Bic National Park
Encyclopedia
Bic National Park is an 33.2 square kilometres (8,203.9 acre) national park
of Quebec
, Canada
, located on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, near the villages of Bic
and Saint-Fabien
, southwest of Rimouski. It was founded on October 17, 1984, and is home to large populations of harbor seal
s and gray seals. Its highest point is Pic Champlain at 1140 feet (347.5 m). Slightly less than half of the park is a coastal marine environment.
The park is owned by the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks of Quebec. It is managed by the Société des établissements de plein air du Québec
(SÉPAQ).
Bic National Park is typical of the southern coast of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, containing several characteristics of this region:
, but after the Battle of Quebec in 1759, an English lord named Campbell settled there.
In the decades that followed, a maritime pilot
post was established at Bic Island, opposite the park. It remainded there until 1905, when it was officially transferred to Pointe-au-Père. The pilots had meanwhile settled on the banks of the St. Lawrence River, where they undertook subsistence farming.
At the end of the 19th century, several English villagers built cottages and country huses in the area of the park. Many of these homes are still in good condition today, although ownership has passed to the park. One can can find Lyman Cottage, Feindel Cottage, and Wootton House on the shores of Anse à l'Original (on le Chemin du Nord trail).
From the late 1970s, preparations began to allow the formal establishment of the park, in 1984. The park's management was handed over to
Société des établissements de plein air du Québec
(SÉPAQ) in 1999, by the same act which established Bic as a National park.
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, located on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, near the villages of Bic
Le Bic, Quebec
Le Bic is a former municipality in Quebec, Canada. On September 16, 2009, it was merged into the City of Rimouski....
and Saint-Fabien
Saint-Fabien, Quebec
Saint-Fabien is a parish municipality in the Canadian province of Quebec, located in the Rimouski-Neigette Regional County Municipality....
, southwest of Rimouski. It was founded on October 17, 1984, and is home to large populations of harbor seal
Harbor Seal
The harbor seal , also known as the common seal, is a true seal found along temperate and Arctic marine coastlines of the Northern Hemisphere...
s and gray seals. Its highest point is Pic Champlain at 1140 feet (347.5 m). Slightly less than half of the park is a coastal marine environment.
The park is owned by the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks of Quebec. It is managed by the Société des établissements de plein air du Québec
Société des établissements de plein air du Québec
The Société des établissements de plein air du Québec is the agency of the Government of Quebec that manages parks and wildlife reserves...
(SÉPAQ).
Bic National Park is typical of the southern coast of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, containing several characteristics of this region:
- low-flow rivers (la rivière du Sud-Ouest)
- salt marshes (the marsh at Pointe-au-Spruce)
- rocky hills with a very steep northern slope and a relatively gentle southern slope (Pic Champlain, Citadelle, Cap-l'Original, etc.)
History
Human occupation of Bic dates back almost 7,000 years, when Native Americans visited the site: the park's interpretive center displays tools they left behind. No French lord came to live here during the period of New FranceNew France
New France was the area colonized by France in North America during a period beginning with the exploration of the Saint Lawrence River by Jacques Cartier in 1534 and ending with the cession of New France to Spain and Great Britain in 1763...
, but after the Battle of Quebec in 1759, an English lord named Campbell settled there.
In the decades that followed, a maritime pilot
Maritime pilot
A pilot is a mariner who guides ships through dangerous or congested waters, such as harbours or river mouths. With the exception of the Panama Canal, the pilot is only an advisor, as the captain remains in legal, overriding command of the vessel....
post was established at Bic Island, opposite the park. It remainded there until 1905, when it was officially transferred to Pointe-au-Père. The pilots had meanwhile settled on the banks of the St. Lawrence River, where they undertook subsistence farming.
At the end of the 19th century, several English villagers built cottages and country huses in the area of the park. Many of these homes are still in good condition today, although ownership has passed to the park. One can can find Lyman Cottage, Feindel Cottage, and Wootton House on the shores of Anse à l'Original (on le Chemin du Nord trail).
From the late 1970s, preparations began to allow the formal establishment of the park, in 1984. The park's management was handed over to
Société des établissements de plein air du Québec
Société des établissements de plein air du Québec
The Société des établissements de plein air du Québec is the agency of the Government of Quebec that manages parks and wildlife reserves...
(SÉPAQ) in 1999, by the same act which established Bic as a National park.
Hikes
| Trail | Length | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Le Contrebandier The Smuggler |
1.1 km (0.683510010314787 mi) | Easy |
| Le Miquelon | 1.9 km (1.2 mi) | Easy |
| Les Escaliers The Stairs |
0.9 km (0.559235462984826 mi) | Difficult |
| La Pinède The Pinewood |
1 km (0.621372736649807 mi) | Difficult |
| Le Scoggan | 2.9 km (1.8 mi) | Intermediate |
| Le Sentier archéologique The Archaeological Trail |
0.2 km (0.124274547329961 mi) | Easy |
| Le Chemin-du-Nord The North Road |
4.9 km (3 mi) | Easy |
| Le Pic-Champlain The Champlain Peak |
3 km (1.9 mi) | Intermediate |
| Les Murailles The Walls |
4.5 km (2.8 mi) | Difficult |
| La Citadelle The Citadel |
4.6 km (2.9 mi) | Intermediate |
| Les Anses The Handles |
1.4 km (0.869921831309729 mi) | Intermediate |
Bicycle Trails
| Trail | Length | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Le Portage The Portage |
4 km (2.5 mi) | Easy |
| La Grève The Strike |
5 km (3.1 mi) | Easy |
| La Pointe-aux-Épinettes Spruce Point |
0.7 km (0.434960915654865 mi) | Easy |
| La Coulée | 5 km (3.1 mi) | Intermediate |