A new TVO documentary called "Tripping the French River" will put viewers at the front of a cedarstrip canoe for a three-hour paddle down an ever-changing and historic waterway.
Entering the river through the same channel where indigenous peoples guided the first European explorers, the canoe heads south along winding sections of the upper river. These are the same waters that once felt the paddles of thousands of voyageurs as these hearty men moved mountains of beaver pets and supplies.
"Starting in Lake Nipissing, the French River flows through towering gorges and bounds over massive boulders while still clinging to remnants of long-lost settlements," says a news release. "This is a hypnotic journey on one of Ontario’s most important rivers. The French River connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes as part of an ancient superhighway for Indigenous peoples and voyageurs.
"TRIPPING The French River continues the hugely popular TRIPPING series with a mesmerizing paddle from Lake Nipissing to Georgian Bay. The French River is the First Canadian Heritage River, and the fact is that both the canoe and this river are essential ingredients to the formation of Canada. Without either, Canada is a very different country in both geography and personality."
The release says it’s a way to experience parts that feel like a lake, as well as rapids, waterfalls, abandoned towns, soaring cliffs, historic lodges and narrow channels.
"It’s a step back in time and a way to see all of the great flora and fauna that Ontario has to offer."
Executive Producer Mitch Azaria says the trip started at the mouth of the French on Lake Nipissing and goes all the way to Georgian Bay.
"The river is 110 kms, the voyageurs would paddle it in one day so, we did too. The doc covers the three main section/personalities of the river (top, middle, bottom). The bottom is what’s called the Voyageur channel. The entire course of the French River runs through the boreal forest. It’s the world’s largest intact forest ecosystem.
"The greatest challenge was filming the rapids without making our viewers seasick," explains Azaria."We spent a lot of time reviewing different camera systems to find a camera and stabilizer that could be robust enough to take the lurching out of the rapids, rugged enough to take the abuse and inexpensive enough to replace if it went for a swim. The first time we used it, it completely failed and we couldn’t check the dailies in the field so we shot the entire day and only realized back at camp that the camera was faulty and the entire day was unusable."
Azaria says the other cool part of filming had nothing to do with rolling the camera, but was seeing all of the different paddlers on the river.
"There were people of all ages, all different levels of expertise, and a great number of new Canadians, who, despite their newness to paddling, were out in the river for 2-3 day trips. There is something about being Canadian and paddling that are so closely linked."
A 16 ft Prospector cedar strip canoe was used to make the documentary.
"The size and model is an ideal canoe for the personality of the river. It is large enough for two people, roomy enough for gear, designed for both flat water and fast water. According to the experts, it is the most popular model for a trip on the French River. The only downside was it was very heavy since it was a cedar strip. On one portage, the entire film crew had to portage it through the forest."
This 110 kilometre paddle on one of the rivers that helped form Canada, premieres on Sunday, April 21, at 8 p.m. ET on TVO, TVO Today, YouTube and smart TV services,
Here's the trailer to get a sense of the magnificent spectacle of this experiential documentary.
TVO Original TRIPPING THE FRENCH RIVER is the fifth installment of the hugely successful TRIPPING series.
You can follow the immersive adventures of TRIPPING The Rideau Canal, TRIPPING The Niagara, TRIPPING The Bruce, and TRIPPING Train 185.
