Just a few minutes from Quebec City, opposite the western tip of Île d’Orléans, lies this natural and historic site between river and cliff. Located at the mouth of the river of the same name, the 83-metre-high Montmorency Falls dominates the landscape, 30 metres higher than Niagara Falls. It is the highest waterfall in the province of Quebec.
Discover it on foot, via the hiking trails, panoramic staircase, suspension bridge and belvederes; by cable car or from the Manoir Montmorency. For the more active, a 300-meter-long zip line and the via ferrata, a rock-wall hike, promise a few adrenaline rushes and a breathtaking view. At the top of the cliff, Manoir Montmorency offers a terrace restaurant, boutique and interpretation center.
Accessible in all seasons, it’s also an enchanting place in winter. In cold weather, water vapours solidify around the periphery of the waterfall, making it a popular site for ice climbing and creating a large mass of ice (the sugar loaf) in front of the falls.
The waterfall was named by Samuel Champlain in honor of Charles de Montmorency-Damville, Admiral of France and Brittany, who died in 1612. The position of Admiral of France corresponded to the Minister of the Navy under the Ancien Régime (before 1789).
In 1759, when the British Army landed in New France, General James Wolfe established his headquarters near the falls. Wolfe’s attacks on Quebec City were repulsed by General Montcalm at Montmorency Falls.
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