Descente du Richelieu

Beneath the surface of the Richelieu River, the water tells a story of both profound tranquility and sudden upheaval. As you settle into your rhythm during the 2000m event at the Descente du Richelieu, your strokes cut through a channel carved into clay deposits that reach up to 50 metres deep, remnants of the ancient Champlain Sea that once submerged this entire valley. The river here flows with a deliberate, steady power, a far cry from the turbulent energy found at the foot of the rapids just upstream.

This specific stretch of water, forming the wide, shallow basin near Chambly, hides submerged markers of a darker past. In 1864, the river became the site of a disaster when a train plunged from a swing bridge into these very waters after missing a signal, a tragedy that claimed 99 lives and remains etched in local memory. Today, the basin offers a more peaceful passage, though you are sharing the habitat with some of the region's most vulnerable inhabitants. The rare copper redhorse and the prehistoric-looking lake sturgeon navigate these depths, while along the natural, forested banks that still account for nearly half of the river's periphery, the endangered softshell turtle finds sanctuary.

Historical currents and race logistics

The atmosphere of the event is deeply connected to the river's role as a historic corridor. In June 1760, these banks witnessed the Sainte-Thérèse raid, a tactical maneuver by Rogers' Rangers against a vital supply hub that left the local landscape permanently altered. Participating in the Descente du Richelieu on June 7, 2026, allows you to traverse this corridor with the same focus on navigation that defined the region's early settlers. The 2000m swim is a centerpiece of the broader festival organized by the Club de canotage OBC and Fondation Rivières, an organization dedicated to the health of these waterways. Because this is a river environment, the flow is constant; the event is structured to leverage the natural hydrology of the basin, providing a secure course that showcases the biodiversity protected by the river's naturalized edges. With over 650 participants taking to the water in previous editions, the event has grown into a significant community gathering that emphasizes non-motorized access to the river.