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The Saguenay fjord's source - the vast Lac Saint-Jean - sits 210km inland, linked by the Riviere Saguenay. Along this stretch, a glut of aluminium and paper plants using the river as a power source has resulted in the growth of characterless industrial towns, the largest of which is Chicoutimi . Further west, beyond Jonquiere , the lake's farmland periphery is still relatively untouched and offers the opportunity to stay on the Montagnais reserve at Mashteuiatsh near Roberval, a unique zoo at Saint-Felicien and the strange sight of Val-Jalbert , Quebec's most accessible ghost town. A bike route connects the lake's towns and is an increasingly popular option for travellers from Montreal or Quebec who pop their bike on the train or bus for a three- to five-day tour of the lake. In July 1996, the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region was devastated by one of the biggest catastrophes in Canada's recent past - a major flood that wiped out homes and businesses in several towns. After unusually heavy rainfall, a delay in opening the floodgates caused water to surge downstream, passing two metres over the dam in downtown Chicoutimi. In all, 39 municipalities were affected, with 596 houses destroyed and 1953 damaged. Hardest hit were Chicoutimi, La Baie, L'Anse St-Jean, Jonquiere, Ferland-Boileau and Laterriere. La Baie suffered $165 million of damage and Chicoutimi $67 million. As the flood was an "act of God" no one received insurance, but those who lost their homes were helped out by donations from across the country
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