French River (Ontario)

French River
Rivière des Français, Wemitigoj-Sibi
Recollet Falls of the French River near Hwy. 69
Country	Canada
Province	Ontario
Region	Nipissing, Parry Sound, and Sudbury Districts
Source	Lake Nipissing
- location	Nipissing District
- coordinates	46°12′30″N 79°49′30″W / 46.20833°N 79.82500°W / 46.20833; -79.82500
Mouth	Georgian Bay
- location	Parry Sound District Coords for Main Outlet:
- coordinates	45°56′26″N 80°54′06″W / 45.94056°N 80.90167°W / 45.94056; -80.90167Coordinates: 45°56′26″N 80°54′06″W / 45.94056°N 80.90167°W / 45.94056; -80.90167
Length	110 km (68 mi)
Basin	19,100 km2 (7,400 sq mi)
Location of the mouth of the French River in Ontario

The French River (French: ''Rivière des Français'' or in Ojibway Wemitigoj-Sibi) is a river in Central Ontario, Canada. It flows 110 kilometres (68 mi) from Lake Nipissing west to Georgian Bay. The river largely follows the boundary between the Parry Sound District and the Sudbury District, and in most contexts is considered the dividing line between Northern Ontario and Southern Ontario. The French River was designated a Canadian Heritage River in 1986.

The French River flows through typical Canadian Shield country, in many places exposing rugged glaciated rock but also through heavily forested areas on the upper portion. The mouth of the river contains countless islands and numerous channels which vary from narrow, enclosed steep-walled gorges, falls and rapids, to broad expanses of open water.

Tributaries of this river include the:

It was used as a transportation corridor by the Algonquian peoples of this region. The Ojibwa named this the "French River" because it became associated with French explorers of the 17th century, including Étienne Brûlé, Samuel de Champlain and Pierre-Esprit Radisson, and missionaries.

Other explorers who later followed this route included Simon Fraser, Alexander Mackenzie and David Thompson.