if ▁de ▁Char le vo ix " ▁which ▁is ▁located ▁very ▁close ▁to ▁the ▁south ▁side . ▁ ▁The ▁surface ▁of ▁the ▁Old ▁River ▁is ▁generally ▁fro zen ▁from ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁December ▁until ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁March , ▁except ▁for ▁the ▁ed dy ▁areas ; ▁however , ▁safe ▁traffic ▁on ▁the ▁ice ▁is ▁generally ▁from ▁mid - Dec ember ▁to ▁mid - M arch . ▁The ▁water ▁level ▁of ▁the ▁river ▁var ies ▁with ▁the ▁seasons ▁and ▁the ▁precip itation ; ▁the ▁spring ▁flo od ▁occurs ▁in ▁March ▁or ▁April . ▁ ▁Geography ▁ ▁The ▁Vie ille ▁Riv ière ▁r ises ▁at ▁the ▁mouth ▁of ▁an ▁un ident ified ▁small ▁lake ▁( length : ▁; ▁alt itude : ▁). ▁This ▁source ▁is ▁hosted ▁between ▁three ▁mountain ▁pe aks : ▁a ▁sum mit ▁( alt itude : ▁) ▁at ▁ ▁on ▁the ▁north ▁side ; ▁the ▁mountain ▁" La ▁Point ue " ▁( alt itude : ▁) ▁at ▁ ▁on ▁the ▁east ▁side ; ▁the ▁Mont ▁Gab ri elle - Ro y ▁( alt itude : ▁) ▁at ▁ ▁on ▁the ▁south west ▁side . ▁This ▁source ▁is ▁located ▁at : ▁▁ ▁south - east ▁of ▁route ▁ 1 3 8 ▁which ▁is ▁ 5 ▁to ▁ 6 ▁kilom eters ▁away ▁from ▁the ▁shore ▁of ▁the ▁St . ▁Lawrence ▁River ▁in ▁this ▁zone ; ▁▁ ▁north - west ▁of ▁the ▁village ▁center ▁of ▁Pet ite - R iv ière - Saint - Fran çois ; ▁▁ ▁south ▁of ▁dow nt own ▁Ba ie