The Charlevoix: Creative Cradle of the St. Lawrence
Perhaps it is the dramatic sweep of the Laurentian Shield, straight to the river's edge. Maybe it is the sudden dip of a country road, rising to a row of whitewashed, dormered houses strung along a sunlit ridge, or the deep, invigorating freshness of the air. Whatever the explanation for the cultural richness of the land of the Charlevoix, the area has become a centre for galleries, performing arts and distinctive architecture:

• The town of Baie-St.-Paul is the visual arts centre of the Charlevoix region. Its lively streetscape is lined with galleries and cafés, and anchored by the "Centre D'Art and Centre d'Expostion de Baie St. Paul." Visual arts events such as the annual Symposium of Young Canadian Painters and Rêves d'Automne support the town's reputation as a major Quebec cultural tourism destination.

• Backed by the Laurentian peak of "Le Massif," the small riverside village of Petite-Rivière-St.-Francois has also provided inspiration to many artists, including the renowned French-Canadian novelist, Gabrielle Roy.

• In Saint-Irénée, a little further east along the north shore of the river, the "Domaine Forget" performing arts centre specializes in music and dance, operating an internationally-attended summer school. Each summer, from late June to the end of August, "Le Festival International du Domaine Forget" is held in the centre's 600-seat concert hall, featuring public performances of dance, jazz and classical music.

• The Victorian and turn-of-the-century Quebecois architecture of the Charlevoix has been well-preserved in St. Joseph-de-la Rive, located on a narrow terrace below the rocky Laurentian escarpment. A designated historical district features 40 heritage homes and buildings that capture the "Belle Epoque" atmosphere of the region. Look for ornate two-tier balconies, turrets, prominent dormers and uniquely sloped rooflines.

The Gaspé-Geurnsey Connection
When British entrepreneurs began establishing cod fisheries on the shores of the Gulf of St. Lawrence in the early 1800's, they recruited entire families from the Channel Islands to settle along the eastern tip of the Gaspé, and further south, in the Bay of Chaleur. Transplanted from French-speaking Jersey and Geurnsey, the immigrants tackled the job of catching and drying codfish for export to Italy, Spain and the West Indies.

Along the pebbled cod-drying shore of Grande-Grave, on the Forillon coast of the Gaspé Peninsula, hundreds of men worked feverishly from May to October. In smaller coves along the rocky coast, smaller-scale family operations employed similar processing methods, selling their product to the larger companies.

The hard-working immigrants, well aware of the economic hazards of depending on a single industry, gradually expanded their activity into subsistence farming, woodlot harvesting, and sawmilling, supplying lumber for shipbuilding, wharves, bridges and cod barrels.

The Mohawks of Akwesasne
Overlapping boundaries and converging rivers provide a unique backdrop for the Mohawk community of Akwesasne, which spans the upper St. Lawrence River near the Ontario-Quebec border Cornwall, Ontario. In a territory which was split in two by the international Canada- US border after the War of 1812, no less than 8 government jurisdictions - representing Canada, the United States, the Province of Ontario, the Province of Quebec, the State of New York and 3 Mohawk governing bodies - provide legal complexity to a location that sits at the confluence of the Grasse, Raquette, St. Regis, and Salmon rivers.

The Akwesasne Mohawks trace their heritage to the Iroquoians of the St. Lawrence River and Great Lakes Basin, following the traditions of the Haudenosaunee, or Six Nations Confederacy. Traditionally, the Akewsasne society has been matrilineal, led by clanmothers who represent 3 main clans- Turtle, Wolf and Bear - and have the authority to appoint or remove a chief.

The sport of lacrosse, known traditionally as "Tewaarathon," has long been associated with the Akwesasne community, where it is a played at a highly competitive level.

The abundant marshes of the upper St. Lawrence have contributed to a handcraft tradition based on natural materials, such as sweet grass basket-making. Fish such as sturgeon, bass, walleye and pike have been vital to the economy of the river-dwelling community, but since the industrial development of the St. Lawrence Seaway in the mid-20th century, the Akwesasne community has borne the full impact of toxic upriver pollutants. Since the 1980's, the community has worked aggressively to achieve effluent control and extensive river remediation.

Loyalist Lands of the Upper St. Lawrence
When tens of thousands of loyal British subjects fled the American Revolution in the early 1780's, many headed northeast, to Nova Scotia. But some United Empire Loyalists, as they became known, left their well-established farms in New Jersey and New York for the raw banks of the upper St. Lawrence River and the shores of Lake Ontario.

Eastern Ontario Exiles: By the time the exodus from the former Thirteen Colonies was complete, about 10,000 Loyalists had travelled the river highway, their meager possessions stacked on the floor of slow-moving, flat-bottomed bateaux. Some disembarked soon after boarding, stopping at Cornwall, Prescott and Johnstown, while others continued up the St. Lawrence to Brockville, Mallorytown and Kingston. Many went on to the eastern shores of Lake Ontario, populating the sheltered coves of Prince Edward County and Bay of Quinte. Today, most of eastern Ontario's river and lakeside communities trace their pioneer beginnings to the exiled Loyalists and their first rough-hewn log shanties.

The Loyalist immigrants, who had risked life and property to uphold British law, were not prepared to accept the limited rights and seigneurial land-holding system of 18th century Quebec. In 1791, their demands for representation convinced the British parliament to pass the Constitutional Act, dividing Quebec into Upper and Lower Canada and granted elected assemblies and freehold property rights in each colony.

Pride Preserved: The Loyalist heritage, born of fierce pride and sacrifice and a deep respect for the rule of law, has shaped the well-ordered, upright tone and character of the cities and towns of the upper St. Lawrence. Although the Loyalist immigrant population was surprisingly diverse - representing many ethnic groups and economic levels - its political unity and the bitter experience of exile have inspired a keen and lasting interest in family history and genealogical background. The Loyalist exodus has been the subject of countless historical books and essays and numerous plays and novels, and for today's Loyalist descendants, remains the defining feature of their pioneer heritage.

Festival Fever in Montreal
Is it a city street or a pedestrian concourse? In colourful, cosmopolitan Montreal, it's often hard to tell.

Culture often comes before cars for festival-fanatic Montrealers, who have no hesitation about stopping traffic to stage a show or accommodate a crowd. Throughout the summer, downtown streets give way to dance, theatre, music and outdoor audiences. Planning to visit Montreal? Park your car, hop on the Métro, and head downtown to these festival highlights:

• Montreal International Jazz Festival (Festival International de Jazz de Montréal) - Late June/early July. Join over 1 million fans at the city's largest outdoor festival to hear the finest jazz and contemporary musicians in the world. The festival includes over 300 free outdoor concerts.

• Just for Laughs Festival -, mid-July. Stand-up comedy, theatre and improve takes to the streets for hundreds of free performances and activities.

• Festival International Nuites d'Afrique - Mid-July. Outdoor performances are part of this celebration of African culture, featuring entertainers from African, the Caribbean and the Americas.

• Francofolies de Montréal - Late July, August. A lively celebration of Francophone music, culture and entertainment.