Willow Bunch

Population: 285 (2021 census) 

There are quite some stories in Willow Bunch: that of the Métis and the fur trade in the Montagne de Bois, the French-speaking settlers who came to settle in Talle des Saules around 1870 in search of prosperity, the Giant Édouard Beaupré, famous in Quebec and the United States due to his height – he was 2.51-meter tall. 

There is also the astonishing journey of Sitting Bull (Taurus Assi), the leader of the Sioux Hunkpapa Lakota, who came to take refuge in the region after killing General Custer during the Battle of the Little Big Horn in 1876. It is even a Fransaskois merchant who welcomed him, Jean-Louis Légaré. A few years later, the latter convinced Sitting Bull to surrender to the American authorities at the end of his forced stay in Canada. 

Visit the Willow Bunch Museum to learn more about all these fascinating characters. It is worth the trouble. Willow Bunch is also the birthplace of the famous Campagne family (Folle Avoine, Hart Rouge, Carmen Campagne, Calamity Jane) who have been organizing the Willow Bunch FarmFest for several years in July. Willow Bunch is a quiet rural setting, brimming with charm. A visit to the local cemetery will evoke a rich history that we continue to better understand and promote.