Montmorency Falls

The Montmorency Falls ( Chute Montmorency French ) is a waterfall in the Canadian province of Québec. It is located 13 kilometers northeast of the provincial capital of Quebec towards the south-western tip of Île d' Orléans, on the border of the municipality Boischatel. The waterfall forms the mouth of the river Montmorency and plunges over a cliff 83 meters in the St. Lawrence River. He is the highest waterfall in the province of Quebec and about 30 meters higher than Niagara Falls. The basin at the foot of the waterfall is 17 meters deep. During the winter, the river is frozen below the falls on the ice at the foot of the waterfall is then formed from the freezing spray of the so-called pain de Ducre (Eng. Sugar Loaf ), a mound of ice can reach a height of 30 meters.

History

The first European who discovered the waterfall, in 1542 was the Frenchman Jean Fonteneau, who took part in the expedition of Jean -François de La Rocque de Roberval. Samuel Champlain named the waterfall in 1608 by Charles de Montmorency. In July 1759, British troops landed at the waterfall and built on the eastern hill, a fortified camp, have been preserved from the remains. After an attack by the French under General Montcalm, which cost the British more than 400 victims, the British forces under James Wolfe, the French had to give up their positions, but were in the battle on the nearby Plains of Abraham to the west of Quebec City two and a half months later critical beat.

Today, the Montmorency Falls is one of the most popular tourist attractions of Quebec City. A cable car transports visitors to the upper level of the falls. Since 1993 there is also a staircase in the rock wall. Just above the waterfall connecting a suspension bridge, the two river banks together. The edges of the waterfall ice in the winter, so ice climbing is possible.