Ventadour Lake (La Tuque) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Ventadour |
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 Lake Ventadour
Location in Quebec
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| Location | La Tuque (urban agglomeration), Mauricie, Quebec |
| Coordinates | 47°45′46″N 72°02′12″W / 47.76278°N 72.03667°W |
| Type | natural |
| Primary inflows | Discharge of "Lake Chalet" |
| Primary outflows | Bostonnais River |
| Basin countries | Canada |
| Max. length | 4.6 km (2.9 mi) |
| Max. width | 1.3 km (0.81 mi) |
Lake Ventadour is a very important lake in Quebec, Canada. It is the main starting point for the Bostonnais River. This river eventually flows into the larger Saint-Maurice River. The lake is located in the La Tuque (urban agglomeration) area, in a region called Mauricie. Much of the land around the lake is managed by the Zec Kiskissink, which is a special area for outdoor activities.
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Where is Lake Ventadour?
Lake Ventadour is found in a beautiful part of Quebec.
- It is about 20 kilometers (12 miles) northeast of the town of Lac-Edouard.
- It is also about 60 kilometers (37 miles) east of downtown La Tuque.
- And it's roughly 63 miles (101 kilometers) southwest of Lac Saint-Jean.
What Does the Lake Look Like?
Lake Ventadour has a unique shape! If you look at it on a map, it seems to be shaped like a duck flying and getting ready to land. The "duck's beak" points north, and that's where the water flows out of the lake.
The lake is about 4.6 kilometers (2.9 miles) long from north to south. At its widest point, it measures about 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) across. There's also a long, narrow part, like the "duck's wings," that stretches 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) to the northeast.
Water Flow and Connections
Water flows into Lake Ventadour from a stream that comes from "Lake Chalet." This stream is about 2.6 kilometers (1.6 miles) long and enters Lake Ventadour from the very south.
Many small lakes near "Lake Chalet" are part of different watersheds. A watershed is an area of land where all the water drains into a single river or lake. Some of these lakes drain into the Saint-Maurice River, while others drain into the Métabetchouane River. This area is like a natural dividing line for water flow.
Lake Ventadour is part of a chain of lakes and rivers that stretch for about 23 kilometers (14 miles) from north to south. This chain includes Lake Lescarbot and Lake Kiskissink. All the water from these lakes eventually flows into the Bostonnais River, which then joins the Saint-Maurice River in La Tuque.
This chain of water bodies runs parallel to the west of the Métabetchouane River. However, the Métabetchouane River flows into Lac Saint-Jean, not the Saint-Maurice River. The distance between the Métabetchouane River and these lakes is:
- Lake Kiskissink: 2.5 kilometers (1.6 miles)
- Lake Lescarbot: 4.8 kilometers (3 miles)
- Lake Ventadour: 5.4 kilometers (3.4 miles)
In the past, this area was important for Native Americans and early fur traders. It was a good place to move from one river system to another, like from the Métabetchouane River watershed to the Saint-Maurice River watershed.
Why is it Called Lake Ventadour?
The name "Lake Ventadour" was given to honor a famous person from history: Henri de Lévis. He lived from 1596 to 1651 and was the 13th Duke of Ventadour in France. He was also a very important person in New France (what Canada was called back then).
Henri de Lévis served as the Vice King of New France from 1625 to 1631. This meant he was the king's representative in the new colony. He bought this important role from his uncle to help fund Jesuit missions, which were religious groups working in New France. He also helped start a religious group called the "companionship of the Holy Sacrament." Later in his life, he became a priest at Notre-Dame de Paris in 1650.
The name "Lake Ventadour" was officially recorded on December 5, 1968, by the Commission de toponymie du Québec, which is the official board for place names in Quebec.
