Charlevoix
Encyclopedia
The Charlevoix region, located in Quebec
, includes parts of the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River
and the Laurentian Mountains
region of the Canadian Shield
. This dramatic landscape includes rolling terrain, fjords, headlands and bays; the region was designated a World Biosphere Reserve
by UNESCO
in 1989.
, a French
Jesuit
explorer and historian who traveled through this region in the 18th century. The community of La Malbaie
was known as the first resort area in Canada. As early as 1760, Scottish noblemen Malcolm Fraser and John Nairn hosted visitors at their manors. For much of its history, Charlevoix was home to a thriving summer colony
of wealthy Americans, including President William Howard Taft
.
and Charlevoix
.
Features of note include:
impact that occurred 350 million years ago creating the Charlevoix crater
.
This area was subsequently reshaped by glaciation.
There have been several major earthquake
s in the region in recorded history:
There were 8 earthquake
s between magnitude 4 and 5 on the Richter scale
between 1977 and 1997 in Charlevoix, with minimal damages.
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....
, includes parts of the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
and the Laurentian Mountains
Laurentian mountains
The Laurentian Mountains are a mountain range in southern Quebec, Canada, north of the St. Lawrence River and Ottawa River, rising to a highest point of 1166 metres at Mont Raoul Blanchard, north east of Quebec City in the Reserve Faunique des Laurentides. The Gatineau, L'Assomption, Lièvre,...
region of the Canadian Shield
Canadian Shield
The Canadian Shield, also called the Laurentian Plateau, or Bouclier Canadien , is a vast geological shield covered by a thin layer of soil that forms the nucleus of the North American or Laurentia craton. It is an area mostly composed of igneous rock which relates to its long volcanic history...
. This dramatic landscape includes rolling terrain, fjords, headlands and bays; the region was designated a World Biosphere Reserve
Biosphere reserve
The Man and the Biosphere Programme of UNESCO was established in 1971 to promote interdisciplinary approaches to management, research and education in ecosystem conservation and sustainable use of natural resources.-Development:...
by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
in 1989.
History
The region was named after Pierre François-Xavier de CharlevoixPierre François Xavier de Charlevoix
Pierre François Xavier de Charlevoix was a French Jesuit traveller and historian distinguished as the first historian of New France....
, a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Jesuit
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
explorer and historian who traveled through this region in the 18th century. The community of La Malbaie
La Malbaie, Quebec
La Malbaie is a municipality in the Charlevoix-Est Regional County Municipality in the province of Quebec, Canada, situated on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River, at the mouth of the Malbaie River...
was known as the first resort area in Canada. As early as 1760, Scottish noblemen Malcolm Fraser and John Nairn hosted visitors at their manors. For much of its history, Charlevoix was home to a thriving summer colony
Summer colony
The term summer colony is often used, particularly in the United States and Canada, to describe well-known resorts and upper-class enclaves, typically located near the ocean or mountains of New England or the Great Lakes...
of wealthy Americans, including President William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft
William Howard Taft was the 27th President of the United States and later the tenth Chief Justice of the United States...
.
Geography
The Charlevoix region includes the regional county municipalities of Charlevoix-EstCharlevoix-Est Regional County Municipality, Quebec
Charlevoix-Est is a regional county municipality in northeastern Quebec, Canada. The regional county municipality seat is Clermont.According to the 2001 Statistics Canada Census:*Population: 16,624*% Change : -1.9*Dwellings: 6,893...
and Charlevoix
Charlevoix Regional County Municipality, Quebec
Charlevoix is a regional county municipality in northeastern Quebec, Canada. The regional county municipality seat is Baie-Saint-Paul.According to the 2001 Statistics Canada Census:*Population: 13,166*% Change : -2.0*Dwellings: 5,924...
.
Features of note include:
- Cap TourmenteCap TourmenteThe Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area is a National Wildlife Area located on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River in the Charlevoix region of Quebec established on 28 April 1978. It is critical habitat for the Greater Snow Goose during migration. Flocks of tens of thousands of these birds...
