Grand lac Saint François facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lac Saint-François |
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 Lac Saint-François
Location in Quebec
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| Location | Les Appalaches Regional County Municipality / Le Granit Regional County Municipality, Quebec |
| Coordinates | 45°53′55″N 71°09′28″W / 45.89861°N 71.15778°W |
| Primary outflows | Saint-François River |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Surface area | 51 km2 (20 sq mi) |
The Grand lac Saint-François is a large freshwater lake in southeastern Quebec, Canada. It covers about 51 square kilometers (20 square miles). This makes it a significant body of water in the region.
The lake is located in the Chaudière-Appalaches area. It is found southeast of the city of Thetford Mines. The Grand lac Saint-François is also the starting point for the Saint-François River.
A big part of the lake is surrounded by Frontenac National Park. This park is a beautiful forest area. The lake is one of the main attractions for visitors to the park. Many people have cottages and resorts along the northern shore of the lake. In winter, the lake usually freezes over from mid-November to late April. It's generally safe to walk or play on the ice from mid-December to the end of March.
Exploring the Lake and Its Surroundings
This large lake is part of the Eastern Townships region. It stretches across two different local government areas in Quebec. A good portion of the lake is inside the Parc national de Frontenac. This means it's a protected natural area.
The Grand lac Saint-François gets its water from many smaller streams and rivers. These include:
- The Red stream from the south.
- The Felton River from the southwest. This river brings water from several smaller lakes.
- The Marécage stream from the west.
- The Ashberham River and Rivière de l'Or from the north.
- The Muskrat River and Petite rivière Muskrat from the northeast.
- The Rivière aux Bluets and La Petite Rivière from the east.
The lake has a unique shape. It includes a large area called Baie Sauvage, which is about 7.5 kilometers (4.7 miles) long. The lake also has many islands, smaller bays, and peninsulas.
The Grand lac Saint-François is long and narrow. It stretches for more than 25 kilometers (15.5 miles). Its width is usually between 1.5 and 2.5 kilometers (0.9 to 1.5 miles). The widest part of the lake is in the north. This is where the lake forms a long bay that leads to a dam. This dam controls the water flow. The Grand lac Saint-François is the main source of water for the Saint-François River. This river flows southwest for about 10.7 kilometers (6.6 miles) to join Lake Aylmer.
How the Lake Got Its Name
The name of the Grand lac Saint-François comes from the same origin as the Saint-François River. It honors François de Lauson. He was a lord whose land was bordered by the river. In 1635, his father, Jean, was given this land. An old document from 1638 confirms that the river marked the boundary of their land.
The Abénaqui Indigenous people have their own name for the lake. They call it "Ônkobagak," which means "connected lake."
Before 2007, the lake was simply called Lac Saint-François. However, there was another smaller lake nearby called Petit lac Saint-François (Ashberham). It was only 1.5 kilometers (0.9 miles) away. To avoid confusion, the name was officially changed to "Grand lac Saint-François" on May 10, 2007. This change was made by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is responsible for place names in Quebec.
In 1815, the area around the lake was not fully mapped. Joseph Bouchette wrote about this in his book. He mentioned that many townships around Lake Saint-François were not yet surveyed. The only information available came from Indigenous hunters and trappers. They had explored the area when it was still uninhabited. They described two lakes connected by a river. Later, in 1917, a dam was built at the lake's outlet. This dam raised the water level by 7 meters (23 feet). It also increased the lake's size to what it is today.
