Saguenay, << `sag` uh NAY, >> River is an important waterway in southern Quebec. The river begins at the eastern end of Lac St.-Jean. It flows east for about 100 miles (160 kilometers), and empties into the St. Lawrence River about 120 miles (193 kilometers) northeast of the city of Quebec.
The Saguenay River is not navigable for its first 35 miles (56 kilometers). It drops more than 300 feet (91 meters) in this stretch, which extends from Lac St.-Jean to Chicoutimi. However, this upper branch of the Saguenay has been harnessed for a power output of more than 1 million kilowatts.
The Lower Saguenay begins just below Chicoutimi, where the river forms a small inlet called Ha Ha Bay. The chief harbor on Ha Ha Bay is Ville de la Baie. The Port Alfred section of Ville de la Baie handles industrial traffic, and the Bagotville section has a military air base and a regional airport. The Lower Saguenay is navigable for the 65 miles (105 kilometers) from Chicoutimi to the St. Lawrence River. It becomes a fiord in this stretch, averaging 800 feet (240 meters) deep. Cape Trinity and Cape Eternity, the most famous of the river’s cliffs, tower over the Lower Saguenay. Both cliffs are more than 1,600 feet (488 meters) high.
Tourist cruises have been conducted on the Saguenay River since 1849. Tadoussac, which lies at the mouth of the river, is a well-known resort area.
