Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan

Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan is an ancestral, a recreational and tourist locality, in Les Chenaux in Mauricie. It has a picturesque charm with a great history since the beginning of the seigneury of Batiscan.

Understand
It is located in Basse-Mauricie and Basse-Batiscanie, on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, in the regional county municipality (MRC) Les Chenaux. The village is located at the confluence of the rivière-à-Veillet and Batiscan River.

This locality has a territory of where 1060 inhabitants reside. The main village is on the north bank of the Batiscan River; nevertheless, a hamlet is established on the south bank opposite the village.

This municipality is relatively close to shops and services. The village is 5 minutes by car from Highway 30 and about 20 minutes from shopping centres in the Cap-de-la-Madeleine sector of Trois-Rivières. It is the central municipality of the MRC des Chenaux.

Route 361 runs along the south bank of the Batiscan River. Perpendicular to the first road, the chemin de la rivière à Veillet (continuation of the rue de l'Église) provides a direct link between Saint-Prosper-de-Champlain from the north and the bridge spanning the Batiscan River; on the south side this road is designated "Champlain village road".

Economy
The local economy used to be based on forestry, agriculture and partly on navigation by the Batiscan River to reach the river, because the roads were generally primary and difficult to pass, especially in spring or in the event of heavy rains. In the 19th century, Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan was the business centre of the current Mauricie territory and the capital of Batiscanie.

In the 21st century, its economy is based on recreational and tourism activities (vacationing, hunting and sport fishing, mountain biking, snowmobiles, nautical activities, boating on the Batiscan river, Batiscan river park, Parc de la Péninsule campsite), agriculture, forestry, several public services (including a credit union (caisse populaire) and a post office) and some local shops.

History
The colonization of the current territory of Sainte-Geneviève de Batiscan began in 1685 with the grant of a first lot of land. The construction of a first church began after 1723 on the lot of Jean Veillet. The first cemetery begins in 1729 or before. The construction of the second church took place in 1755. In 1798, the Forges de Batiscan opened. The canonical erection of the parish took place in 1833 and the civil erection in 1841. In 1933, the church was burnt down and rebuilt the same year. In 2018, the Catholic parish of Sainte-Élisabeth was formed, thus merging the parishes of Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan, Saint-Prosper-de-Champlain and Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade.

Geography
The locality of Saint-Narcisse is part of the Batiscanie (hydrographic basin), because of the watersheds of the rivière des Chutes and the rivière à la Tortue, which flow into the Batiscan River. Covering an area of, the municipal territory is subdivided by seven ranges.

The Batiscan River flows from north to south over starting from lac Édouard in Mauricie. It drains into the St. Lawrence River at Batiscan. The Batiscan River divides the parish of Saint-Stanislas in two. Beginning in 1852, the Price Brothers and Company began to harvest the forest in the Batiscan valley. The transport of wood by flotation on the Batiscan River was abandoned in 1963.

With a length of, the river at Veillet draws its source in the moraine at Saint-Prosper (a mountainous line extending parallel to the Saint Lawrence river). It then flows into the agricultural plain and enters Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan where it flows into the Batiscan River in the centre of the village.

Flowing mainly in agricultural land, the rivière à la Lime drains a basin of 25.86 km2. It flows on the south side of the Batiscan River where it will flow, either facing the Parc de la Péninsule, upstream from the village of Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan.

Get in
The village of Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan is accessible by road, boat (via Batiscan River), snowmobile and all terrain vehicles.

By car

 * From Montreal (. Time: 1 hr 56 min. From Montreal, take highway 40 (north shore) eastbound, up to the exit to take route 361 (ie before the bridge spanning the Batiscan river); take road 361 (westbound) to the village of Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan.
 * From Quebec City (. Time: 1 hr 7 min. From Quebec City, take highway 40 westbound to the exit to take route 361; take route 361 (westbound) to the village of Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan.