Rivière Jacques-Cartier Sud facts for kids

The Jacques-Cartier South River is a beautiful river located in Quebec, Canada. It flows through a wild area called Lac-Jacques-Cartier, which is part of the La Côte-de-Beaupré Regional County Municipality. This river is a branch, or "tributary," of the rivière Jacques-Cartier Nord-Ouest.

A big part of the river's journey takes it through the amazing Jacques-Cartier National Park. The river starts from a smaller lake called Petit lac Jacques-Cartier. The main activities in this area are forestry, which means cutting down trees for wood, and tourism, where people visit to enjoy nature.

During winter, the Jacques-Cartier South River usually freezes over. This happens from early December until the end of March. However, it's safest to walk or play on the ice from late December to early March.

River's Location and Neighbors

The Jacques-Cartier South River is surrounded by other important waterways and areas. Knowing its neighbors helps us understand where it fits in the landscape.

• North side: You'll find the Rivière Jacques-Cartier Nord-Ouest and Charles-Savary lake.
• East side: More of the Rivière Jacques-Cartier Nord-Ouest, the main Jacques-Cartier River, and the Rocheuse River.
• South side: This is where the river starts, near Petit lac Jacques-Cartier, and also includes Lac Gregory, the Tourilli River, and the Rivière Sainte-Anne.
• West side: Again, the Rivière Jacques-Cartier Nord-Ouest is nearby.

Where the River Starts

The Jacques-Cartier South River begins at Petit lac Jacques-Cartier. This lake is about 3.9 kilometers (2.4 miles) long and sits high up at 674 meters (2,211 feet) above sea level. It's located in the wild, unorganized territory of Lac-Jacques-Cartier.

From a small dam at the end of Petit lac Jacques-Cartier, the Jacques-Cartier South River flows for about 6.5 kilometers (4 miles). During this journey, the river drops about 24 meters (79 feet) in height.

The River's Path

The river's path can be divided into two main parts:

• For the first 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles), it flows north. It makes a curve towards the east and picks up water from Lac de l'Écuyer. It also collects water from Lake Saint-Hilaire.
• Then, for the next 4.0 kilometers (2.5 miles), it continues flowing north until it reaches its end, where it joins another river.

After joining the Jacques-Cartier North-West River, the water travels another 11.7 kilometers (7.3 miles) east, then southeast, and back east. Finally, it flows south along the main Jacques-Cartier River until it reaches the northeast bank of the mighty Saint Lawrence River.

Why the River is Called Jacques-Cartier

The name "Jacques-Cartier" comes from a famous explorer and navigator named Jacques Cartier. He was born in Saint-Malo, France, in 1491 and passed away there in 1557.

Cartier made three important trips to Canada between 1534 and 1542.

• First Trip (1534): King François I of France sent him to find gold and a way to Asia. He explored Anticosti Island and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. On July 24, he put up a cross in Gaspé Bay to claim the land for France.
• Second Trip (1535): Cartier sailed up the Saint Lawrence River all the way to Hochelaga, which is now Montreal. He spent a very tough winter in Stadaconé, which is now Quebec City.
• Third Trip (1541): Under orders from another leader named Roberval, Cartier tried to start the first French colony in America. He settled at the mouth of the Cap-Rouge river, naming it Charlesbourg-Royal. Cartier left the colony in June 1542, just as Roberval was arriving in Canada. They met in Newfoundland, and Cartier decided to return to Saint-Malo.

Jacques Cartier was the first person to map the Saint Lawrence River. He also learned that the "gold" and "diamonds" he found were actually just iron pyrite and quartz, which look like gold and diamonds but aren't.

The name "rivière Jacques-Cartier Sud" was officially recognized on September 28, 2007, by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is the organization in charge of place names in Quebec.