Francophones

Willow Bunch is often regarded as the oldest Francophone settlement in southern Saskatchewan.

Several Francophone figures highlight its local history: Giant Edouard Beaupré who was born in Willow Bunch in 1881 and whose father was French Canadian, Jean-Louis Légaré, a fur trader who worked alongside Metis scouts to accompany Sitting Bull back to the United States, and Dr. Arsène Godin who became president of the provincial francophone association in 1915.

The Francophone presence in Willow Bunch dates back to the early 1870s, when missionaries and fur traders settled with the Metis community here. The region, then, was known as Talle de Saules, which was later translated to Willow Bunch.

Today, the Francophones de Talle de Saules Inc. operates a French Cultural Centre in Willow Bunch, promoting the rich heritage of French language and culture in our region. The French Cultural Centre is co-located with the Willow Bunch Museum in the historic convent built in 1914, a Heritage Property.

French Cultural Centre

For more information, please contact us at:

Francophones de Talle de Saules
Box 39
Willow Bunch, SK
S0H 4K0
Phone: 306-473-2856
Email: click here to email