Map of Quebec highlighting the
region
Lanaudière is one of the
seventeen administrative regions of Quebec
, situated
immediately to the northeast of Montreal
. It
has a total population (
2006
census) of 429,053 inhabitants.
Geography
The region
of Lanaudière is part of central Quebec and is
located between the Saint Lawrence River
and the Laurentian
massif, between Mauricie
and the
Laurentides. Lanaudière attracts
a good deal of interest from vacationers due to its unique
character founded largely on the harmony between its culture and
the surrounding natural environment. Lanaudière's
12,413.73
km2
(4,792.97 sq mi) stretch northwest from a shore of 60 km of
the Saint Lawrence River.
Lanaudière is generally rural, while the
urban areas are generally concentrated in the south of the region,
such as Repentigny
, Terrebonne
and Berthierville
. The altitude rises as one goes northwards; it
is 20 metres near the Saint Lawrence River to almost 800 metres on
the top of mountains near Saint-Donat and Saint-Zénon
.
Lanaudière is made up of three distinct geographical groupings: the
southern plain has cities and farming villages and includes many
historical locations; the
piedmont in the
center has become a vacation spot due to its numerous lakes and
natural attractions, and the
Laurentian Plateau in the far north in
the forested country is known for its fishing and hiking.
The three main ports of entry for Lanaudière are all in the south:
Terrebonne, Repentigny and Berthierville.
Lanaudière's road network was developed according to three north
south axes (25-125, 31-131, 347), all of which have few links with
the neighboring regions. Even though this internal network is
almost exclusively composed of secondary roads, it is well-designed
for long automobile trips or for biking.
Lanaudière has two
wildlife preserves, the Rouge-Matawin
and the Mastigouche, as well as part of
the Mont
Tremblant
park.
Further to the north, about an hour away from
Saint-Michel-des-Saints, there is an
Amerindian reservation where Atikamekw (
Manawan) live.
History
The region
of Lanaudière owes its name to history, for it
perpetuates the memory of Marie-Charlotte de
Lanaudière, daughter of the lord of Lavaltrie
and wife of the businessman Barthélemy Joliette, descendant of
the famous explorer Louis
Jolliet. Lanaudière evokes the lineage of the lords De
Lanaudière who contributed, over seven generations, to the defense
and the development of the French colonies in America, to
that of France
and to that
of the region.
Subdivisions
Regional County Municipalities
Indian Reserve
Major communities
See also
External links
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