Berthier-sur-Mer

{{Infobox settlement

| name = Berthier-sur-Mer

| settlement_type = Municipality

| image_skyline = Vue aérienne de Berthier-sur-Mer (1).jpg

| image_caption = Aerial view of Berthier-sur-Mer

| motto = Sur terre et sur mer, Berthier toujours plus fier

| image_shield = Blason ville ca Berthier-sur-Mer.svg

| shield_size = 100x80px

| image_map = Berthier-sur-Mer Quebec location diagram.png

| map_caption = Location within Montmagny RCM

| pushpin_map = Canada Southern Quebec

| pushpin_map_caption = Location in province of Quebec

| pushpin_label_position=

| coordinates = {{coord|46|55|N|70|44|W|region:CA-QC|display=inline,title}}

| coor_pinpoint =

| coordinates_footnotes =

| subdivision_type = Country

| subdivision_name = {{CAN}}

| subdivision_type1 = Province

| subdivision_name1 = {{QC}}

| subdivision_type2 = Region

| subdivision_name2 = Chaudière-Appalaches

| subdivision_type3 = RCM

| subdivision_name3 = Montmagny

| established_title1 = Constituted

| established_date1 = July 1, 1855

| government_footnotes =

| leader_title = Mayor

| leader_name = Richard Gallibois

| leader_title1 = Fed. riding

| leader_name1 = Montmagny—L'Islet—
Kamouraska—Rivière-
du-Loup

| leader_title2 = Prov. riding

| leader_name2 = Côte-du-Sud

| area_footnotes =

| area_total_km2 = 26.85

| area_land_km2 = 26.85

| population_footnotes =

| population_total = 1744

| population_as_of = 2021

| population_density_km2= 65.0

| population_blank1_title= Pop 2016-2021

| population_blank1 = {{increase}} 12.2%

| population_blank2_title= Dwellings

| population_blank2 = 939

| timezone = EST

| utc_offset = −5

| timezone_DST = EDT

| utc_offset_DST = −4

| postal_code_type = Postal code(s)

| postal_code = G0R 1E0

| area_codes = 418 and 581

| blank_name = Highways
{{jct|state=QC|TCH|20}}

| blank_info =
{{jct|state=QC|QC|132}}

| website = {{Official URL}}

}}

Berthier-sur-Mer ({{IPA|fr|bɛʁtje syʁ mɛʁ}}, {{lit|Berthier on Sea}}) is a town in the Montmagny Regional County Municipality within the Chaudière-Appalaches region of Quebec, Canada. It is located on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, east of Quebec City on Route 132.

History

Berthier-sur-Mer was named after Alexandre Berthier, a captain in the Carignan-Salières Regiment, who was given title to this area in 1672. A year later, Berthier acquired another concession in the Lanaudière region, and his seignories became known as Berthier-en-bas (Lower Berthier) and Berthier-en-Haut (Upper Berthier, now Berthierville).

In 1722, the Parish of Notre-Dame-de-l'Assomption-de-Bellechasse was created, but the place was called Berthier-en-bas in common use. In 1845, the Parish Municipality of Berthier en bas was formed, dissolved in 1847, and reestablished in 1855.{{cite web |title=Répertoire des entités géopolitiques: Berthier-sur-Mer (municipalité) 1.7.1845 - 1.9.1847 ● 1.7.1855 - ... |url=https://www.mairesduquebec.com/mairesduquebec/munic.php?id=2051 |website=www.mairesduquebec.com |publisher=Institut généalogique Drouin |access-date=14 May 2025}}

On August 29, 1971, the parish municipality was renamed to Berthier-sur-Mer, following the local practice of referring to the St. Lawrence River as a sea at this point due to its increasing width, tides, and salinity. On February 7, 2004, it changed statutes and became a regular municipality.

Demographics

{{Canada census

|location = Berthier-sur-Mer

|2021_population=1,744 | 2021_pop_delta=+12.2 | 2021_land_area=26.85 | 2021_pop_density=65.0

|2021_median_age=49.6 | 2021_median_age_m=48.4 | 2021_median_age_f=50.4

|2021_total_pvt_dwell=939 |2021_occ_pvt_dwell=789 |2021_mean_hh_income=82,000

|2021_geocode=2021A00052418065 | 2021_access_date=2023-10-19

|2016_population=1,555 | 2016_pop_delta=11.2 | 2016_land_area=26.92 | 2016_pop_density=57.8

|2016_median_age=50.3 | 2016_median_age_m=50.3 | 2016_median_age_f=50.4

|2016_total_pvt_dwell=892 | 2016_mean_hh_income=70.336 | 2016_access_date=2022-08-24

|2011_population=1,398 |2011_pop_delta=12.8 |2011_land_area=26.79 |2011_pop_density=52.2

|2011_median_age=49.7 |2011_median_age_m=49.8 |2011_median_age_f=49.6

|2011_total_pvt_dwell=791 |2011_mean_hh_income=57,955 |2011_access_date=2022-08-24

|notes=

}}

{{Historical populations

|title = {{Nowrap|Historical census populations –}} Berthier-sur-Mer

|align = none

|cols = 3

|footnote =

|source = Statistics Canada{{cite report |title=Eighth Census of Canada 1941 - Volume II - Population by Local Subdivisions |id=CS98-1941-2 |date=1944 |publisher=Dominion Bureau of Statistics}}{{cite journal |title=1971 Census of Canada - Population Census Subdivisions (Historical) |journal=Catalogue 92-702 Vol I, part 1 (Bulletin 1.1-2) |date=July 1973 |pages= |publisher=Statistics Canada}}

| 1871 |1411

| 1881 |1352

| 1891 |1152

| 1901 |1080

| 1911 |928

| 1921 |961

| 1931 |880

| 1941 |981

| 1951 |872

| 1956 |892

| 1961 |899

| 1966 |970

| 1971 |1041

| 1976 |1141

| 1981 |1179

| 1986 |1216

| 1991 |1135

| 1996 |1227

| 2001 |1307

| 2006 |1239

| 2011 |1398

| 2016 |1555

| 2021 |1744

}}

Geology

A strip of rather interesting underlying sedimentary bedrock maintains a relatively straight shoreline through which a natural harbour, quite round in shape, has been eroded. The bedrock is set at about a 60 to 80° angle and is composed of hundreds of very thin layers of red shale interspersed every meter or so with {{Convert|5|to|10|cm|in}} layers of what appears to be limestone. It is quite dramatic in places where it hasn't been worn down by human activities.