is a delightful little community situated on the northern bank of the St. Lawrence River about 25 Km. east of Quebec City, and not far from Montmorency Falls which tumble over the Laurentide escarpment and empty into the St. Lawrence River. Opposite Chateau Richer is the Ile d'Orleans (island of Orleans).

Monument erected by the Cloutier Association commemorating the first home of Zacharie Cloutier and Sainte Dupont at Chateau Richer	Home of Zacharie Cloutier II in Chateau Richer
Main Street in Chateau Richer August 2004	Setting of Chteau Richer along the Shores of the St. Lawrence River

Originally the farms were long narrow lots fronting on the banks of the river giving each farmer good arable bottom land and access to the river for fishing, and transportation. The lots extended to the escarpment thus providing wooded areas, from which lumber and firewood could be obtained.

On the 3rd of February 1637 Zacharie Cloutier took possession of the fief of land in what is now Chateau Richer, as promised to them by Robert Giffard the Seigneur. They called their new fief, "La Clouterie". The sons of Zacharie along with other colonists were settled on the territory extending from the river at Petit Pre to the river at Chiens which became the future parish of Chateau Richer. The fief measured 693 arpents

Zacharie was not a farmer and really had no interest in farming. He was a master carpenter, in later years he was described as a 'bourgeois seigneur working as a master carpenter". The first generations of Cloutiers established themselves in Chateau Richer. The families of succeeding generations dispersed little by little throughout the province, eventually many leaving Quebec entirely.

Among the interesting buildings in Chateau Richer two are of particular note.in Chateau Richer was originally built by the Cloutiers in 1658, it was rebuilt in 1778 and finally replaced in 1865. Situated high on the bank of the escarpment overlooking the St. Lawrence, the original church was part of the Seigneury of Beaupre and was commissioned by Sieur Oliver Tardif. The church was and still is the site of numerous religious functions involving Cloutier families many still living in Chateau Richer today.

The second building is of equal interest. Located close to the bottom of the cliff on the Beaupre coast at the very eastern extreme of Chateau Richer is( the Cloutier House ). This old rustic residence is certainly one of the finest specimens of typical early French-Canadian architecture that can be found in Quebec. Originally it was the main house on what was known as the "Cloutier farm" that was in the family since 1676 when Jean Cloutier III bought it from Nicholas Vereul who had obtained it from Pierre Gagnon. Since that time it was owned by successive generations of Cloutiers being handed down from father to son for some 289 years. In 1965 it was finally sold by Adelard Cloutier the last owner of that name. It has subsequently been restored with provincial grants in the hope it will last for another 300 years.

In August 2004 the Annual Rassemblement of the Cloutier Family was held in Chateau Richer.  Pictured below is a composite of a few photos taken by D. Clutchey during the weekend festivities.  Of note is the former home of Zacharie Cloutier II which still stands proudly today.  The four persons standing in the photo middle right are: David Clutchey, Charles Cloutier, president of the Cloutier Association, Yvette(Cloutier) Belec and Ray Cloutier.    David, Yvette and Ray are all descendants of Michel- Pierre Cloutier who married Mie-Angelique Thibeault in 1753 and later married Catherine Paquet in 1767.  Ray is a descendant of the first marriage, Yvette and David a descendant of the second marriage.

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