 Craggy Shores of the French River |
 Fall Walk-about at the French River |
 Blue Water of the French River |
 Highway 69 Construction Near Parry Sound |
 Heading Home |
 Fall Colours at the French River |
The French River
At first glance, the French River seems like one of many rivers that run along Hwy. 69 on the drive north from Toronto. Closer examination however, reveals "the French" played a major role in the fur trade and ultimately the founding of Canada.
Carved into the craggy rock of the Canadian Shield, the 100 km-long French River flows west out of Lake Nipissing into Lake Huron. This makes it an important navigation link in a vast water highway initially for First Nation, then explorers and Voyageur fur traders.
The Voyageurs in up to 50 canoes, each paddled by 10-14 men, loaded with trade goods, would leave Montreal as soon as the ice broke in May. Traveling down the St. Lawrence River to the Ottawa River, the convoy turned west at the Mattawa River into Lake Nipissing, (past what is now North Bay), then down the French River to Lake Huron.
Taking the north shore of Huron, the convoy would pass through the St. Mary's River to Lake Superior, with a possible stop at a trading post at Sault Ste. Marie, (where I used to live-not at the trading post). From the Sault, the Voyageurs traveled Superior's north shore, passing another trading post at Michipicoten River, (near where I also used to live), then on up to Port Arthur/Fort William, now know as Thunder Bay.
From this point, other waterways provided gateways to the west and north. On return, the Voyageurs would be laden with furs bound for Europe-especially the highly prized beaver pelt used in the making of hats.
In case you wondered, the "coureurs des bois" (racers or runners of the woods) were independents-not licensed to trade fur by either the Hudson Bay Company or the North West Company.
In celebration of the Voyageur, the town of Mattawa, just east of North Bay, hosts Voyageur Days each July, where canoe races are the main attraction. But whether one chooses to fish the great waters, canoe the rapids, or photograph the rugged shores, the French River remains a little piece of wilderness just about 320 km. north of Toronto.
To see the French River yourself, take Hwy. 11 to North Bay and drive west along Lake Nipissing, or go north on Hwy. 69 and watch for the bridge where the French River crosses the highway just south of Sudbury.
See more photographs by Judy MacLeod at Gallery 215 at the University of Toronto AMS Recroom and the Stella Thomas deSha Gallery of Art at the learnyeats.com website. |