Petite-Rivière-Saint-François is a charming municipality nestled along the Saint Lawrence River in Quebec, Canada. Known as the gateway to the Charlevoix region, this quaint town is named after the Petite rivière Saint-François and is home to the popular Le Massif ski resort.
In June 1603, Samuel de Champlain sailed past Petite-Rivière-Saint-François and was captivated by its beauty. He wrote about the location, describing it as a dangerous cove on the north side with meadows and a little river where the Indians sometimes camped. The name Petite Rivière ("Little River") stuck, although over time the place has been identified in many other ways, including Cap-Raide, Rivière-du-Sot, Anse-aux-Pommiers, l'Abattis (1695), l'Abatis (1755), Vieille-Rivière, Ruisseau-à-la-Nasse, Cap-Maillard, François-Xavier, and Côte-de-Saint-François-Xavier.
In 1675, the Seminary of Quebec granted land to Claude Bouchard, marking the beginning of the oldest settlement in the Charlevoix region. The settlement grew at the mouth of the Little River in a deep valley east of Cape Maillard. In 1721, the local parish was formed, named Saint-François-Xavier after Francis Xavier, founder of the Jesuits. The municipality was incorporated in 1845, abolished in 1847, and reestablished in 1855 as the Parish Municipality of Saint-François-Xavier-de-la-Petite-Rivière. In 1986, it changed status and name to become the Municipality of Petite-Rivière-Saint-François.
The population of Petite-Rivière-Saint-François has seen a steady increase over the years. In 2021, the population was 953, marking a 17.1% increase from 2016. The population in 2016 was 814, a 9.4% increase from 2011. The population in 2011 was 744, a 5.8% increase from 2006. The population in 2006 was 703, a 3.6% decrease from 2001. The population in 2001 was 730, a 3.0% decrease from 1996. The population in 1996 was 753, a 6.1% decrease from 1991. The population in 1991 was 802.
The town has 858 total dwellings, with 455 occupied by usual residents. The mother tongue of the residents is predominantly French, with 98.4% of the population speaking it as their first language. English is the first language for 1.1% of the population, while 0.5% of the population speaks both English and French as their first language. Other languages make up 0.5% of the first languages spoken in Petite-Rivière-Saint-François.
