Aim your wheels northeast when leaving Quebec City and you’ll find yourself in a region full of fun. The Côte-de-Beaupré region, following Rt. 138 along the northern shore of the St. Lawrence River provides activities ranging from relaxing to wild, adrenaline-packed experiences. Some are only 10 minutes from the city.
Four beautiful waterfalls adorn this area and you’ll want to get up close and personal with each one. At Parc de la Chute Montmorency you’ll get your best views from the gondola car that takes you to the top. Want to walk? There’s a path for that – a five kilometer hike with 20 lookout spots along the way.
Cable cars too dull? How about zip lining or rappelling into Canyon Saint-Anne? Shoot out over a 74 meter tall waterfall and hang in mid-air before being brought back to the jump off point. While you are dangling there, try to get a handle on the fact that the rocks supporting you are over 1.2 billion years old. A suspension bridge let’s everyone see the view from the center of the gorge.
At Monte-Sainte-Anne you’ll get a heavens-eye view of the whole region, highest in the area, with great skiing – both downhill and cross country. Summer time – pack that mountain bike and enjoy the world renowned trails. Want to sit and let someone else do all the work – stop in Secrets Nordiques and take a dog sled ride through the woods. Oh yeah, there’s also golf and camping.
[See a slide show of images from the region]
Possibly the largest draw of the region is the fabulous Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Basilica, with 1.5-million visitors each year. Construction began in 1923 after the former Basilica was destroyed by fire. The Neo-Romanesque structure features mosaic covered ceilings and 240 stained glass windows, unique in their construction. Each glass piece is one inch thick, perfectly clear, has faceted edges and is set in concrete instead of the typical lead. Give yourself plenty of time to explore this architecturally as well as religiously, fascinating area dedicated to Saint Anne.
More stories from Quebec you might enjoy:
Wendake for First Nation culture, food and hospitality
Lower Town Quebec and Hotel Le Priori
Upper Town Quebec and Hotel Chateau Laurier Quebec
Best hostel in Canada is Hostel International of Quebec
Bike to the Biosphere in Montreal
Photographic opportunities on the VIA Rail train in Quebec
The Mondial de la Biere event (Beer Show) in Montreal
Biking in Jonquiere, Quebec
Touring Montreal, hotels and restaurants
Tour de L'ile de Montreal (Bike Tour of Montreal)
Discover agritourism on Ile d'Orleans outside Quebec City
Doug Bardwell, based in Cleveland, OH, writes about travel destinations, photography and tech topics across the country and around the world at DougBardwell.com. Feel free to drop him a line at travel.dougbardwell@gmail.com with suggestions for future stories. To get his stories delivered to your inbox, click the RSS feed or the "Subscribe" button above or follow him on Facebook , Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+. To read Doug’s disclosure notice, click here. For travel ideas in Cleveland and around the world, check his Calendar of Events. To see his travel photo collection, see BardwellPhotography.com.
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