Due to the altitude, this lake is normally frozen from late October to early May; however, the safe period for traffic on the ice is usually November to April.

The forest road that follows the Jacques-Cartier River valley provides access to Lake Malbaie and Grands-Jardins National Park.

Lac Frenette receives from the northwest the waters of Lakes Carroll (altitude: 851 m), Milton (875 m) and Brunette (842 m).

The next 6.4 km segment of the Malbaie River route constitutes the southern limit of the Grands-Jardins National Park with the Laurentides Wildlife Reserve.

The toponym "Lac Malbaie" was formalized on December 5, 1968 at the Place Names Bank of the Commission de toponymie du Québec.