The history of Varennes begins with the arrival of the Carignan-Salières regiment. René Gaultier, Sieur de Varennes, the grandfather of Saint Marguerite d'Youville and the father of Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, receives two concessions from the great intendant Jean Talon.
Jacques René, René Gaultier's son was the 2nd lord of Varennes. Five lordships later formed what became the parish of Varennes, from west to east, the lordships of Cap de Varennes, Cap de la trinité and Cap Saint-Michel, Grand Maison and Île Sainte-Thérèse in the St. Lawrence River.
The city was conquered by the British during the Seven Years' War, was part of the Province of Quebec and then of Lower Canada until 1867, when the Canadian confederation was created.