Kamouraska is a municipality on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region of Quebec, Canada. It is part of the Regional County Municipality of Kamouraska. It has been named one of the top 20 most beautiful villages in the province of Quebec, and the municipality is a member of the Most Beautiful Villages of Quebec Association. The name "Kamouraska" comes from an Algonquin word meaning "where rushes grow at the water's edge". History The area was settled by French colonists in the late 17th century. In 1674 it was designated as the Seigneury de Kamouraska, a constituent of the Gouvernement de Québec (fr). There is a long tradition of eel fishing here. An interpretive centre on eel fishing is located in the village. Geography There are salt marshes along the river and there is an ecological reserve near the village. The marsh provides habitat used by birds for nesting and during migration. Cliffs along the river provide nesting habitat for peregrine falcons, cormorants and great blue herons. Seals can also be seen in the river here. At certain times of year, the mosquitoes found in the marshes can be particularly aggressive. The village can be reached via Autoroute 20. Route 132 travels through the village. Municipal council Mayor: Richard Préfontaine Councillors: Dany Bossé, Michel Dion, Michel Lavoie, Pascal Morneau, Gilles A. Michaud, Hervé Voyer Notable people from Kamouraska Charles Chiniquy, born here in 1809, left the Catholic priesthood and became a Presbyterian minister, giving Anti-Catholic lectures in the United States. René Chaloult (1901-1978), Member of the Quebec Legislative Assembly for Kamouraska, lobbied for Quebec to have its own flag, proposing the fleur-de-lis. This was recognized in 1948 by the government of Maurice Duplessis. Charles-Alfred Desjardins (January 26, 1846 – September 6, 1934), was a farmer, merchant, manufacturer and political figure in Quebec. He represented Kamouraska in the Legislative Assembly of Quebec from 1890 to 1897 as a Conservative. He was also known as Charles-Alfred Roy dit Desjardins. Marie-Louise Meilleur (1880-1998) was a supercentarian, who was born and grew up here, and returned later in life. In 1997-1998, she was ranked as the oldest recognized living person and the oldest validated Canadian ever; she lived to 117 years of age. Adolphe-Basile Routhier, an attorney and judge of the Superior Court, lived here from 1864-1891. He wrote the French lyrics to the song "O Canada"; its second