The Mighty Montmorency Falls

Waterfalls always strike me with awe, whether I am viewing it from afar, from above, from below, or from behind. They carry with them an air of might and majesty, and at the same time evoke a whiff of magic and mystery. Behind the curtain of gushing waters, it is not difficult to picture enchanted fairies frolicking in the mist.

I have, in fact, taped two fantasy-inspired television show episodes near the waterfalls when I was working in television production in the Philippines – a fairy episode shot in a private resort that had a pretty waterfall within its property, and a sort-of-adventure episode involving a Sheena-the-Warrior-Princess-type all-woman-tribe inhabiting a waterfall oasis in a secluded jungle.

But filming aside, I’ve been to a few more waterfalls on sight-seeing or hiking trips.

One of the most magnificent ones that I’ve seen is the Montmorency Falls in Québec, the gateway to the Beaupré region and the centrepiece of Parc Chute de la Chute-Montmorency (Montmorency Falls Park), right at the mouth of the Montmorency River, where it drops over the cliff shore into the Saint Lawrence River. Located just a few minutes’ drive from downtown Québec City, this 83-meter tall falls tops its more famous sister, Niagara Falls in Ontario, by 30 meters. And though not as wide, it is equally as beautiful and as majestic.

I went there twice. The first time was with my husband and my aunt who was visiting from Manila on the summer when we brought her to Québec to visit to some religious shrines. The second time was with my husband and son, on a summer vacation trip.

The first one was unplanned. We just happened to be cruising along Boulevard Sainte-Anne on our way back from the Sanctuary of Sainte-Anne de Beaupré. From the signs we kept seeing along the highway, we realized that the falls was literally by the side of the road, so we decided to stop. We parked at the main parking lot (P1) in front of the Visitor Station and Ticket Centre at the base of the falls, straight and simple. My aunt was not interested to hop on the cable car, so we just stayed at the base, walked around, took some photos, and purchased some souvenirs from the small souvenir shop beside the ticket booth.

On our second visit, it got a little bit complicated. We found out the hard way that you can also access the falls from the top. We drove from Québec City that time and our GPS led us to Boulevard des Chutes then on to Avenue Royale, where after getting lost in a maze of re-routes, and not being able to go through the secondary entrance on Place de la Chute-Montmorency due to road constructions, we decided to just park on a residential street and walk.

We noticed there were several cars parked along the main avenue and side streets as well, and therefore guessed that this was because the parking lot (P2) was inaccessible (and we later learned that this parking lot is reserved for those who have booked a table at the Manoir Montmorency or who have tickets for the ferrata or zip line). We also saw throngs of people walking along the sidewalk, so we just followed them, again, guessing that they were heading to the falls.

A couple of locals made it easier for us by showing us a shortcut through a walking trail right across from the Irving Gas Station and McDonalds, a few meters away from the bridge. They told us that further down is another parking lot (P3) located on the Boischatel side, northeast of the falls, but this is only open in the summer and reserved for the ferrata and zipline trekkers, so we didn’t bother. We just followed the trail and after a few minutes of walking, we eventually reached the Observation Tower and made our way through the park from there. On this visit, we stayed longer.

There is plenty to do there.

To start off, one can take the Promenade de la Chute, a path which starts from behind the Visitor Station that leads to the base of the falls.  There are several lookout points where you can stop to take pictures. You will also walk by the base of the cliff where you can admire its geological characteristics from up close. In fact, my husband and son climbed halfway up to examine the surface even more closely and to pick up some interesting rocks.

Several hundred million years ago, the entire Québec City area was located on a continental margin and the waterfall is a remnant of this ancient period – a fault over which the Montmorency River cascades. I saw my husband giving our son some impromptu geological lessons but I had to call out on them, partially because I already wanted to move on, and partially because those two were becoming too comfortable in the very precarious position they were taking at the edge of a large rock. After a few failed attempts at getting them to come down, they eventually yielded after I chanted their names non-stop.

We checked out the concrete promontory at the end of the path and at the closest point to the falls. From there, you can see the water rushing down with all its might, hear its thunderous roar, and get sprayed on as it cascades to the riverbed. If you approach close enough, you can even get a full-blown shower, but since we did not want to get drenched, we did not venture too far along the edges.

Still, the power and might of this falls is undeniable from this vantage point and this site brims with history and mystery. The Indigenous Peoples who populated the area had long known about the waterfalls, but it was Québec’s founder, Samuel de Champlain, who gave it its current name in honour of Charles de Montmorency-Damville, Duke of Damville and Admiral of France and Brittany to whom he dedicated his 1603 voyage. Sadly, the Duke never saw the falls that bears his name. He died in 1621 without having set foot on Canada.

During the French-English war, this was the site of British land fortifications built in preparation for the battles. General James Wolfe chose this because it provided a good view of the defences installed by French General Marquis de Montcalm on the other side of the river all the way to Québec City. Remnants of these military installations dating from 1759 have survived and are located in the eastern section of the park.

