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La Cordée
1953 — 2026
After more than seven decades of equipping thousands of people for their outdoor adventures, La Cordée is turning the page. Thank you for being part of our story.
At La Cordée, we were heading outdoors before “outdoors” was even a thing.
Milestones in La Cordée’s journey.
Before becoming the outdoor company we know today, La Cordée was founded in 1953 as the Coopérative des scouts (Scout Co-op). Its mandate was to sell scout uniforms and camping gear. The Coopérative opened its first store at the corner of Berri and Ontario streets.
Drawn by a growing selection of specialized products, a wider clientele begins to show interest in the store. La Cordée then opens its doors to the general public and quickly becomes the undisputed leader in outdoor product sales in Québec. It rapidly evolves into a camping and hiking store. Climbing equipment also makes its entrance, making La Cordée the first store in Québec to offer this type of gear.
In 1974, the first store, located at the corner of Berri and Ontario streets, moves to Sainte-Catherine Street East. During this decade, La Cordée becomes the leading cross-country ski retailer in the province, with exclusive European imports for its clientele.
La Cordée establishes itself as one of the leading bicycle retailers in the greater Montréal area. For a long time the one and only bike touring specialist, it also becomes a pioneer of mountain biking in 1984. That same winter, La Cordée offers a backcountry ski binding for the first time on the Québec market. Then, in 1985, La Cordée introduces a new type of ski for experienced skiers: telemark.
Water sports make their entrance at La Cordée, which quickly establishes itself as a major player in canoeing and kayaking. In September 2001, the Laval store opens its doors to serve the growing clientele on Montréal’s North Shore. Then, in October 2005, to make things easier for customers in the South of Montréal, La Cordée opens a third store, this time in Saint-Hubert.
At the turn of the decade, La Cordée launches the e-commerce side of its website. This new online store makes it easier for outdoor enthusiasts in remote regions to gear up. In 2015, La Cordée acquires the store Le Yéti on Saint-Laurent Boulevard in Montréal, which is later renamed La Cordée Boutique. Continuing its expansion, in 2018, La Cordée acquires the sports store La Vie Sportive in Québec City. Rebranded La Vie Sportive by La Cordée, this store specializes in alpine skiing, snowboarding, cross-country skiing and cycling.
The 2020s marked a turning point for La Cordée: after weathering major financial difficulties, the company attempts to restructure, relaunch its growth and adapt to the changing retail industry. Despite these efforts, it announced in September 2026 that it would cease operations.
In October 2026, after 73 years of sharing its love of the outdoors with Quebecers, La Cordée closed its doors for good, leaving behind a legacy rich in adventure.
Eight addresses in 73 years, from the corner of Berri and Ontario in Montréal to Saint-Roch in Québec City, including Sainte-Catherine Street, Laval, Saint-Hubert and Québec City. Click on a pin for details on each store.
Five logos, one rope team, from the earliest to the most recent.
The very first sign for the La Cordée store, located on Ontario Street East, is made of rope. It reflects the cooperative’s attachment to the scouting movement and its affection for its values.
In the mid-1960s, La Cordée moves away from the rope logo in favour of a symbol inspired by a classic scout knot: the Carrick bend, which joins two ropes together. This graphic evolution illustrates the link between the cooperative’s origins and its new mission.
In the early 1970s, La Cordée modernizes its logo by adopting a new symbol depicting a slope leading to a stylized tree. This logo will remain in place for several years and will be kept when the company is restructured in 1982, under the name La Cordée Plein air inc.
In the spring of 1997, La Cordée refreshes its image by adopting a logo in blue, green and red. This is also when the slogan “Généreux de nature” appears, and it will accompany the logo for several years.
In 2012, La Cordée simplifies its visual identity by adopting red as its main colour. This is the logo that will accompany La Cordée until 2026.
In stores, on the snow, on the rock and at the ends of the world: memories shared by the great La Cordée family. Here are a few images of our teams over the years.
73 years of creativity, humour and campaigns that left their mark on our story.