The Saint-François River (, ) is a right

tributary A tributary, or an ''affluent'', is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream (''main stem'' or ''"parent"''), river, or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries, and the main stem river into which they ...

of the

St. Lawrence River The St. Lawrence River (, ) is a large international river in the middle latitudes of North America connecting the Great Lakes to the North Atlantic Ocean. Its waters flow in a northeasterly direction from Lake Ontario to the Gulf of St. Lawren ...

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

. Its source is Lake Saint-François in Chaudière-Appalaches, southeast of

Thetford Mines Thetford Mines (; Canada 2021 Census population 26,072) is a city in south-central Quebec, Canada. It is the seat of Les Appalaches Regional County Municipality. The city is located in the Appalachian Mountains, 187 km east-northeast of Mo ...

. It flows southwest towards

Sherbrooke Sherbrooke ( , ) is a city in southern Quebec, Canada. It is at the confluence of the Saint-François River, Saint-François and Magog River, Magog rivers in the heart of the Estrie administrative region. Sherbrooke is also the name of a territ ...

, where it changes course northwest towards

Drummondville Drummondville () is a city in the Centre-du-Québec region of Quebec, located east of Montreal on the Saint-François River. The population as of the Canada 2021 Census was 79,258. The mayor of Drummondville is Stéphanie Lacoste. Drummondville ...

, and finally empties into the

Saint Lawrence River The St. Lawrence River (, ) is a large international river in the middle latitudes of North America connecting the Great Lakes to the North Atlantic Ocean. Its waters flow in a northeasterly direction from Lake Ontario to the Gulf of St. Lawrenc ...

near Pierreville. Its total length is 135 miles.

Etymology

The river is named after Saint

Francis Xavier Francis Xavier, Jesuits, SJ (born Francisco de Jasso y Azpilicueta; ; ; ; ; ; 7 April 15063 December 1552), venerated as Saint Francis Xavier, was a Kingdom of Navarre, Navarrese cleric and missionary. He co-founded the Society of Jesus ...

(1506–1552) by the

Jesuits The Society of Jesus (; abbreviation: S.J. or SJ), also known as the Jesuit Order or the Jesuits ( ; ), is a religious order (Catholic), religious order of clerics regular of pontifical right for men in the Catholic Church headquartered in Rom ...

, who explored the region under the French regime, and after François de Lauzon.François de Lauzon (1635-1647 or 1648), son of Jean de Lauzon

Geography

Its course is also unusual, as it flows from northeast to southwest to branch off, halfway through, and continue its course from southeast to northwest. The Saint-François River has its origins in the lake Saint-François and heads southwest towards

. Along the way, it crosses the lakes Lake Aylmer and Lake Louise as well as many municipalities. In

, it receives the waters of the Massawippi River basin and the Magog River basin. It continues north-west, passing through the municipalities of Windsor, Richmond,

and from there outflows into the

at lake Saint-Pierre.

History

The river has long been traveled by Native Americans; particularly the Abenakis. The Indian Reservation of

Odanak Odanak is an Abenaki First Nations reserve in the Central Quebec region, Quebec, Canada. The mostly First Nations population as of the 2021 Canadian census was 481. The territory is located near the mouth of the Saint-François River at its co ...

, which today has a population of about 400, has existed since 1670. The Fort Crevier was also built in 1687 by the river. A temporary Jesuit mission was established at Coös for the Abenaki living in the

Connecticut River The Connecticut River is the longest river in the New England region of the United States, flowing roughly southward for through four states. It rises 300 yards (270 m) south of the U.S. border with Quebec, Canada, and discharges into Long Isl ...

valley or near the

Kennebec River The Kennebec River (Abenaki language, Abenaki: ''Kinəpékʷihtəkʷ'') is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed June 30, 2011 natural river within the U.S. state of Ma ...

. When the Abenaki mission Saint-François-de-Sales located on the Chaudière River moved to Odanak, the village took the latter's name, "Saint-François”. Odanak is located on the banks of the Saint-François River, about 10 kilometers east of lake Saint-Pierre. In 1805, an 8,000 acre reserve () was granted for Indian refugees in Durham Township, near the present village of L'Avenir, as well as () in 1853 on the shore of Petit Lac Saint-François in the township of Coleraine.

References

Appendices

* Grand lac Saint François * Lake Saint-François * Lake Aylmer *

Lake Louise (Quebec) Lake Louise may refer to: Canada * Lake Louise (Alberta), a lake in Alberta ** Lake Louise, Alberta, a hamlet which takes its name from the lake *** Chateau Lake Louise, hotel in Alberta, one of Canada's Grand Railway Resorts *** Lake Louise Sk ...

* Lake Saint-Pierre *

List of rivers of Quebec This is a list of rivers of Quebec. Quebec has about: *One million lakes, of which 62279 have a toponymic designation (a name), plus 218 artificial lakes; *15228 watercourses with an official toponymic designation, including 12094 streams and 313 ...

External links