This war also spawned the legend of the “White Lady.” According to the story, a young member of the colonial militia was set to be married to his beautiful lover. They used to have their regular rendezvous at the top of the falls. But a few days before their wedding, the British launched an attack near the falls and the young man who joined the battle got killed. Overcome with sadness, his bride-to-be donned her wedding gown and threw herself over the falls. Since then, there are people who claim that they see a “White Lady” jumping off from the cliff and floating down into the churning waters below. And I thought tales of “White Ladies” only abound in the Philippines!

Clinging to the flank of the cliff is a wooden Panoramic Staircase with 487 steps that go all the way up. It has several viewing platforms on regular intervals, offering scenic rest stops for those who want to catch their breath or take in the view. We only went up one level. The steps are steep and at that time, I decided that poor and unfit me was going to be lazy. It was a hot afternoon and I didn’t have enough stamina to do the whole thing. I heard some athletes train here, going up and down several times. I am no athlete, so, “No, thank you.”

Instead, we went the easy way via cable car. On both our ascent and descent trips, we enjoyed the few minutes of rest while soaking in the bird’s eye view of waterfalls, the Saint Lawrence River, Île d'Orléans from across the river, and Québec City from afar. No one in our family has a fear of heights, so this ride was actually quite relaxing and enjoyable.

As we got off the cable car, we surveyed the area from the Look Out. From there, we got a good view of the falls, the Promenade de la Chute down below, the wooden steps, and the hanging bridge across the river that leads to Île d’Orléans. There were also telescopes available for those who’d like to get a closer look of the stunning scenery.

Sitting at atop the cliff is Manoir Montmorency, a restored English villa that houses the interpretation centre, gift shop, restaurant, café, dairy bar, sporting goods store, and ticket office for the ferrata and zip line rides. The current building is actually an exact replica of the original one that went up in flames during renovations in 1993. During the rebuilt, great care was taken to respect its original English architecture and chic country style. Outside, there is a beautifully-manicured lawn, flowerbeds with colourful summer blooms, and a large green fountain.

This manor was built by Governor Frederick Haldimand in 1780 to serve as his country house. It is also where no less than Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, son of King George III, and father of Queen Victoria stayed in those days that he was in the country. Rumour has it that he carried a 27-year illicit affair with a married woman from Québec and that this house served as their love nest. Imagine that!

Inside, we just checked the items at the gift shop. My boys bought matching Bear shirts. There was none in my size, so I didn’t get one. We stayed there for a bit for the simple reason that it was air-conditioned inside. We needed that respite from the brutal afternoon heat. While there, we walked around to see the other areas within the building.

The interpretation centre has exhibits that tell the history of this heritage site. The restaurant, with a terrace overlooking the falls, looked very inviting. But we didn’t eat there for we brought some snacks. I heard this restaurant is best known for its Sunday brunch that features Québec classics such as tourtières, local cheeses, in-house smoked fish, and maple pancakes, and is also a popular venue for events like birthdays and weddings. We were tempted to get some frozen delights from the dairy shop but changed our minds as we didn’t want to walk around the manor with dripping ice cream cones and popsicles. We stopped by the ticket booth to ask some questions about the adventure attractions and examine the gear used for rock climbing and zip lining. Then we used the washroom and headed out.

We did not embark on any adrenaline-pumping adventures offered at the site, first, because our son did not meet the minimum age requirement, and second, because we didn’t feel we were fit enough to meet the challenge.

The ferrata, opened in 2013, has three different circuits running along the Boischatel fault. Anchored by a safety harness, thrill-seekers are led by a certified guide along the cliffs. You will have to scale the side of the cliffs by clipping yourself to a continuous steel cable attached to the rocks with metal holds as you make your way to the top. The best part is that the climb provides aerial views of the cove surrounding the falls.

The beginner route called Explorateur is 200 meters long and takes about an hour to complete. The intermediate one called Torrent de Montmorency is 60 meters longer and takes about two and a half hours. The advanced level called Ascension Tyro combines the ferrata trek with a zip line ride and takes about two hours.

Perched at the top of the cliff and stretching some 300 metres, the zip line enables people to cross Montmorency Falls Cove before landing near the observation deck. With feet dangling in the void, you’ll feel the waterfall as it roars and you will feel its drizzles caress your face.

It would have been nice to see the fault, 43 kilometres long, from up close. Along with the waterfalls, this crevice is a product of the strain caused by a continental shift that occurred thousands of years ago. But I was certain I will not be able to appreciate this geological wonder anyway if I were hanging in mid-air and clinging to the cliff side for dear life under the sweltering heat of the sun.

Casting our inner Spiderman aside, we just took a stroll on the Cliffside Boardwalk that, as the name suggests, runs along the cliff. The path extends from the manor’s terrace all the way to the suspension bridge. Midway, there is La Baronne Observation Deck where you can rest and admire the scenery, and watch the zip liners scream as they land from an exhilarating ride.

