The coastal scenes of this world biosphere reserve, the panorama of the Charlevoix meteorite crater ; the southwest section of the Saguenay St-Lawrence marine Park. The daily rhythm of tides and currents, the salty odor of the tidal flats, the rocky beauty of the shoreline, camping on the beaches, the encounters with the birds and sea mammals (finback and white whales, porpoises and seals).
The region takes its name from the Jesuit father François-Xavier de Charlevoix, historian of New France. The area was first settled around 1680. Up to the 19th century, boat construction and fishing made up Charlevoix’s main economic activities. Nowadays, the economic is based on tourism, forestry and agriculture. The area’s landscapes originate in the Laurentian highlands. The crystaline coastal rocks belonging to the ancient base of the Canadian shield are between 600 million and 4 billion years old. The regions present day topography is a direct result of a large meteorite from about 350 millions years ago. The crater’s diameter is over 56 km.
The territory lies in the middle estuary of the St-Lawrence. The physiography is characterised by a series of islands and shallows between the north and south channels. The briny uppers waters can become lukewarm in summer (14°C). While downstream, the St-Lawrence is about 2/3 as salty as the ocean and varies by only 4 degrees between summer (6°C) and winter (2°C). This weak variation is due to the Labrador current limit of the Laurentian channel (the Saguenay River).
It’s here we see the strongest tidal currents of the river (up to 6 ½ meters change of the north side of l’Isle-au-Coudres. We also find many waterfowl and migrating birds such as, the eider duck and the Canada goose. Overall 250 species of birdlife live in or pass through Charlevoix.
As for sea mammals, the beluga whale and common seal are fulltime residents with the commom porpoise, minke and finback whales. Summer residents finbacks have been classified “vulnerable”, the common porpoise “ menaced” and the beluga “in danger of extinction” and “rules of engagement” for observing sea mammals has been adopted by the sea park and is now in force. It suggests responsible behavior while observation sealife of different species.
