Bas-Saint-Laurent
A region named after one of the largest rivers in the world. A vast territory of rivers and lakes, mountains, forests and fertile lands. Maritime connections to Charlevoix and Côte-Nord regions. A point of junction between Quebec City to the west and Gaspésie to the east. A crossroads by road and rail to Maine and New Brunswick.
All of this. For you.
From the River to the Sea
Have you ever heard of the Bas-du-Fleuve? It's another way of naming the Bas-Saint-Laurent region. Both names refer to the difference in elevation of the river between its source, Lake Ontario, and its destination, the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean. That's why in French we say that we go “down to the Bas-du-Fleuve” or we go “up to Montreal”!
In fact, our region is not situated along the river, but rather along the St. Lawrence Estuary. The estuary is a transitional area where the fresh water of the river meets the salt water of the ocean. This results in the presence of tides. And the further east you go, the wider the distance between the two shores becomes, to the point where the water and the sky merge on the horizon. This immensity explains why many Lower Laurentians call the St. Lawrence the sea!