The Suspension Bridge is definitely not to be missed. It is a hanging bridge right above the waterfalls that spans its entire width. From this angle, you can admire how the water gushes down and you can actually feel it roaring intensely beneath your feet. In addition, you get an amazing view of the park, the river, the bridge, and Île d’Orléans from this vantage point.

We explored the area around the top of the falls and found some more walking trails similar to the one we took from the main road that criss-cross the park. They range from half a kilometer to three kilometers in length and vary in difficulty levels, mostly easy with a couple of intermediate ones.

We took the Cottage Trail, the easiest and most accessible one. It circles from behind the manor, passes through flower gardens thick with summer florals, beehives, ephemeral pieces of art work, and large green spaces. The beehives, as we’ve read from the signs, were set up to encourage pollination and the honey harvest is available for sale in the gift shop. The ephemeral art display is part of the annual Festival D’Art au Jardin where local artists are encouraged to submit entries and ten are chosen to be featured each year. There is also a small playground for kids with swings, slides, and a sandbox full of plastic toys. Our son insisted on staying here for a few minutes which we didn’t mind. He played with some kids while we sat down and people-watched. This path is popular among families with young kids and toddlers in strollers as the path is straight and flat. The trail leads to the suspension bridge.

We did not have time to hike along the other trails. The Résurgences Trail seems to be the favourite amongst the locals. In fact, it’s some kind of a well-kept secret. This relatively easy trail is a wooded circuit that runs along the river upstream of the waterfall. This would have been my boys’ kind of trail. The other one is the 31 Juillet Trail, an intermediate trail with steep slopes connecting the orchard with the foot of the waterfall.

I didn’t know there was an orchard there. But I guess, more than the apple trees and picnic tables, it is renowned for its history. This orchard was the site of a major confrontation between the English and the French forces on July 31, 1759. General Wolfe’s house, built in 1818, is still there, now classified as a heritage building. This farmhouse is a rare surviving example of the domestic architecture of the French regime with the integration of English techniques that were added 60 years later.

Perhaps, when we get the chance to go back, we could do some more hiking around the area, and perhaps visit the park on a different season. I’ve only been there in the summer. I imagine that in the spring, it will appear fresh with the trees waking up from slumber and the flowers blossoming. In autumn, it will be teeming with vibrant colours when the leaves turn gold and rust and ruby and every shade in between. And in the winter, it will simply be magical when everything is blanketed in sparkly white snow, like a totally different world!

I heard that in the winter, you can go snowshoeing here or take up an ice-climbing challenge. The easy trails are cleared of snow and you can enjoy a tranquil walk while enjoying the beauty of the park in all its white glory. However, for safety reasons, the east side, including the Promenade de la Chute and the Panoramic Staircase, isn’t accessible. You can, however, hang out at the park cove and from here, admire the wintry mist of the falls.

The more adventurous ones can climb the ice on the frozen walls of the cliff surrounding the falls, but it is a requirement to register first at the manor and to be aware of the rules in force. Introductory courses are also available. I don’t think I’d bother with this. I will stick with snowshoeing for now, or just warm up with a cup of hot chocolate at the manor restaurant while admiring the view.

And did you know that in the winter, Parc Chute de la Chute-Montmorency is also known for its pain du sucre (sugar loaf)? It’s not sweet bread from the restaurant. It’s not even food. The term refers to the icy formation looking like a giant mound at the base of the falls when the freezing spray sent up by the crushing waters accumulates at its foot and along the cliffs. The height and shape vary considerably from one year to another, but it can grow as high as 30 meters. The colder the winter, the more “spray” generated by falls crystallizes and the more spectacular the “sugar loaf” becomes. It turns into a humongous playground for ice climbers. It must be a sight to behold!

Famous poet John Keats, referred to Montmorency Falls in his poem, “Sleep and Poetry” written in 1816:

               “Stop and consider! Life is but a day;

               A fragile dew-drop on its perilous way

               From a tree’s summit; a poor Indian’s sleep

               While his boat hastens to the monstrous steep

               Of Montmorenci. Why so sad a moan?”

In here, he expresses doubts as to whether fate will grant him a sufficiently long life in order to achieve his ambitions. He also fears that he will die with so much unaccomplished.

I am not exactly a poet, but I can understand how this majestic wonder found its way in one of Keat’s dreamy lines. I find that most of the time, when faced with something bigger than us, we realize how small we are in the greatness of this universe and that our life is but a short thread in the vastness of eternity.

We left the park with good memories, nice pictures, and a few thoughts to ponder. Over the next few days, I still caught a glimpse of its beauty as we passed by Boulevard Sainte-Anne on our way to Mont Sainte-Anne, and across the Saint Lawrence River when we were at Île d’Orléans. And I am hoping I will get another chance to see it again in the years to come and once again marvel in its magnificence.