Malbaie Lake (La Côte-de-Beaupré) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Malbaie Lake |
|
|---|---|
 Malbaie Lake
Location in Quebec
|
|
| Location | La Côte-de-Beaupré Regional County Municipality (MRC), Capitale-Nationale, Quebec, Canada |
| Coordinates | 47°33′53″N 71°00′10″W / 47.56472°N 71.00278°W |
| Lake type | Natural |
| Primary inflows | Malbaie River |
| Primary outflows | Malbaie River |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | 4.1 km (2.5 mi) |
| Max. width | 2.1 km (1.3 mi) |
| Surface elevation | 825 m (2,707 ft) |
| Islands | 2 |
Malbaie Lake (French: Lac Malbaie) is a freshwater lake in the Capitale-Nationale region of Quebec, Canada. It is an important part of the Malbaie River system. The lake is found in a mountain area. For a long time, the main activity here was forestry, which means cutting down trees for wood. Later, in the 1800s, people started visiting for fun activities like tourism and recreation.
Malbaie Lake is special because it is a "head lake." This means it's one of the main starting points for the Malbaie River. The lake is located at a high altitude, about 825 meters (2,707 feet) above sea level. Because it's so high up, the lake usually freezes over from late October until early May. It's safest to be on the ice from November to April.
You can reach Malbaie Lake by a forest road that follows the Jacques-Cartier River valley. This road also leads to Grands-Jardins National Park, a beautiful natural area.
Contents
Exploring Malbaie Lake's Location
Malbaie Lake is located in the Laurentides Wildlife Reserve, a large protected area. It's about 39 kilometers (24 miles) northwest of Baie Saint-Paul and 61.5 kilometers (38 miles) north of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré.
The lake is surrounded by other important water bodies and rivers. Here are some of the main ones nearby:
- To the east, you'll find the Grande Coulée stream, which flows into the Sainte-Anne River (Beaupré).
- To the west is the Montmorency River. Its main starting point is Moran Lake.
- To the northwest is the Jacques-Cartier River, which begins at Nadreau Lake.
- To the north, there's Jack's brook and the Malbaie River.
- To the south, you'll find the rivière des Neiges, which starts at Lac des neiges.
The Journey of the Malbaie River
The Malbaie River actually starts even higher up, at a small lake called "Petit lac Tristan." This lake is in a marshy, high-mountain area. From there, the water flows north through swamps to Lake Tristan. After that, it continues north to Lake Gamache, which has a large island in its center.
From Lake Gamache, the water flows further north. Then, the Malbaie River begins its descent. It flows into Lac Fradette, which is about 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles) long. Several other lakes, like Carroll, Milton, and Brunette, also feed water into Lac Fradette.
Finally, the river flows from Lac Fradette for about 2.4 kilometers (1.5 miles) northeast to Malbaie Lake. The Malbaie River then flows through Malbaie Lake itself, from south to north, for about 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles).
The water leaves Malbaie Lake from its northern end. The Malbaie River then flows northeast for about 3.8 kilometers (2.4 miles) to meet Ruisseau à Jack. This stream is fed by other lakes like Lac à Jack and Lac Fronsac. The next part of the Malbaie River, about 6.4 kilometers (4 miles) long, forms the southern border of Grands-Jardins National Park and the Laurentides Wildlife Reserve. The Malbaie River continues its journey east, then turns south, eventually flowing into La Malbaie and finally into the mighty Saint Lawrence River.
Naming Malbaie Lake
The name "Malbaie" has been used for a long time. On a map from 1852, made by a surveyor named Frederic William Blaiklock, the lake was spelled "Mal-Bay." Later, a map of the Laurentides National Park from 1954 called it "Grand L. Malbaie." The name also appeared on maps from 1929, 1950, and 1958.
The official name "Lac Malbaie" was formally recognized on December 5, 1968, by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is like a government body that names places in Quebec.
Related Places to Explore
- Lac-Pikauba, an unorganized territory
- Lac-Jacques-Cartier, an unorganized territory
- Charlevoix Regional County Municipality
- La Côte-de-Beaupré Regional County Municipality
- Laurentides Wildlife Reserve
- Malbaie River
