A Glance at French Beach Provincial Park

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French Beach lies within the traditional territory of the T'Sou-ke First Nation. The park name references James French, a colourful Sooke resident and true adventurer. On foot, he travelled across Canada, from New Brunswick to Victoria, over a strenuous two-year period. During his intrepid explorations of the Northwest Territories, French mis-stepped and plunged through the ice. The biting cold stole all of his toes from one foot and the heel from the other. Aboriginal knowledge is credited in helping him to not lose more.

But, his northern misfortune did not prevent him from journeying onwards. He then travelled by boat and canoe, down the Bulkley Valley to Vancouver, and then paddled around Vancouver Island to finally find his home and favourite beach.

French was an early naturalist. He travelled the world to bring exotic animals to zoos for public enjoyment and education. His life ended in 1952, but he was survived by his family who continued to live on the property until it was designated French Beach Provincial Park in 1974.

For those of us unwilling to hazard such an ambitious expedition, French Beach Provincial Park features lovely beaches and beautiful hiking trails through south-western Vancouver Island forests. A wide patch of green lawn fronts the sand and pebble beach where visitors can relax and enjoy a picnic. On hot days, visitors can dip their toes into the ocean nearby.

It's not hard to see what French loved. The park offers fabulous views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Mountains from the 1,600-metre beach. It's a great place for beach-combing.

The park is ideal for whale watchers too. Magnificent grey whales pass by this park in the early spring. The whales leave their winter breeding grounds in Mexico and travel through BC waters on their way to prime foraging in the Bering Sea. A small population of animals remain in BC for the summer.

What makes French Beach a perfect location to spot a grey whale? The majestic creatures feed on tiny organisms in the bottom sediment, so it is very common to see them in shallow waters close to shore. They feed by gulping large mouthfuls of mud and straining it out through their baleen plates to filter out food. Their migration is one of the longest of any mammal (up to 15,000 – 20,000 km round trip).

In addition to grey whales, roaming pods of resident killer whales can also be seen offshore, as well as otters, seals, and sea lions. French Beach is also a great spot to observe seabirds like bald eagles and ospreys.

A number of other animals also populate the park, including frogs, salamanders, and small mammals such as minks, squirrels, and racoons. While French Beach Provincial Park isn't the same as a trek across Canada, it still can be a fun adventure for anyone on Vancouver Island.

Island Times Magazine thanks Tammie Liddicoat for her continued BC Parks support.