Petite-Rivière-Saint-François

Petite-Rivière-Saint-François is a municipality of the regional county municipality (RCM) of Charlevoix. Its principal attraction is a vast meteorite crater, the Astrobleme of Charlevoix.

Understand
In partnership with businesses and organizations, Tourisme Charlevoix and Baie-Saint-Paul City showcase the region's natural attractions (grandiose landscapes of valleys and mountains, its superb border of the river, its maritime space, its streams and bodies of water, its magnificent forests), its picturesque architecture, its regional history (in particular the astroblème of Charlevoix), its artistic and cultural life, as well as the products of the soil, the regional services and its artists and craftsmen. In addition, the community strives to perpetuate the reputation of Baie-Saint-Paul as the cultural capital of Charlevoix, Quebec and Canada.



Geography
Being located at the western limit of the MRC de Charlevoix, the town of Petite-Rivière-Saint-François is the gateway to Charlevoix by route 138 and by the railway used by the Charlevoix train. Access to the hamlet of Maillard and the village of Petite-Rivière-Saint-François is via rue Principale which starts at route 138 (just northeast of the hamlet of Saint-Cassien-des-Caps) and which runs down the mountain with a vertical drop of 438 m, that is to say to the edge of the St. Lawrence River. The Côtes de la Martine, on rue Principale, is worth a detour because it overlooks the St. Lawrence River and faces Saint-Jean-Port-Joli which is on the south shore of the river.

Coastal locality, the territory of the municipality constitutes a strip of territory of more than (in direct line) along the north shore of the St. Lawrence River by  (maximum width). At low tide, the Bancs de la Baie then reveals the sandstone between Cap d'Éboulis (in Saint-Joachim) to Cap-aux-Corbeaux (on the west shore of Baie Saint-Paul, in Baie-Saint-Paul). At low tide, this sandstone stretches as far as facing the Maillard hamlet and  facing the marina of the village of Petite-Rivière-Saint-François.

The main mountain peaks in this municipal area are Montagne à Liguorie (803 m), La Pointue (615 m), Les Tourelles (588 m) (at the limit of La Malbaie) and an unidentified summit (706 m, at southeast of Route 138). The mountain slope (steep in places) facing the river is a resort area on the mountainside, as well as an ideal place for board sports and other recreational tourism activities. The permanent residences are mainly distributed on the strip of land between the foot of the cliff and the bank of the river. In summer, the Charlevoix train passes at the foot of the cliff, giving a magnificent view of the landscapes between the Montmorency Falls and Pointe-au-Pic (La Malbaie).

Astrobleme of Charlevoix
About 400 million years ago, a meteorite with an estimated diameter of 2 kilometers and a mass of about 15 billion tonnes entered the Earth's atmosphere to impact the soil of Charlevoix. The point of impact is deemed to be Mount Les Éboulements which would be derived from a major raising of the ground immediately after the impact. Coming from Quebec City, by taking route 138 (eastbound), the northeastern limit of Petite-Rivière-Saint-François, before starting to descend towards Baie-Saint-Paul, approximately constitutes the rim of the crater of the Astrobleme de Charlevoix having a diameter of 54 km. This vast crater extends to the Cap-à-l'Aigle (La Malbaie) sector located on the east bank of the Malbaie River. About 60% of this astroblema covers the north shore of the St. Lawrence River; the other 40% is located under the St. Lawrence River. The terrestrial part has been preserved relatively well despite several factors of leveling of the earth's crust. It is the eleventh largest known crater on earth; and the third largest in Canada, behind Sudbury (Ontario) and Manicouagan (Quebec).

This astrobleme turns out to be a significant tourist attraction for Charlevoix. And the territory of Petite-Rivière-Saint-François, which is located on the outskirts, touches the edge of this old crater.

History
The colonization of the area of the village of Petite-Rivière-Saint-François (PRSF) was the first milestone in the more extensive colonization in Charlevoix under the French regime. In 1662, the seigneury of Beaupré which covered the limits of Beauport up to the Gouffre river was granted to the Compagnie des Cent-Associés; however, in 1662, the Séminaire de Québec acquired it. As the lots were all occupied on the Beaupré coast, the inhabitants demanded new concessions to establish their children who had become adults. Thus, the lords agreed to open to colonization, the strip of land of Petite-Rivière-Saint-François.

By car

 * From Tadoussac (143 km, time: 2 hr 09 min), take the Tadoussac-Baie Sainte-Catherine ferry; take route 138 (westbound), up to the arch stop; take rue Principale (eastbound) to the village of Petite-Rivière-Saint-François.
 * From Quebec (91 km, time: 1 hr 7 min), take route 138 in an easterly direction, until you reach the arch stop; take rue Principale (eastbound) to the village of Petite-Rivière-Saint-François.

By train

 * Route:
 * Operates a daily train between Quebec City and La Malbaie with stops in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Petite-Rivière-Saint-François, Baie-Saint-Paul, Les Éboulements, and Saint-Irénée. The trains departs in the morning from Quebec City and in the afternoon from La Malbaie. This tourist train runs 125 km with views of the Saint Lawrence River and mountains.
 * Operates a daily train between Quebec City and La Malbaie with stops in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Petite-Rivière-Saint-François, Baie-Saint-Paul, Les Éboulements, and Saint-Irénée. The trains departs in the morning from Quebec City and in the afternoon from La Malbaie. This tourist train runs 125 km with views of the Saint Lawrence River and mountains.