The Basse Malbaie River in Charlevoix is part of the spectacular Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie National Park system, featuring 25 rapids of varying difficulty from R1 to S4. This pristine river flows through dramatic mountain valleys with towering cliffs rising up to 800 meters, offering some of Quebec's most breathtaking scenery. With 6 established campsites and one portage, it provides excellent multi-day wilderness paddling from May to October. The route showcases the UNESCO Charlevoix Biosphere Reserve's diverse ecosystems and offers both calm stretches and challenging whitewater sections.
The document describes 25. The map shows 24, because it only places rapids a national survey publishes a coordinate for. The two counts measure different things.
| Rapid | Class | Portage | Surveyor's note |
|---|---|---|---|
| R1 | R1 | ||
| R2 | R2 | ||
| R1-2 | R1-2 | ||
| S2-3 | S2-3 | ||
| R2-3 | R2-3 | rouleau au centre à la fin du R2-3 | |
| S3 à G | S3 | à gauche | |
| S4 à D | S4 | à droite | |
| RF | RF R1 | Rapides faciles | |
| RM | RM R3 | Rapides moyens | |
| RF/M | RF/M R3 | Rapides faciles à moyens | |
| R1 | R1 | ||
| R1-2 | R1-2 | ||
| R1 | R1 | ||
| R1 EH | R1 | avec eaux hautes | |
| R1-2 | R1-2 | ||
| R2 | R2 | ||
| R1-2 | R1-2 | ||
| R2 | R2 | ||
| R2-3 | R2-3 | ||
| R1-2 | R1-2 | ||
| R2 | R2 | ||
| R2 | R2 | ||
| R1-2 | R1-2 | ||
| R2-3 | R2-3 | ||
| R2 | R2 |
This table publishes no position for any rapid. Where a surveyor's note mentions a kilometre, those are their words quoted as written, and the figure was read off a scanned map: use it to follow their description, not to navigate. Most of these surveys were written in French.
Surveyed by Corinne Dupont-Rachiele, 2026-01. MalbaieBasseDupontRachiele2025.pdf
The document describes 1 portage(s).
| Portage | Length | Bank | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| un seul, si on choisit de portager le S3-4 | not stated |
The document describes 6 campsite(s).
Basse Malbaie River is rated Advanced. Whitewater ratings are not exact: grades change with water level and season. Verify current conditions locally before you paddle.
The best time is May-October.
Basse Malbaie River is located in the Charlevoix region of Canada.
cartespleinair.org · manawa.com · sepaq.com · avenza.com
Conditions change with water level and season. Grades and positions are for planning, not navigation. Verify locally before you paddle. Terms of use
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