National Wildlife Area - Baie-Saint-Paul, an important arts center
- Le Domaine ForgetDomaine ForgetDomaine Forget is an international music festival as well as music and dance academy located near La Malbaie in the Charlevoix region of Quebec.-History:...
music festival and academy - Île aux Coudres
- the Parc des Grands-Jardins
- the Haute-Gorges de la Rivière MalbaieMalbaie RiverThere are two Malbaie Rivers in the province of Quebec in Canada.The Malbaie River in the Charlevoix region empties into the Saint Lawrence River at La Malbaie. Up until 1985, the river was used to transport logs downstream. The river flows through a steep valley known as Les Hautes Gorges...
- the Manoir Richelieu and the Casino de CharlevoixCasino de CharlevoixThe Casino de Charlevoix is located in Pointe-au-Pic, now part of La Malbaie, about east of Quebec City. The historic Manoir Richelieu is located right next to the casino...
- the fjord of the Saguenay RiverSaguenay RiverThe Saguenay River is a major river of Quebec, Canada.It drains Lac Saint-Jean in the Laurentian Highlands, leaving at Alma and running east, and passes the city of Saguenay. It drains into the Saint Lawrence River at Tadoussac....
- the Commission scolaire de Charlevoix
Natural history
The topography of this region was dramatically altered by a meteoriteMeteorite
A meteorite is a natural object originating in outer space that survives impact with the Earth's surface. Meteorites can be big or small. Most meteorites derive from small astronomical objects called meteoroids, but they are also sometimes produced by impacts of asteroids...
impact that occurred 350 million years ago creating the Charlevoix crater
Charlevoix crater
The Charlevoix crater is a large eroded meteorite impact crater in the Charlevoix region of Quebec, Canada. Only part of the crater is exposed at the surface, the rest being covered by the Saint Lawrence River. The original crater is estimated to have been in diameter and the age is estimated to...
.
"The impact created the forty-mile-wide crater that is the heart of Quebec's Charlevoix region, ranging from just west of Baie-Saint-Paul to just east of La Malbaie. Today, the area inside the crater is home to 90 percent of Charlevoix residents and is a very pastoral setting by comparison to what it could have been." http://www.worldandi.com/newhome/public/2003/august/lfpub.asp
This area was subsequently reshaped by glaciation.
There have been several major earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
s in the region in recorded history:
- on February 5, 1663, centred south of La MalbaieLa Malbaie, QuebecLa Malbaie is a municipality in the Charlevoix-Est Regional County Municipality in the province of Quebec, Canada, situated on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River, at the mouth of the Malbaie River...
. See 1663 Charlevoix earthquake1663 Charlevoix earthquakeThe 1663 Charlevoix earthquake was a major earthquake, with a magnitude between 7.3 and 7.9, that struck the entire eastern part of North America at 5:30 p.m. on February 5, 1663...
. - on December 6, 1791, centred near Baie-Saint-PaulBaie-Saint-Paul, QuebecBaie-Saint-Paul is a city in the Province of Quebec, Canada, on the northern shore of the Saint Lawrence River. Baie-Saint-Paul is the seat of Charlevoix Regional County Municipality. The city is situated at the mouth of the Gouffre River...
- on October 17, 1860, centred under the Saint Lawrence River
- on October 20, 1870, centred near Baie-Saint-Paul
- on February 28, 1925, centred under the Saint Lawrence River. See 1925 Charlevoix-Kamouraska earthquake1925 Charlevoix-Kamouraska earthquakeThe 1925 Charlevoix–Kamouraska earthquake was a major earthquake that struck the entire northeastern part of North America on February 2, 1925, reaching 6.2 on the moment magnitude scale....
.
There were 8 earthquake
Earthquake
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. The seismicity, seismism or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time...
s between magnitude 4 and 5 on the Richter scale
Richter magnitude scale
The expression Richter magnitude scale refers to a number of ways to assign a single number to quantify the energy contained in an earthquake....
between 1977 and 1997 in Charlevoix, with minimal damages.
See also
- List of earthquakes in Canada
- List of Quebec regions
- Charlevoix (electoral district)Charlevoix (electoral district)Charlevoix was a federal electoral district in Quebec, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1867 to 1917 and from 1949 to 2004....