Lago Matapedia

El lago Matapedia es una masa de agua en el valle de Matapedia , ubicado en el territorio no organizado de Lac-Matapédia , en Sayabec , en Val-Brillant , en el municipio regional de condado de La Matapédia , en la región administrativa de Bas-Saint-Laurent , en Quebec , Canadá , y es la fuente del río Matapedia . La ciudad de Amqui se encuentra en la esquina sureste del lago. ^{[ 1 ]}

Con una superficie de 38 kilómetros cuadrados (15 millas cuadradas ) , se extiende a lo largo de 19 kilómetros (12 millas) y tiene un ancho máximo de 3 kilómetros (1,9 millas) entre Sayabec y Amqui en el valle de Matapedia . El lago Matapedia se encuentra en el centro del valle de Matapedia y está formado por la cordillera de los Apalaches en la sección de las montañas Notre Dame . ^{[ 2 ]}    

El lago Matapedia se encuentra a unos treinta kilómetros al sur de Matane , en el antiguo señorío de Lac-Matapédia concedido en 1694 a Charles-Nicolas-Joseph Damours de Louvières. Alimentado por varios cursos de agua, incluido el río Sayabec en cuya desembocadura se encuentra el municipio de Sayabec , desemboca en la Bahía de los Chaleurs por los ríos Matapédia y Restigouche . El lago Matapedia recibe el sobrenombre de "Joya del Valle". ^{[ 3 ]} Los municipios ribereños de Lac Matapédia son Sayabec , Val-Brillant y Amqui, así como el territorio no organizado de Lac-Matapédia .

The spelling of this lake takes several forms depending on the geographers and the times. This body of water is first identified in 1807 on Carey's map in the graphic form of L. Matapediuch. In addition, in 1815, the geographer Joseph Bouchette named Lac Malapediach in his Topographical Description, while writing Metapediach in the index of the work. In 1863, the geographer Stanislas Drapeau presented and lent him the graphic form Matapediac, as well as the road and the township on a published map (ref.: Studies on the development of the colonization of Lower Canada). However, in the text of this work, Drapeau uses the Matapedia spelling for this body of water, the river and the township. In addition, in the 1870 map of Quebec designed by Eugène Taché, the current spelling was used: Matapedia.^[2]

Father Pacifique writes that the Mi'kmaq name Matapedia comes from "matapegiag", meaning "the river splits into several branches, makes a fork". While Joseph-Étienne Guinard affirms that Matapedia has more the meaning of "junction of rivers", of mata, "junction" and pegiag, "river".^[2]

The toponym "Lac Matapédia" was officially registered on December 5, 1968 at the place name bank of the Commission de toponymie du Québec.^[1]

The Lake Matapedia is a good body of water for tourism. Nautical activities such as fishing, sailing, windsurfing and swimming are easily practicable given the low density of users of the lake. In addition, there is a marina in Val-Brillant and an observation and boat launch park called Pierre-Brochu in Sayabec. The fine point of Amqui is a large beach where you can practice several activities including camping and wakeboarding. There is also a site developed for camping and a beach at Charlie's Bay (also called Charlie's Bay) in Sayabec and a campground at the Val-Brillant marina. Lac Matapédia is part of the tourist region of Gaspésie in the Matapedia Valley sub-region. The International Appalachian Trail runs along the north shore of Lake Matapedia, connecting Causapscal to the Réserve faunique de Matane.^[4]

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  Lake Matapédia view from Val-Brillant
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  North shore of lake Matapédia in front of Val-Brillant
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  South shore of lake Matapédia at Val-Brillant
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  Islands of lake Matapédia at the level of Val-Brillant

• Seigneurie-du-lac-Matapédia Regional Park