Remy River facts for kids

The Rémy River is a river in Quebec, Canada. It flows into the Rivière du Gouffre. This river is located in the Charlevoix Regional County Municipality, within the area of Saint-Urbain.

The roads around the Rémy River are important. Route 381 follows the bigger Rivière du Gouffre. Other local roads like Chemin Saint-Thomas and Chemin du rang Saint-Jérôme help people get around. These roads are used for forestry, which is the main activity here. Tourism is also popular in the area.

The Rémy River usually freezes over in early December. It stays frozen until early April. It's generally safe to be on the ice from mid-December to late March. The amount of water in the river changes with the seasons. There's often a big increase in water in April, called the spring flood.

River's Journey

Where the Rémy River Starts

The Rémy River begins at Rémy Lake. This lake is 0.27 kilometres (0.17 mi) (about a quarter-mile) long. It sits high up in the mountains, at an altitude of 401 metres (1,316 ft) (about 1,316 feet).

The source of the river is located:

• About 4.4 kilometres (2.7 mi) (2.7 miles) south of a stream called Le Petit Bras.
• About 7.7 kilometres (4.8 mi) (4.8 miles) southwest of the village of Saint-Urbain.
• About 9.3 kilometres (5.8 mi) (5.8 miles) east of where the Rémy River joins the Gouffre River.
• About 13.0 kilometres (8.1 mi) (8.1 miles) northwest of the town of Baie-Saint-Paul.

How the River Flows

From its start, the Rémy River flows for about 13.6 kilometres (8.5 mi) (8.5 miles). It travels through a deep valley, dropping 381 metres (1,250 ft) (1,250 feet) in height.

Here's how its journey goes:

• It flows north for 0.7 kilometres (0.43 mi) (0.4 miles).
• Then, it goes north for 0.4 kilometres (0.25 mi) (0.25 miles), turns east, and makes a small loop. It picks up water from another stream. This part is about 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) (2.2 miles).
• Next, it flows east for 3.0 kilometres (1.9 mi) (1.9 miles). It forms small streams and goes through a lake that is 0.6 kilometres (0.37 mi) (0.4 miles) long. It also collects water from another stream.
• It then heads southeast for 3.0 kilometres (1.9 mi) (1.9 miles). The valley gets steeper as it goes down the mountain.
• It continues southeast for 2.5 kilometres (1.6 mi) (1.6 miles), still in a steep valley. Then it turns northeast towards Route 138.
• Finally, it flows east for 0.9 kilometres (0.56 mi) (0.6 miles) through farmland. It makes two loops before reaching its end.

Where the Rémy River Ends

The Rémy River joins the bigger Rivière du Gouffre in Saint-Urbain. This meeting point is located:

• About 0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi) (0.3 miles) east of Route 138.
• About 2.4 kilometres (1.5 mi) (1.5 miles) southeast of Florent mountain.
• About 7.3 kilometres (4.5 mi) (4.5 miles) southeast of the village of Saint-Urbain.
• About 5.9 kilometres (3.7 mi) (3.7 miles) northwest of Baie-Saint-Paul.

After the Rémy River joins it, the Rivière du Gouffre flows for another 11.5 kilometres (7.1 mi) (7.1 miles). It eventually empties into Baie-Saint-Paul and then into the mighty St. Lawrence River.

What's in a Name?

The History of the Name

The name "Rémy River" has been around for a long time. The first time it was written down was in 1743. This was in a document about land being given to Antoine and Michel Tremblay. The name also appeared on a map made in 1751 by a royal surveyor named Ignace Plamondon.

Even though the name is old, its exact origin is a bit of a mystery. Historians have done a lot of research to find out where it came from.

Possible Origins

One idea, suggested by Nérée Tremblay, is that the river is named after Pierre Rémy. He was a Sulpician priest who came to New France (now Quebec) in 1672. He was the first priest to be ordained in Montreal in 1676. This seems like the most likely explanation to the Quebec Place Names Commission.

Another idea comes from Father Jean-Paul Tremblay. He wrote that a piece of land was known as "La Rhémy," named after a former resident, Rémi Tremblay. However, he mentioned land, not the river itself.

The Rémy Mill

There was also a flour mill called the Rémy mill. It was built in 1826 and 1827 by the Séminaire de Québec. For over 150 years, different generations of the Fortin family operated this mill.

Other Names for the River

Over time, the river has had a few different names. Some of these include: Rivière de la Rémi, Rivière la Rémi, Rivière Rémi, Ruisseau Rémi, Ruisseau Rémy, and Ruisseau Renay. The official name, "Rémy River," was made formal on August 29, 1972. This was done by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is like the official naming board for places in Quebec.

Related Topics

• Charlevoix Regional County Municipality
• Saint-Urbain, a municipality
• Rivière du Gouffre
• St. Lawrence River
• List of rivers of Quebec