Lake Mistassini (Canada) Lake Mistassini (in French: Lac Mistassini) is the largest natural lake by surface area in the province of Quebec, Canada, with a total surface area of approximately 2,335 km² and a net area (water surface area only) of 2,164 km². It is located in the Jamésie region of the province, approximately 360 kilometers (220 mi) east of James Bay. The Cree town of Mistissini is located on Watson Peninsula in the south-east corner of the lake, which separates Baie du Poste from Abatagouche Bay. Extensive forests of Spruce, Birch, Pine, and Fir trees, which support a booming forestry industry, surround the lake. The existence of this large lake was known to French explorers for a long time before actually reaching it. Even Samuel de Champlain knew of it in 1603. Lake Mistassini was finally discovered by Europeans in 1663 as part of an expedition ordered by Governor D'Avaugour and led by Guillaume Couture (first settler of Pointe-Lévy (Lévis) and hero of New-France). He was accompanied by Pierre Duquet and Jean Langlois, as well as by native American guides; the whole group consisting of a fleet of 44 canoes. They went up the Saguenay River, reached Lake Mistassini and continued on the Rupert River which flows to the Hudson Bay. Thereafter, Lake Mistassini became an important step along the route from the Saguenay to James Bay. In 1672, Charles Albanel crossed the lake in an official mission. On June 18, 1672, he wrote: "we entered the great Lake Mistassirinins [...]; this Lake is named for the rocks with which it abounds, which are of prodigious size. That same year, a fur trading post was established on the lake, the location of which shifted from time to time until 1821 when it was established at the present site of the village Mistissini. ___________________ Lac Mistassini (Canada) Le lac Mistassini est le plus grand lac naturel du Québec, couvrant une superficie totale d’approximativement 2 335 km2. Il est situé dans la région de la Jamésie, à environ 360 km à l’est de la baie James. Le village cri de Mistissini est localisé au sud-est du lac, sur la péninsule Watson. Dans la partie méridionale du lac, s'élève l'île Rouleau qui est formée par la remontée centrale d'un cratère de météorite. De vastes forêts d’épinettes, de bouleaux, de pins et de sapins bordent le lac et sont exploités pour l’industrie forestière. La région du lac Mistassini est aussi reconnue comme étant l’une des plus propices pour la culture de bleuets. Cette étendue d’eau abritait à l’origine une faune très diversifiée et ce, à l’intérieur tout comme aux abords du lac. Cependant, en raison de la chasse excessive et du piégeage intensif, les populations de caribous ont pratiquement disparu tandis que celles de castors, de loutres, de martres, de lynx, de renards et de visons se sont passablement raréfiées.