A history rooted in the land
Musée de La Grande Ferme is housed in a stone residence built in 1866 on land that once formed part of the vast La Grande Ferme estate. The story, however, begins much earlier, with the first agricultural settlements at Cap Tourmente and nearly four centuries of life, work and change in Saint-Joachim.
Nearly four centuries of history
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1626
Samuel de Champlain establishes an early livestock farm at Cap Tourmente to help supply the young colony of Québec.
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1641
A first stone house is built on the site.
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1685
The first church of Saint-Joachim is built on the La Grande Ferme estate, making the site both an agricultural and community centre.
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1759
On August 23, during the Conquest, British troops attack Saint-Joachim. The church, homes, farms, fences and crops are burned.
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1866
The present stone house is built, creating the long residence that visitors see today.
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1975
The heritage value of La Grande Ferme is formally recognized.
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1979
La Grande Ferme becomes a museum devoted to preserving and sharing the history of the site.
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Today
The museum brings the past to life through exhibitions, guided visits, objects, archaeology, traditions and cultural programming.
A word from the Executive Director
Some places speak to us before we know every detail of their history. That is how I felt when I discovered La Grande Ferme: a place shaped by memory, by the gestures of earlier generations and by a landscape that still carries their traces. Our role today is to protect that heritage while making it alive, welcoming and meaningful for the people who visit us.
Help us keep history alive
Interested in volunteering at the museum? We would be pleased to hear about your interests and availability.
Contact us