Part of my recent science traveling jaunt included Montmorency Falls, better known to the francophonic Quebecians as Chute-Montmorency. While not as broad as Niagara Falls, at 275-feet high (84 meters) Montmorency is almost 100-feet higher (30 meters). And it is spectacular.
To get to it you simply drive a little over 7 miles (12 kilometers) beyond Quebec City, or you can take a shuttle tour bus from downtown. The parking price is a bit steep ($12CAD), but if you decide to spend some time there it is worth it. That time spent can be simply photographing the falls, of course, but I highly recommend walking up the panoramic stairway that climbs the cliff next to the falls.
The views from each stopover hut on the steps are magnificent, and at the top there is a surprisingly nice park space for picnicking. But the best is yet to come. Follow the short trail over the fault bridge and onto the amazing Falls Suspension Bridge that straddles the top of the falls. You’ll see on one side that there is actually a small entree falls coming from the Montmorency River, which turns into the huge drop cascading over the other side of the bridge.
Smaller falls beside the main falls add further character. If you don’t want to walk the steps (or get wet in the mist at the bottom), you can take the cable cars from the main terminal near the ample parking. The cars bring you up to the Manoir Montmorency, where you can find a restaurant, the Kent House pub (one of several Kent connections I saw on this trip; more on those later), shops, and even a theater.
To get a feel of the power of the falls, check out this video:
Montmorency was one of two impressive waterfalls I saw on this particular trip, which adds to the hundreds of waterfalls I encountered on my earlier trip to Norwegian fjords. More on those soon.
David J. Kent is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (both Fall River Press). He has also written two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate. His next book, Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, is scheduled for release in summer 2017.
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