Episode 2: Saint Lawrence River

Trois-Rivières takes its name from the geography of the area. At the junction of the Saint-Maurice River, which divides the city in two, and the Saint Lawrence River, there is a delta of islands that, when seen from the river, gives the impression that three rivers flow into it.

Moreover, the Saint Lawrence River, which originates from the Great Lakes, stretches nearly 4,000 km to reach the Magdalen Islands. Its shores are composed of rich and fertile lands. The fertility of these lands results from the melting of glaciers that created the Champlain Sea around 12,000 years ago. This explains why nearly 80% of Quebecers live within 40 km of its banks today.

The river has always been an excellent means of transportation. Although its shores were used for docking at the start of the colony, it wasn't until the advent of steamships that proper infrastructure was established at the port of Trois-Rivières, in 1809.