Census:

• Population: 6,095
• % Change (1996 – 2001): 0.6
• Dwellings: 2,666
• Area (sq. km.): 99.08
• Density (persons per sq. km.): 61.5

Communities

• Dragon
• Rigaud