Petite-Rivière-Saint-François facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Petite-Rivière-Saint-François
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Municipality
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Le Massif mountain overlooking the St. Lawrence River
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| Motto(s):
Vers le large, vers les hauteurs
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Location within Charlevoix RCM.
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 Petite-Rivière-Saint-François
Location in Central Quebec
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| Country |  Canada |
| Province |  Quebec |
| Region | Capitale-Nationale |
| RCM | Charlevoix |
| Settled | 1675 |
| Constituted | July 1, 1855 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 150.20 km2 (57.99 sq mi) |
| • Land | 134.31 km2 (51.86 sq mi) |
| Population
(2016)
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| • Total | 814 |
| • Density | 6.1/km2 (16/sq mi) |
| • Pop 2011-2016 |  9.4% |
| • Dwellings | 358 |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Postal code(s) |
G0A 2L0
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| Area code(s) | 418 and 581 |
| Highways |  Route 138 |
Petite-Rivière-Saint-François is a small town, also called a municipality, in Quebec, Canada. It is located right along the big Saint Lawrence River. This town is known as the entrance to the beautiful Charlevoix region.
The town gets its name from the Petite rivière Saint-François, which means "Little Saint-François River." It is also home to the popular Le Massif ski resort, where people go to ski and snowboard.
Contents
History of Petite-Rivière-Saint-François
Early Days and Naming
In June 1603, a famous explorer named Samuel de Champlain sailed past this area. He wrote in his notes about a "little river" where Indigenous people sometimes camped. This is how the name Petite Rivière ("Little River") came to be.
Over many years, the place had different names. Some of these names included Cap-Raide, Anse-aux-Pommiers, and Vieille-Rivière. Eventually, the name Saint-François was added.
First Settlements
In 1675, the Seminary of Quebec owned a large area of land called the Beaupré Seignory. They started giving land to settlers. Claude Bouchard was one of the first to receive land. About 15 more families settled there by the end of the 1600s.
This settlement was the oldest in the Charlevoix region. It grew near the mouth of the Little River. The area had natural open grasslands, which was perfect for the first settlers.
Becoming a Parish and Municipality
In 1721, a local church area, called a parish, was created. It was named Saint-François-Xavier after Francis Xavier, an important religious figure.
The town was officially made a municipality in 1845. However, this first municipality was stopped in 1847. It was started again in 1855 as the Parish Municipality of Saint-François-Xavier-de-la-Petite-Rivière. Even with this long name, most people just called it Petite-Rivière.
In 1986, the town's official status and name changed again. It became the Municipality of Petite-Rivière-Saint-François, which is what it is called today.
Population and Language
Population Changes
The number of people living in Petite-Rivière-Saint-François changes over time.
- In 2016, there were 814 people living here. This was a 9.4% increase from 2011.
- In 2011, the population was 744.
- In 2006, there were 703 people.
There are 320 homes where people live full-time.
Main Language Spoken
In Petite-Rivière-Saint-François, almost everyone speaks French as their first language.
- French as first language: 100%
- English as first language: 0%
Images for kids
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Maillard Chapel
See also
In Spanish: Petite-Rivière-Saint-François para niños
