Saint-Séverin, Mauricie, Quebec

Saint Séverin in the Chaudière Appalaches region

Saint Séverin (also called St Séverin de Proulxville or simply Proulxville) is a parish municipality in Quebec (Canada) in the Mékinac Regional County Municipality, Quebec, in the administrative region of Mauricie and watershed the Batiscanie. At various times, the place was also known as Saint Séverin de Proulxville and Proulxville. Historically its economy was based mainly on agriculture. Until the mid 20th century, farmers were actively involved in the supply of lumber camps of the Middle and Upper Mauricie, providing men, horses, carriages, meat, flour, fodder, household items Two flour mills with a regional upstream of the village contributed significantly to the regional economy.

The town of Saint Séverin is named in honour of the vicar general Louis Séverin Rheault and abbot Séverin of Saint Maurice en Valais. Proulxville name is in memory of Father Prudent Proulx (1853 1924), the first parish priest (1889 1918).

The main street of Saint Séverin is called "Boulevard Saint Louis", which is the continuation of the path "Côte Saint Louis" which crosses the municipality in a straight line from north to south, from the "Rivière des Envies". The way "Côte Saint Louis" ends at the intersection of Route 352 in Saint Stanislas, about 800 meters south of the discharge of "rivière des Envies". thumb|left|Bordeleau bridge, Saint Séverin (Mékinac), Quebec. Covered Bridge (formerly named "Bordeleau Bridge") spans the "Rivière des Envies", at the boundary of Saint Tite, Hérouxville and Saint Séverin. The first bridge was built in 1875 and was rebuilt in 1932 with a roof. This bridge is located on the Dessureault road connecting to the Grand Rang Saint Tite (in the hamlet of Cossetteville). The municipality of Saint Séverin of Proulxville is enclosed by Saint Tite (North West), Saint Adelphe (northeast), Saint Stanislas (southeast), Saint Narcisse (south) and Hérouxville (west). The distance between the church of Saint Séverin and the surrounding parishes are: Saint Narcisse (17.3 km path through the Côte Saint Paul, and road of row Saint Pierre), Saint Stanislas (12.7 km via the Saint Louis road), Saint Adelphe (16.8 km via the St Émile road) and Saint Tite (9 km through Grand Rang road). "Rivière des Envies" and its tributary the "Rivière à la tortue" (Turtle River) are the two significant rivers that have marked the geography of the "Saint Séverin" parish.

A railroad section was built to link Saint Stanislas and Hérouxville. This railroad section started at the Transcontinental stood (east side of Batiscan River) in front of the village of Saint Stanislas, crossed the river on an iron bridge (located upstream of the village), then roamed the southern part of the municipality of Saint Séverin, and reached the discharge of Lac à la Tortue (located in Hérouxville). There, the railroad did a big curve of around 90 degrees (in north west direction) in order to follow the path of chemin de la Grande Ligne (Great line). Finally this railroad section joined (about 1 km west of the village of Hérouxville) the railway line connecting the junction Garneau to Hervey Junction. The railway station of Saint Séverin was located on the "road of Cote Saint Paul," about 300 metres from the intersection of Côte Saint Paul. The distance by road between the church of Saint Severin and its station was about 4.1 km.

Coming from the north west (Saint Tite), the "Rivière des Envies" makes a long curve before empties in the fall at the former two mills: sawmill and floormill. Then, the river goes to the village of Saint Séverin, pass a big drop at the downstream end of the village. The river continues its course and pass under the bridge path Trefflé Veillette, then crosses the municipality of Saint Stanislas to pour into "Batiscan River" at the southern boundary of the village. At the height of Proulxville, "Rivière des Envies" is bordered by a road on each side: the path of the Rivière des Envies North East and Rivière des Envies Southeast. In winter, the "Rivière des Envies" ice road connected Saint Stanislas and Saint Tite. This iced road was used with heavily loaded sleighs in the intention to avoid the calvettes on parallel roads and slopes, which were complicated to cross.

Rivière à la Tortue (Turtle river) begins at the outlet of lac à la Tortue (Turtle Lake) (Hérouxville sector), runs north east crossing the "Chemin de la Grande Ligne" (Great line road) and "Chemin (road) Saint Pierre". Then, Turtle River makes a curve to the right to browse the municipality of Saint Sévérin de Proulxville, more or less in parallel to the "Rivière des Envies". Turtle River cuts the path of Côte Saint Paul road about 3.2 km southeast of the intersection of the road of the Côte Saint Louis. Then the river cuts the Saint Louis Road about 0.6 miles from the intersection of Route 159. Then the river goes to Saint Stanislas, where it empties into the Rivière des Envies, near the bridge of route 159.