French River History

The French river was formed circa 800 BC, when it emerged from the depths of Georgian Bay (Lake Huron) as the land tilted in a southwesterly direction in response to the release of pressures exerted by the ice sheet during the last ice age. The total drop of the river is 19 metres and its total length is 105 kilometres. In the summer the water is warm and in the winter thick ice covers the river.

The fascinating history of this waterway from geological times, as an aboriginal trade route, the French and British fur trade eras, to the modern day, can be fully appreciated by reading author Toni Harting's book, The French River: Canoeing the River of the Stick-Wavers.

The French River is an intimate collection of channels and lakes, bays and marshes, rapids and falls, strategically located between the Ottawa River watershed to the east and the Great Lakes to the west. The French River shows so much physical diversity and has such a rich history that it is among the most exceptional and fascinating rivers in the province, if not Canada.

Birds, mammals, fish and flora abound here, and the river's unique role in world history is a fascinating story. During the more than 250 years that the western fur trade lasted, the French River formed a small but vital link in the lifeline between east and west.

The Lodge and The Cottages at Pine Cove
Phone: 705-898-2500
Ownership Inquiries: 705-898-2500
Mailing Address:  The Lodge and The Cottages at Pine Cove
P.O. Box 91, Noelville, Ontario, Canada, P0M 2N0

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