Des ExplorateursGatineau
A neighbourhood of 31,128 in Gatineau. Gatineau is split into 17 neighbourhoods, and this is one.
Is Des Explorateurs a good place to live?
Des Explorateurs’s grades pull in different directions. Walkability is its strong suit (A). Natural hazards weigh more here (D). Cost of living is weaker too (C+). The overall grade comes out at B−, #341 of 499 in Quebec. That leaves it better than just over half of Canadian towns. The rest of its grades are middling: B− for safety, B for health and B for jobs & income.
Rents here are the metro area's average, shared by every town and neighbourhood in it. Safety less sure: this is the whole city's figure, because the city doesn't publish open neighbourhood crime rates. No School Grade: this province doesn't publish comparable results school by school. Health is graded on the health region's survey figures and life expectancy, with the distance to hospital giving the town its own spread.
How Des Explorateurs grades
Each subject compares Des Explorateurs with Canadian towns of 2,500 or more, ordered by how far it is from the middle. Towns in other countries are graded separately.
How TownRatings grades Canadian towns →
What makes Des Explorateurs stand out
The 3 things Des Explorateurs does most differently from other towns.
The data
Data highlights are ordered by what stands out in Des Explorateurs.
Des Explorateurs gets a D for hazard risk
Source area for earthquake risk: the city of Gatineau
Of the homes tested for radon, 13% were over 200 Bq/m³, above both Quebec’s towns (8.2%) and Canadian towns (6.6%). Earthquakes add more: NRCan’s model puts building losses at $0.12 a year per $1,000 of value, against $0.030 for the typical town. Municipalité de Pontiac has mapped the flood hazard here: one study on the national inventory.
Radon tests above the guideline · share of tested homes, 200 Bq/m³
| Hazards | Des Explorateurs | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radon tests above the guideline | 13% | 8.2% | 6.6% |
| Earthquake loss per $1,000 of buildings a year | $0.12 | $0.14 | $0.030 |
NRCan seismic risk model and burned areas, Health Canada radon survey, the Flood Hazard Map Inventory · Radon tests published for the Outaouais health region, not by town
Des Explorateurs has just 13% of households spending at least 30% of income on shelter, where the typical Canadian town has 18%
Area-wide: rent as a share of income and monthly rent for a two-bedroom, counted over the Ottawa-Gatineau metro area
71% of households own their home, about level with both Quebec’s towns (70%) and Canadian towns (74%). Owners put the median home at $376,000, above Quebec’s towns ($300,000) but below Canadian towns ($406,000).
What homes were worth · The median owner’s estimate at the 2021 census
| Census 2021 | Des Explorateurs | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households spending 30%+ on shelter | 13% | 13% | 18% |
| Rent as a share of income | 18% | 18% | 20% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; CMHC Rental Market Survey via Statistics Canada · Values come from owners at the 2021 census and incomes from 2020, so they predate the later rise in rates.
Des Explorateurs is ringed by protected land: 23% within 10 km
Thousand Islands National Park is the closest national park, 93 km from town. Count 46 protected areas within 10 km of town. Within its own boundary, just over a tenth of the neighbourhood is protected. For a provincial park, Fitzroy Provincial Park lies 24 km off.
Protected land · of the land within 10 km
| Outdoors | Des Explorateurs | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protected land within 10 km | 23% | 4.9% | 2.3% |
| Public protected areas within 10 km | 23 | 10 | 4 |
Canadian Protected and Conserved Areas Database (CPCAD), OpenStreetMap routes and beaches
Des Explorateurs’ health region counts 17% of adults who smoke, above the typical Canadian town’s 12%
Measured across the Région de l'Outaouais: health survey and life expectancy
Self-rated health is ordinary for Quebec: 55% of the region’s adults say very good or excellent, the province 57%. A baby born in the region can expect 80.7 years, 82.2 for a girl and 79.1 for a boy (2022/2024). On average 15% of adults live with arthritis, diabetes or high blood pressure, about level with Quebec’s towns (15%) and below Canadian towns (17%). The town’s own part is the trip to care, and Des Explorateurs’ is long: 8.3 km to a hospital on average, against 3.7 km typical.
