The name of the Baskatong Reservoir means “Where the ice has folded”;

The name of the Cabonga Reservoir means “completely blocked by sand”;

The name Maniwaki means “Marie’s Land”.

Photo : Michelle Guitard, E.B. Eddy 1905

The Gatineau River owes its name to Nicolas Gatineau, Sieur de  Plessis, born in France in 1627. In the New France, Gatineau was a notary and registrar of the court for Trois-Rivières and Montreal. He came to the Outaouais on a business, on behalf of the Compagnie des Cents Associés (Company of one hundred associates). Since he worked in the fur trade and agricultural development, the shores of the Outaouais are for him very lucrative. He often sailed down the various rivers of the area for trading. Tragically in 1681, he drowned in the river that bears his name to this day…

To find out more of the toponymy of the province of Quebec, visit:

Commission de toponymie of Québec.