The excursions described here can be combined and completed in a day. Admittedly, it will be a morning-to-night undertaking, especially if much time is taken to explore each destination, but the farthest of the four destinations is only 42km (26 miles) from Québec City. The shrine of Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré is a religious destination, while the waterfalls of both Montmorency and Canyon Ste-Anne are dazzling fun, especially in the spring when the winter thaws make them thunder. Just over a bridge near Montmorency, bucolic Ile d'Orléans, with its maple groves, orchards, farms, and 18th- and 19th-century houses, is an unspoiled mini-oasis.
With 2 or more days available, you can continue along the northern shore to Charlevoix, where inns and a gambling casino invite an overnight stay, and consider taking the ferry across the river and driving toward Québec City along the St. Lawrence's southern bank, exploring different riverside villages as you make your way back.
Although it is preferable to drive in this region, tour buses go to Montmorency Falls and the shrine of Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré, and circle the Ile d'Orléans.
For more information, log on to www.quebecregion.com.