Very good or excellent health · adults, age-standardised
| Health | Des Explorateurs | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 17% | 12% | 12% |
| Life expectancy at birth | 80.7 | 82.5 | 81.5 |
| Chronic conditions (average share) | 15% | 15% | 17% |
| Very good or excellent health | 55% | 56% | 52% |
Statistics Canada, Canadian Community Health Survey 2023/2024 and life expectancy 2022/2024; Open Database of Healthcare Facilities
Des Explorateurs has warmer summer afternoons than 78% of Canadian towns
Snow peaks in January: 45 cm in a normal year. Some 185 cm of snow falls in a typical year, lower than Quebec’s towns (217 cm) yet higher than Canadian towns (141 cm). Frost usually lifts by 30 April and returns around 6 October: 158 days without it. Rain and snow peak in June, at 95 mm.
Average high by season · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Normals, 1991–2020 | Des Explorateurs | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Snowfall a year | 185 cm | 217 cm | 141 cm |
| July afternoon high | 26.7°C | 26.5°C | 25.5°C |
| Days with frost a year | 147 | 161 | 159 |
| Precipitation a year | 938 mm | 1,041 mm | 883 mm |
Environment and Climate Change Canada, Canadian Climate Normals 1991–2020 (Ottawa (City))
Commuters in Des Explorateurs travel further than in Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns, 30 min on average
How working residents got to work · census 2021
| Census 2021 | Des Explorateurs | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip | 30 min | 27 min | 26 min |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021 (labour and commuting) · Counted in May 2021, under pandemic rules: fewer commutes and more people between jobs than in a normal year.
Des Explorateurs is more bilingual than Quebec’s towns or Canadian towns: 69% speak both languages
22% of residents are children under 15. Visible minorities make up 19% of the population, higher than both Quebec’s towns (3.5%) and Canadian towns (15%). People 65 and over make up 15% of the town.
Ages · Share of residents in each age group, Census 2021
Schooling · Highest qualification, residents 15 and over
Women and men · all residents
Women make up 52.0% of Des Explorateurs
14,930 men and 16,205 women lived here in 2021, against a share of women of 50.9% for Canada.
| Des Explorateurs | Quebec | Canada | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 15 | 22% | 17% | 16% |
| 15 to 64 | 63% | 62% | 64% |
| 65+ | 15% | 20% | 19% |
| No certificate, diploma or degree | 15% | 19% | 16% |
| Postsecondary qualification | 63% | 59% | 56% |
Statistics Canada, Census 2021; Quebec and Canada: medians of towns of 2,500+
What November brings in Des Explorateurs: −2°C at night, 6°C by day
Hour-by-hour figures come from ECCC’s Chelsea forecast, on the Weather page. Snow is normal by November, about 16 cm over the month. Looking ahead to December, expect highs near −2°C and lows near −9°C. Precipitation in November averages 72 mm.
Normal highs, the months ahead · ECCC normals, 1991–2020
| Season | High | Low | Rain and snow |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winter | −3°C | −12°C | 191 mm |
| Spring | 11°C | 1°C | 223 mm |
| Summer | 26°C | 15°C | 275 mm |
| Autumn | 13°C | 4°C | 249 mm |
ECCC normals, 1991–2020 (Ottawa (City)); the forecast is on the Weather page
Each seat on Gatineau’s council stands for 15,310 residents, more than in 99% of Quebec municipalities
Des Explorateurs sends one MP to Ottawa from Hull—Aylmer, its riding (a federal electoral district, which elects one MP): Greg Fergus (Liberal Party of Canada).
Wikidata, MAMH, MMAH, Statistics Canada
Bibliothèque Lucy-Faris draws 8.4 visits per person served, ahead of 89% of Quebec’s town libraries
Bibliothèque Lucy-Faris serves the whole of Gatineau, so the library figures on this page are the city’s: 302,616 people, Des Explorateurs among them.
Provincial library statistics, OpenStreetMap, the CRA and Statistics Canada
Des Explorateurs gets a B− for safety
Its police area recorded 14.9 violent incidents per 1,000 residents a year, above both Quebec’s towns (12.4) and Canadian towns (12). Across its police area, there are 20.9 property incidents per 1,000 residents a year.
Year by year · Crime Severity Index for each year
| 2023–2025 | Des Explorateurs | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property crime per 1,000 | 20.9 | 16.6 | 31.2 |
| Violent crime | 14.9 | 12.4 | 12 |
| Violent Crime Severity Index | 100 | 88 | 86 |
Statistics Canada, Uniform Crime Reporting Survey, 2023–2025 average · Not measured by town: Crime Severity Index, Violent Crime Severity Index, violent crime and property crime per 1,000 (the Gatineau service area)
Around Des Explorateurs, 6 schools of 26 teach in English
Counting a 3 km margin, Des Explorateurs has 20 elementary schools, 2 secondary schools and 4 schools for every grade.
| School | Level | Students | System |
|---|---|---|---|
| École de la ForêtIn Des ExplorateursElementary | Elementary | – | French public |
| École secondaire de la Nouvelle-ÈreIn Des ExplorateursAll grades | All grades | – | French public |
| École Eardley EnglishTeaches in EnglishElementary | Elementary | – | English public |
Schools by system · Schools within 3 km
| Schools within 3 km | Des Explorateurs | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| School boards | 2 | 2 | 3 |
Provincial school lists and results, 2025-26 · Why no schools grade in Quebec? The ministry publishes its success rates by school service centre, not school by school.
