Rivière-à-Pierre, a municipality in the Portneuf Regional County Municipality, is nestled in the Laurentian Mountains of the Capitale-Nationale administrative region. This part of the Batiscanie boasts over 200 lakes and is the second largest municipality in the Portneuf RCM in terms of area. The village of Rivière-à-Pierre developed on either side of the river that shares its name, and is recognized as the gateway to the Portneuf Wildlife Reserve. This draws many visitors, campers, hikers, hunters, and fishermen into the wilderness. The area is sparsely populated and dotted with many lakes, making it a popular destination for retirees and cottagers during the summer. The local economy benefits significantly from the resorts in the area.
The first settlers arrived in Rivière-à-Pierre around 1880, living off forestry and agriculture. The first pioneers acquired lands around Lac Vert (Green Lake), upstream of the village. The place was known at that time as the Mission du canton de Bois (Mission of Bois Township), named after Louis-Édouard Bois (1813–1889), former priest of Maskinongé and historian of French Canada. Shortly thereafter, granite was discovered, which led to the development of granite quarries. The arrival of the Lower Laurentian Railway in 1888 brought more people and more business to the town. Simultaneously, the exploitation of granite became the predominant industry in Rivière-à-Pierre.
The village is located 15 km by river up to the mouth of "rivière-à-Pierre". The Church of St. Bernardin de Rivière-à-Pierre is 23.6 km by road from the church of Notre-Dame-de-Montauban; 26.6 km from the church of Saint-Léonard-de-Portneuf; 37.1 km from the church of Saint-Raymond of Portneuf; and 96.4 km from Château Frontenac, in Quebec City. By a forestry road, the distance between the church at Rivière-à-Pierre and "Lac Édouard (Lake Edward)" (Haute-Mauricie) is 111 km. Route 367 passes through the southern part of the village of Riviere-à-Pierre. Formerly, Route 367 linked Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures and Rivière-à-Pierre, via Saint-Raymond. During the 1990s, the road was extended to Lac-aux-Sables through Notre-Dame-de-Montauban.
The watershed of Rivière-à-Pierre is 216 km2, the seventh largest pool of Batiscanie. If we include the watershed of Blanche River (rivière à Pierre) which is a tributary of Rivière à Pierre, this new global watershed is the third largest in Batiscanie. The territory of the municipality of Rivière-à-Pierre is located in Batiscanie, in the sub-basin of "rivière-à-Pierre" that empties into the Batiscan River. The mouth of the "rivière Blanche" (White River) empties into the rivière-à-Pierre at the level of village of Rivière-à-Pierre, about 300 metres upstream from the church.
The population trend of Rivière-à-Pierre, Quebec shows that the private dwellings occupied by usual residents are 328 (total dwellings: 609). The mother tongue of the residents is as follows:
The Rivière-à-Pierre railway station is the terminal point (at the 68th km) of the Jacques Cartier/Portneuf multi-functional track, which is referred to as the no. 6 of the "Green Route" from 2007 and "Trans Canada Trail" bike lanes. The development project of this track was initiated in 1993 by leaders of the region and was officially opened to the public in July 1998.
At the beginning of the colonization of Rivière-à-Pierre, the operation of granite stone was a craftsman approach. The stone was cut by hand tools using the power men's force. Granite industry has grown with the arrival of the railway Grand Trunk which came to the village in 1888 from the "Basse Mauricie" (Lower Mauricie).
Built in 1947, the fire tower built in front of the town hall, formerly used for drying fire hoses in village of Rivière-à-Pierre. Today, this building is occupied by the Granite Interpretation Centre.
At 4,4 km from the center of the village; or 2.2 km northeast of the "Lake of the farm", in the North-East, along the "rivière-à-Pierre" road, the "Chute de la marmite" (fall of the pot) has particular geological character.
The Montreal-Jonquière rail link is still in operation, both for the transport of goods and for travellers. Rivière-à-Pierre railway station is still used to serve travellers.
The Catholic parish of "Saint-Bernardin-de-Sienne" (St. Bernardine of Siena) was established canonically in 1890. The church was built in 1909 based on plans designed by the architect Joseph-Georges Bussières.
A replica of the cross of Gaspé was built in the village of Rivière-à-Pierre. This cross is half of the height of the original cross of Gaspé erected in Gaspé.
