Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gravelbourg is a small, historically francophone town found in south central Saskatchewan. It is located within a well-trafficked corridor and is approximately 110 kilometres from Moose Jaw, Swift Current, and the United States border. The region served as a path for First Nations peoples many years ago, and was also integrated into the Redcoat Trail of the 19th century. Gravelbourg is now a key link on the 21st century Trans Canada Trail.

The town was for many years the cathedral city of the Roman Catholic diocese of Gravelbourg and there was a francophone bishop in residence. Pope John Paul II, however, suppressed the diocese in 1998. The parish church of Our Lady of the Assumption was at that time designated a "co-cathedral" of the archdiocese of Regina although in practical terms this has little real meaning.

The town has for the past four decades been principally noteworthy for College Mathieu, a francophone boarding school for boys and girls attracting students from throughout the southern part of the province who wish to acquire or retain fluency in French.