Montmorency Falls

11km (7 miles) NE of Québec City

Back on the mainland, Montmorency Falls, which were named by Samuel de Champlain for his patron, the duke of Montmorency, are 83m (272 ft.) tall. That's 30m (98 ft.) higher than Niagara -- a boast no visitor is spared. They are, however, far narrower. On summer nights the plunging water is illuminated, and from late July to mid-August there is an international fireworks competition overhead 2 nights a week, Les Grands Feux Loto-Québec. The yellow cast of the falls results from the high iron content of the riverbed.

Getting There

By Bus -- Tour companies La Tournée du Québec Métro (tel. 800/672-5232 or 418/836-8687), Old Québec Tours (tel. 418/664-0460), and Dupont (tel. 418/649-9226) all have tours to the falls. Schedules and programs are subject to frequent change, so check by phone.

By Car -- Take Autoroute 440 east out of Québec City. After 10 minutes, watch for the exit for the falls and the parking lot. If you miss the exit, you'll see the falls on your left and will be able to U-turn.

Viewing the Falls

The falls are surrounded by the provincial Parc de la Chute-Montmorency (tel. 418/663-3330; www.sepaq.com/chutemontmorency), where visitors can take in the view and have a picnic. The grounds are accessible year-round. In winter, there's a particularly impressive sight, as the freezing spray sent up by crashing water builds a mountain of white ice at the base called the pain de sucre (sugarloaf). It sometimes grows as high as 30m (98 ft.) and attracts ice climbers.

There are a variety of platforms from which the falls can be viewed, including a footbridge that spans the river just where it flows over the cliff. There are also stairs that ascend one side from the bottom to near the top, and a cable car (not for the vertiginous) that runs from the parking lot off Autoroute 440 to a terminal above the falls near Manoir Montmorency, a villa that contains an interpretation center, a café-bar, and a restaurant.

The restaurant serves good-quality lunches and dinners and a popular Sunday buffet brunch. Call (tel. 418/663-3330) for meal reservations, which are suggested. The dining room and porch have a side view of the falls.

Admission to the falls is free, although parking costs C$9 (US$7.85/£3.85). Round-trip fares on the cable car cost C$8.25 (US$7.20/£3.55) for adults, C$4 (US$3.50/£1.70) for ages 6 to 16. The cable car operates every day from late April to late August, and on a more limited schedule the rest of the year. Packages are available that include parking and cable rides.