Our gathering started well, it was a perfect day with sunshine, smiles and warm embraces.
After our general meeting which reinstated the members of the Board, Suzanne immersed us in the history of the region where her third great-grandfather Wilbrod Demers built and operated a sawmill as well as a flour mill in St Casimir (see her full presentation here).
Before the lunch break we browsed the stalls of the small public market set up like a party event in this beautiful corner of Quebec. A terrace in the gardens of a restaurant, an ancient general store, an antique dealer, a bakery and a creamery all this to delight us. Then the lunch boxes pleased those who stayed inside rather than eating on the grounds because the sun was scorching hot.
In the afternoon, a young guide showed us around St-Joseph de Deschambault’s Church. Its architect was Thomas Baillargé. Louis Jobin is responsible for its beautiful sculptures. The organ is a Warren & Son, the organist could choose to feed the pipes either via the electric blower or with the manual pump. The year 1837 is engraved in the stone above the church.
Our guide then took us to an old building, the old rectory, preserved from demolition by the parishioners. It houses an exhibition of photos of old houses and their evolution over time from the beginning of the settlement until the 20th century.
Then we went to the Moulin de la Chevrotière, a beautiful mill where there is an exhibition of contemporary art on the theme of homelessness. The restoration of this mill was a training site dedicated to the transmission of traditional know-how related to construction trades.
Back in the hall, Marie Demers explained her project to create a historical museum at the Etchemin house in Lévis located on the land of the ancestor Jean Demers. Then Maurice paid tribute to Jean-Marc Demers as our second Member of the Demers “Hall of Fame” and our President Andrée presented the official certificate.
This beautiful day ended with a good meal and lots of chatting. Inspired by what is done for the Olympics, Maurice and Suzon screened their short video to launch Montebello’s bid for the next gathering in 2024. Dear cousins, I look forward to seeing you at our next meeting!

Suzanne Demers