Grandes-Piles

Grandes-Piles
Grandes-Piles as seen from Shawinigan
Location within Mékinac RCM
Grandes-Piles
Location in central Quebec
Coordinates: 46°41′N 72°44′W / 46.683°N 72.733°W / 46.683; -72.733
Country Canada
Province Quebec
RegionMauricie
RCMMékinac
Settledc. 1850
ConstitutedAugust 10, 1885
Government
  MayorCaroline Clément
  Federal ridingSaint-Maurice—Champlain
  Prov. ridingLaviolette
Area
  Total
124.80 km2 (48.19 sq mi)
  Land116.97 km2 (45.16 sq mi)
Population
 (2021)
  Total
493
  Density4.2/km2 (11/sq mi)
  Pop 2016-2021
18.8%
  Dwellings
324
Time zoneUTC−5 (EST)
  Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Postal code(s)
Area code819
Highways R-155
R-159
Census profile
MAMROT info35040
Toponymie info228457
Websitewww.grandespiles.com

Grandes-Piles (French pronunciation: [ɡʁɑ̃d pil]) is a village municipality in the Mauricie region of the province of Quebec in Canada.

The name of Grandes-Piles (literally "large piles") has uncertain origin. One of the best-known but false explanations is that it referred to a stack of logs entanglement on the rocks of the Saint-Maurice that inspired the early settlers. Another explanation claims that it referred to the large rocks used by the indigenous Americans to grind grain. It may also refer to the stack of stratums, horizontal sedimentary layers that are exposed in this part of the Mauricie.

It is twinned with the city of Clamecy, Nièvre in France since 1996.