Richelieu, << RIHSH uh `loo,` >> River is a Canadian stream that flows through some of Quebec’s most beautiful valleys. The Richelieu rises in Lake Champlain, near the Quebec-Vermont border. It flows north for about 80 miles (130 kilometers) and meets the St. Lawrence River at Sorel, between Montreal and Trois Rivieres. Ships travel the river from Sorel south to Chambly. The Richelieu has two canals—one at St. Ours, south of Sorel, and the other at Chambly. It is a transportation artery, but is better known as a place for boating. It was named after Cardinal Richelieu, a French statesman.
