The village started with a counter. In 1892, Louis Beaulieu dit Montpellier opened a post office and general store for settlers scattered between Ripon and Chénéville, and the name stuck. Moïse Faubert moved in soon after with his 16 children. Logging came first, though: in 1882 the W.C. Edwards company set up camp at Lac du Rat Musqué, and log drivers ran timber down through what everyone called “lac à Schraire,” today’s Lac Schryer. The municipality itself dates from 1920.
These days Montpellier runs on forest, lakes and cottage traffic, and has for about fifty years. Route 315 cuts through the village. Rue Principale has the grocery store, the garage, the motel and the snack bar, and in winter the snowmobiles and ATVs ride right in off the trails. The rest of the territory is mostly bush, hills and water.
What makes Montpellier
Lac Croche recreation site
Fourteen kilometres out along Chemin de la Baie-de-l’Ours. A wood-heated day lodge, more than 30 km of trails, a stocked lake in summer and ice fishing in winter.
Papineau-Labelle wildlife reserve
Over 700 lakes, lake-to-lake canoe camping and fall hunting. It’s a big part of why cottagers have been coming here for decades.
Lac Schryer
The old log drivers’ lake, named after the camp foreman. There’s a campground on its shore now, with seasonal sites.
Medieval festival and Festiv’Arts
Two events that get the whole village out. The Festival médiéval de Montpellier is aimed at kids and grown-ups alike.
Free gear at the library
The Montpellier library is a Circonflexe lending point, so you can borrow sports and outdoor equipment for free instead of buying it.
A few local businesses in Montpellier
- Marché Faubert · grocery and butcher · 33 Rue Principale
Butcher counter, bakery, ready meals, an SAQ outlet and a Canada Post counter in one store. The house-made pies come up most in Google reviews. - Mécanique Avantage · auto repair · 52 Rue Principale
General repairs, tires, brakes, suspension and steering, part of the Tech-Net network. One review tells of a traveller fixed up without an appointment and back on the road. - Restaurant Au Vieux Fanal · snack bar · 3 Rue Principale
Poutine, burgers, hot chicken, spaghetti, plus breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays. - Refuge Boréal · motel · 32 Rue Principale
A renovated motel in the village with room for trailers and direct snowmobile and ATV trail access to the parking lot. - Club de golf Montpellier Lac-Simon · 18-hole golf course · Chemin Stéphane-Richer
A par-72 course along Lac Simon, with a restaurant, tournaments and mixed nights on Wednesdays. - Camping Montpellier · campground and cabins · Montée Lafontaine
107 acres with a river, a waterfall and beaches, 11 km of bike trails and 5 km of hiking. Two cabins, Le Rustique and Le Zen, rent year-round. - Camping au Lac Schryer · campground · 78 Montée Lafontaine
Seasonal and overnight sites looking out on the lake, with fishing and a beach. - Salon beauté Fanny · beauty salon · 30 Rue Principale
Nails, lashes and pedicures right in the village.
Getting found in Montpellier
Friday night, Route 315 fills up with people from Ottawa, Gatineau and Montreal heading to the cottage. They’re on their phones: is the grocery store still open, is there an SAQ, where can we eat when we get in. In winter it’s snowmobilers looking for a motel on the trail. In summer it’s golfers looking for a tee time. A lot of businesses here only have a Facebook page, Google hours that don’t match the door, and nothing in English. What we’d do: a complete, verified Google profile, a simple site in French and English with hours, menu or services written as text (not pictures), and a phone number you can tap. We live in the village, so we can come take the photos ourselves.
Montpellier has a population of 1,269 (2026), according to the Quebec government's population order.
Petite Nation Numérique is not affiliated with the municipality or the MRC; this information comes from public sources.
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DetailsFrequently asked questions
Are you actually based in Montpellier?
Yes. Petite Nation Numérique has been based in Montpellier since 2025. If your business is in the village or around the lakes, we can meet at your place, a few minutes down the road.
My business has a Facebook page. Isn’t that enough?
For regulars, often it is. But someone searching “grocery Montpellier” or “snowmobile motel Petite-Nation” sees Google’s listing and websites first. Facebook helps, it just doesn’t replace those.
Do I really need English here?
Plenty of the cottages and campsites around here host people from Ontario. Even a short English page with your hours and services saves you calls and keeps customers from driving past.
Do you come to Montpellier?
Yes. We are based in Montpellier and meet clients in person anywhere in the MRC de Papineau, including Montpellier. We can also work entirely online.
My business is small. Is an online presence worth the investment?
Yes, particularly in a rural region. A complete Google profile and a simple site are often enough to stand out from competitors who aren't online. We start with what pays off most for your budget.