Montmorency Falls and Beyond
Quebec is a beautiful city, and not to mention the oldest in Canada. The winding narrow cobblestone streets, painted roof tops and stone walls display many generations of history and overall the vibe reminds us of a European city feel. But what does one visit once the upper and lower towns have been explored? Well beauty is all around Quebec City and the Montmorency Falls are just a 15 minute drive up the Beaupré Coast – and is certainly a must see! The serenity that comes from admiring these powerful falls from many different viewpoints allows for a surreal experience. The Montmorency falls are the highest in the province, standing tall at 83 meters high. These falls even exceed the height of famous Niagara Falls by 30 meters!
Along the path you will find a beautiful gazebo lookout located on the left of the falls! One can feel a close presence to the falls as you hear them thundering down the rocks. During the summer season, this is the ideal spot for the thrill seekers where zip lining is available right across the entire falls. The 300 meters double zip line certainly adds the adrenaline rush to this spectacular landscape. This will definitely provide that adventure component for those looking for an alternate perspective to view the falls.
The best thing about this open space is the clear footpaths leading to the suspension bridge that overlooks the falls. This large green space is great for families and school groups of all ages to walk around as the hike is not very extensive and one does not need to be an expert climber by any means. Once on the suspension bridge, there is a slight sway if the wind is strong enough, and there are sure to be some fear of heights in the group to be conquered! To add to your workout, if you follow the path continuing around the falls, you can take the staircase of 487 steps all the way down for a panoramic view! There is also the cable car option to get up and down the cliff. Unfortunately for our group the staircase was still closed due to the season, but on the plus side the extra time allowed for a wonderful snowball fight in the forest… Might as well take advantage of the snow still present in April!
Once the group has enjoyed the beautiful landscape and surrounding area of the falls, food is definitely in order! As the months of March to the end of April is harvesting season at the surrounding sugar shacks why not enjoy a traditional Quebecois meal for the whole group! Just a 15 minute drive from the falls, L’Entailleur, situated on l’île d’Orléans is a family run sugar shack that has been in the Tailleur family for eight generations. Before the group enters, a wonderful demonstration occurs outside. The presentation explains the boiling process of the maple water in order to make the final products. The demonstration is informative, short and sweet but builds up an appetite for the feast! It is truly the perfect setting for a cozy homestyle meal stacked with all the trimmings and decor in the long wooden cabin. All the sugar shack classics are served, including live entertainment complete with an accordion player and the spoons distributed for the crowd to join in the festivities. The ambiance is lively and encourages participation and dancing, which surely generated some laughs along the way! There are even the classic folk Lumberjack doll puppets, who make an appearance, and the crowd is called upon to test them out. And don’t be surprised when the limbo stick will inevitably be taken out for a spin!
At the front of the Sugar shack dining hall, a mini store front allows you to get all the homemade maple products imaginable. These make for unique souvenirs and it is quite easy to get – well out of hand! Usually the case when there is too much choice. The many products include maple taffy, maple candies, maple syrup, maple shortbread cookies, maple butter … and the list goes on! Needless to say, the experience is topped off with a trip to the outside cabin where the group can enjoy the warm maple taffy. An extremely sweet treat that will be hard to resist second for most. Ending on a high note with a definite sugar high, what a fantastic day!
Written by:Loredana Merches ~ Evolve Guide
