Canadian town named Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! sparks curiosity and confusion
While passing the sign for Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! on a highway in Quebec, drivers and passengers are likely to do a double-take.
Situated around five hours northeast of Montreal, the Quebec municipality of Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! is famous for its unusual name. So unusual, in fact, that it’s in the Guinness World Records for having the most exclamation marks (a total of two) in a town name.
“There are very few geographical place names that officially feature an exclamation mark — the British town of Westward Ho! in Devon and, for a brief period in the 1980s, the town of Hamilton! in Ohio are two examples — but the only town with two exclamation marks in its name is the Canadian municipality of Saint-Louis-du-Ha!-Ha! in Quebec,” reads the entry.
The story behind the name
saintlouisduhaha.com
There are various versions of how the municipality got its name, but all of them can be tied to Lake Témiscouata, according to the municipality’s official website.
As one story goes, when explorers saw Lake Témiscouata from a certain height, they allegedly cried out, “Ah! Ah! Here is the lake!”
Another version of the tale tells of weary travellers who trekked along a forest called Portage Trail. Exhausted from their 35-mile journey, they cried out “Ah! Ah!” in surprise and delight at the sight of the lake.
Another theory is that “Ha! Ha!” is an expression of surprise in Hescuewaska Indian, which is also in reference to the view of the lake.
saintlouisduhaha.com
Despite the many versions of how the municipality got its name, the Quebec Toponymy Commission maintains that the real story behind the name is that “Le haha” is an archaic French word that refers to a dead end, a cul-de-sac, or an unexpected obstacle.
“However, 8 km east of the town, we find Lake Témiscouata, which makes a sharp curve to the northeast, thus forming a small bay,” states the site.
“Thus, the ancient voyageurs had to make an 80 km portage, this dead end, this haha, prohibiting the continuation of a journey by canoe. To do this, they were forced to borrow the territory on which the municipality of Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! was established.”
What to do in Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!
petit-temis.ca
According to Statistics Canada’s 2021 census, Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha! is home to 1,311, which is up from the previous total of 1,292 in 2016.
Whether you’re passing by or looking for things to do, the town has several tourist attractions worth checking out.
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There’s the Aster astronomical observatory, established in 1976, where you can learn about stars and planets and peer into a 400 mm telescope.
During warmer months, golf fans can practice their swing at the picturesque Témiscouata Valley Golf Club. You can also hike, walk, or bike along Petit Témis, an interprovincial linear park situated along rivers, forests, rest areas, and campsites. Camping du lac Dôle is also a popular camping spot where visitors can rent a cabin during the summer season.