Lake Jesuit facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Jesuit |
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 Lake Jesuit
Location in Quebec
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| Location | Sainte-Thècle, Quebec, Canada |
| Coordinates | 46°52′59″N 72°35′20″W / 46.883°N 72.589°W |
| Type | Natural |
| Max. length | 5.4 kilometres (3.4 mi) |
| Max. width | 0.65 km (0.40 mi) |
| Surface area | 3.32 square kilometres (1.28 sq mi) |
| Average depth | 53 m (174 ft) |
Lake Jesuit, also known as "Little Long Lake," is a beautiful natural lake in Sainte-Thècle, Canada. It's part of the Mékinac Regional County Municipality in the Batiscanie area of Mauricie, Quebec. In the past, the main activity here was forestry, which means cutting down trees for wood. Today, Lake Jesuit is a popular spot for tourists, especially for people who own cottages or vacation homes. Many chalets are found around the northern part of the lake. Some cottages on the south side can only be reached by boat or mountain bike, but in winter, you can easily get there by walking or snowmobiling on the ice!
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About Lake Jesuit
Lake Jesuit is located north of Sainte-Thècle. It covers an area of about 3.32 square kilometers (which is like 332 soccer fields!). The lake is about 5.4 kilometers long. The deepest part of the lake is around 41.7 meters. The water is quite clear, and you can often see about 8.2 meters deep into it.
The lake has a unique shape, almost like two separate parts. The main part looks a bit like the country of Italy on a map. This section is about 3.8 kilometers long from north to south and up to 0.65 kilometers wide. A narrow passage, about 0.6 kilometers long, connects this main part to a second body of water. This second part is about 1.5 kilometers long and 1.7 kilometers wide. It even has three large bays and an island!
Getting Around the Lake
If you want to reach the northern part of Lake Jesuit by road, you'll need to drive around the mountains from the west. You can follow the "chemin du lac Jesuit" (Lake Jesuit road) and then the "chemin Lejeune" (Lejeune road). After that, turn right onto "route Joseph Saint-Amand." This route will take you past three smaller lakes called Champlain lakes.
Because of the mountains, there isn't a regular road along the east side of the southern part of the lake. However, there are some paths. The "chemin des érables" (Maple Tree Road) goes along the east side of the northern part of the lake. The "chemin des cèdres" (Cedar Tree Road) serves the west side of the northern part.
Lake Life and Location
In the past, people tried to help the fish population in Lake Jesuit. Between 1933 and 1945, about 17,000 young brook trout were added to the lake. By 1970, only four types of fish were living there.
Lake Jesuit is surrounded by forests and mountains. It's about 2.3 kilometers southwest of Missionary Lake and 2.1 kilometers southeast of Lac Le Jeune. It's also about three miles from Lake Traverse. If you drive, it's about 7.3 kilometers from the bridge at Croche Lake in the lower village of Sainte-Thècle.
There's a small dam at the southeast end of Lake Jesuit. The water from the lake flows out from here, traveling about 0.3 kilometers southeast to Lake Aylwin. Lake Aylwin is a bit lower than Lake Jesuit. The water then continues for about 2.5 kilometers before flowing into Lake Traverse. Along the way, it picks up water from a small stream called "Ruisseau de l'Aqueduc," which comes from "Lac de l'Aqueduc."
On the east and west sides of the southern part of Lake Jesuit, there are tall cliffs that drop right into the water. These cliffs are popular with people who enjoy rock climbing. The highest point of the mountain facing the lake's outlet is 385 meters. The deepest part of the lake, according to maps, is about 52.9 meters deep in the northern section. For those who love boating, there's a boat launch near the dam, on the south side of the lake.
A Look Back in Time
Because of its size and shape, Lake Jesuit was once a very important pathway for the logging industry. It helped companies reach areas where they had permission to cut down trees and transport the wood.
A company called Veillet & Brothers Limited used to have a sawmill near the southern end of the lake, close to where the water flows out. A sawmill is a place where logs are cut into lumber. This mill was built in the summer of 1938 and was powered by steam. The wood cut in the winter of 1938-1939 was brought to the mill in the spring. They even used a special boat to move the logs across the lake!
In 1945, one of the owners, Jeffrey Veillet, sold his part of the mill to his brother, Freddy Veillet. Freddy continued to run the mill until he passed away in 1949. Later, in 1952-1953, the sawmill was sold and taken apart. Usually, about 25 to 30 people worked at the mill at one time.
Why the Name "Jesuit"?
The names of Le Jeune and Jesuit lakes, both in the Lejeune Township, honor the work of a Jesuit missionary named Paul Le Jeune (1591-1664). He was an important figure in New France (which is now Quebec). This recognition of his work also extends northeast to Missionary Lake.
The official name "Lake Jesuit" was chosen in 1936 by the Geographic Board, which is now called the Commission de toponymie du Québec (Geographical Names Board of Québec). Before that, people usually called it "Little Long Lake." The name "Lake Jesuit" became official on December 5, 1968.