The registers list 33 historic places in Des Explorateurs, one at the top
Homes from before 1961 make up nearly a tenth of the stock, lower than both Quebec’s towns (21%) and Canadian towns (18%). The oldest dated place, Symmes Hotel, goes back to 1831. The record has 32 municipal citations.
Historic places by designation · inside the town
Among them
- Symmes Hotel 1831
- Maison Peter-Howard-Church 1832
- Maison Simon-Hill 1832
- Maison J.-J.-Roney 1839
| Heritage | Des Explorateurs | Quebec | Canada |
|---|---|---|---|
| Homes built before 1961 | 8.9% | 21% | 18% |
Canadian Register of Historic Places, Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, Québec’s Répertoire du patrimoine culturel, Wikidata; Census 2021 homes by period
Everything we know about Des Explorateurs
Symmes Hotel and 8 more in and around Des Explorateurs
From museums to parks and historic sites: Des Explorateurs’s places to visit and those just beyond its edge, most famous first.
MuseumSymmes Hotelin town
Ski hillCamp Fortune4.8 km outside town, to the northArt galleryArt galleryL’Imagier Art Centrein townArt galleryArt galleryEspace Pierre-Debainin townAttractionAttractionMacKenzie Estate1.8 km outside town, to the northMuseumMuseumPinhey's Point4 km outside town, to the westPhotos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (2)
- Symmes Hotel: RaynaultM, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Camp Fortune: Fil.Al, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Famous people from Des Explorateurs
20 notable people were born in Des Explorateurs.
Photo credits
Dean DeBlois: Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0 · Isabelle Duchesnay: Uwe Langer, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Maxim Tissot: Robin Glover, CC BY 4.0 · Jean Gravelle: Kitchener-Waterloo Record, Public domain · Charles Ramsay Devlin: Unknown author, Public domain · Emmanuel Berchmans Devlin: Unknown author , Published by Montreal Perrault Print. Co, Public domain
About Des Explorateurs
Neighbourhood in Gatineau
No official boundary marks Des Explorateurs off from the rest of Gatineau: TownRatings draws it from the census’s dissemination areas and takes its name from the city’s map or OpenStreetMap.
Statistics Canada: population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155), Census of Population 2021, 2021 census boundaries.
- Population
- 31,128 (people, 2021 estimate)
- Province or territory
- Quebec
- City
- Gatineau
- Census subdivision
- 2481017
Des Explorateurs’ neighbours
The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Statistics Canada
| Town | People | km | Overall | Cost | Safety | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Explorateurs | 31,128 | — | B− | C+ | B− | B |
| Lac-Deschênes | 9,742 | 3 | B− | C+ | B− | B |
| Les Golfs | 15,842 | 4.3 | B+ | B | B− | B |
| Du Plateau | 29,234 | 5.4 | B− | C | B− | B |
| Britannia Ontario | 8,421 | 6.8 | C+ | D− | C+ | A |
| Bayshore Ontario | 14,491 | 7.3 | C | D | B− | A+ |
| Crystal Bay - Lakeview Park Ontario | 6,059 | 7.3 | A+ | C | A+ | A |
People: Statistics Canada, Census 2021. Distances: centre to centre.
Questions about Des Explorateurs
Do people in Des Explorateurs speak French?
Yes: this is Quebec. 15.4% of residents speak only French and 69% speak both French and English (Canadian towns’ median: 8%).
Sources: Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021 · population estimates 2025 (17-10-0155) and 2021 census boundaries · Uniform Crime Reporting Survey 2023–25 (35-10-0026, 35-10-0183 to 35-10-0190) · CMHC rents as published by Statistics Canada (34-10-0133) · grades by TownRatings. Under the Statistics Canada Open Licence.
Adapted from Statistics Canada (Census of Population 2021, population estimates 2025, 2021 census boundaries) under the Statistics Canada Open Licence; this does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada. Neighbourhood names in some cities © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL).