Grande-Vallée, Quebec

Grande-Vallée is a municipality in the Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine region of the province of Quebec in Canada.

Its name (French for "Great Valley") describes its location in a large fertile valley through which the Grand Vallée River flows.

History
In 1691, Governor General Frontenac granted the area to François Hazeur, a prosperous merchant from Quebec City. The seignory, called La Grande-Vallée-des-Monts, stretched from Rivière-Magdeleine Seignory in the west to the Saint-Hélier portage in the east. It was inherited by Hazeur's son-in-law, Michel Sarrazin, a surgeon, biologist, and doctor of the King.

No colonization took place until the 1830s, when fishermen of Saint-Thomas-de-Montmagny occupied the place during the summer. In 1842, Alexis Caron and his family, also from Saint-Thomas-de-Montmagny, became the first permanent settlers. In 1846, the mission of Saint-François-Xavier-de-Grande-Vallée was founded. In 1872, the post office opened.

In 1927, the village was incorporated as a parish municipality, with Arthur S. Fournier as first mayor, although its status as parish municipality was not officially recognized until 1995. In 2005, Grande-Vallée changed its status from parish municipality to just municipality.

Communities
The following locations reside within the municipality's boundaries:
 * Grande-Vallée-des-Monts ( 49.17194°N, -65.18472°W ) – a hamlet located along Rivière de la Grande Vallée
 * L'Anse-à-Mercier ( 49.22667°N, -65.10222°W ) – a hamlet located on the Saint Lawrence River

Lakes & Rivers
The following waterways pass through or are situated within the municipality's boundaries:
 * Rivière de la Grande Vallée ( 49.22528°N, -65.1275°W ) – a river that empties into Anse de la Rivière de la Grande Vallée
 * Lac de la Confrérie ( 49.185°N, -65.10639°W ) – a small lake located 5 km southeast of Grande-Vallée village
 * Lac du Rocher ( 49.21917°N, -65.06306°W ) – a lake that lies just south of Route 132