Canyon Sainte-Anne
Encyclopedia
Canyon Sainte-Anne is a spectacular, steep-sided gorge, carved by the Sainte-Anne-du-Nord River
, 6 km east of Beaupré
, Quebec
, Canada
. The river drops over a 74 m (243 ft) waterfall within the canyon.
(the first one installed in Canada
), and rappelling the canyon walls are permitted with supervision.
Accessible to the public since 1973, the canyon was familiar to natives
, painted by Kreighoff and described by American philosopher and environmentalist Henry David Thoreau
. It was used during the filming of Battlefield Earth
in 2000.
, at the edge of the Beaupré Coast and Charlevoix
regions. It lies on the border between the municipalities of Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges
and Saint-Joachim
. The Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Basilica, the ski resort Mont Sainte-Anne, the Montmorency falls and the Cap Tourmente national wildlife reserve are in the same area.
47°4′12.4"N 70°52′44.8"W
, a fundamental rock formation of northern parts of Manitoba
, Ontario
and Quebec
, all around the Hudson Bay
. It all started in the Precambrian Age (1,2 billion years ago) when hard rock formed the canyon's walls and bottom. This metamorphic rock, called granitic gneiss, was formed at high pressure in the extremely hot depths of earth then rose to the surface through movements in the earth's crust. Later, a second rocky mass appeared, the sedimentary Palaeozoic rock formed some 450 million years ago by the compression of underwater sediments.
Much later, two successive ice ages covered North America
. It is during the melting of the second one which led to the formation of the current hydrographic system (the St. Lawrence Lowlands area with the St. Lawrence River, Orleans Island, and the Magdalene Islands, as well as all the rivers known today). Erosion then finished the job by changing the general appearance of the region.
Two years later, they leased the immediate shores of the river from Hydro-Québec
and purchased the wooded lots between Route 138 and the leased riverbanks. Slowly but surely, work began to clear a road. All was in place to welcome the first visitors on July 14, 1973.
Sainte-Anne-du-Nord River
Ste-Anne-du-Nord River is a river in Quebec, Canada. The river passes through Canyon Sainte-Anne before joining the Saint Lawrence River at Beaupré....
, 6 km east of Beaupré
Beaupré, Quebec
Beaupré is a ville in the Canadian province of Quebec, located in La Côte-de-Beaupré Regional County Municipality. The town is along the Saint Lawrence River and Route 138 at the mouth of the Sainte-Anne-du-Nord River....
, Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The river drops over a 74 m (243 ft) waterfall within the canyon.
Site and Visitors
The Canyon receives over 100,000 visitors per year. Three suspension foot bridges cross the canyon, including one 60 m (197 ft) meters above the river. Many scenic overlooks allow families to discover giant potholes and other cascades. Rock-climbing, via ferrataVia ferrata
A via ferrata or klettersteig is a mountain route which is equipped with fixed cables, stemples, ladders, and bridges. The use of these allows otherwise isolated routes to be joined to create longer routes which are accessible to people with a wide range of climbing abilities...
(the first one installed in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
), and rappelling the canyon walls are permitted with supervision.
Accessible to the public since 1973, the canyon was familiar to natives
First Nations
First Nations is a term that collectively refers to various Aboriginal peoples in Canada who are neither Inuit nor Métis. There are currently over 630 recognised First Nations governments or bands spread across Canada, roughly half of which are in the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. The...
, painted by Kreighoff and described by American philosopher and environmentalist Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau
Henry David Thoreau was an American author, poet, philosopher, abolitionist, naturalist, tax resister, development critic, surveyor, historian, and leading transcendentalist...
. It was used during the filming of Battlefield Earth
Battlefield Earth (film)
Battlefield Earth is a 2000 American science fiction film adapted from L. Ron Hubbard's novel of the same name. It was directed by Roger Christian, and stars John Travolta, Forest Whitaker, and Barry Pepper...
in 2000.
Location
Canyon Sainte-Anne is located 25 to 30 minutes east of Quebec CityQuebec City
Quebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
, at the edge of the Beaupré Coast and Charlevoix
Charlevoix
The Charlevoix region, located in Quebec, includes parts of the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River and the Laurentian Mountains region of the Canadian Shield...
regions. It lies on the border between the municipalities of Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges
Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges, Quebec
Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges is a municipality in Quebec, Canada.-History:First explored in 1693 by Louis Soumande during a hunting expedition, the first settlers came in 1728 when some families were invited to settle there at the invitation of the area's seigneurial lords, also the leaders of the...
and Saint-Joachim
Saint-Joachim, Quebec
Saint-Joachim is a parish municipality in Quebec, Canada. It is part of the La Côte-de-Beaupré Regional County Municipality in the Capitale-Nationale region. Located at the foot of Cape Tourmente, it is home to the Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area....
. The Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Basilica, the ski resort Mont Sainte-Anne, the Montmorency falls and the Cap Tourmente national wildlife reserve are in the same area.
47°4′12.4"N 70°52′44.8"W
Geology
The canyon is part of the Canadian ShieldCanadian Shield
The Canadian Shield, also called the Laurentian Plateau, or Bouclier Canadien , is a vast geological shield covered by a thin layer of soil that forms the nucleus of the North American or Laurentia craton. It is an area mostly composed of igneous rock which relates to its long volcanic history...
, a fundamental rock formation of northern parts of Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, all around the Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay
Hudson Bay , sometimes called Hudson's Bay, is a large body of saltwater in northeastern Canada. It drains a very large area, about , that includes parts of Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta, most of Manitoba, southeastern Nunavut, as well as parts of North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota,...
. It all started in the Precambrian Age (1,2 billion years ago) when hard rock formed the canyon's walls and bottom. This metamorphic rock, called granitic gneiss, was formed at high pressure in the extremely hot depths of earth then rose to the surface through movements in the earth's crust. Later, a second rocky mass appeared, the sedimentary Palaeozoic rock formed some 450 million years ago by the compression of underwater sediments.
Much later, two successive ice ages covered North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. It is during the melting of the second one which led to the formation of the current hydrographic system (the St. Lawrence Lowlands area with the St. Lawrence River, Orleans Island, and the Magdalene Islands, as well as all the rivers known today). Erosion then finished the job by changing the general appearance of the region.
History
Because of its advantageous route, the Sainte-Anne-du-Nord River was widely used by loggers at the turn of the century. During a camping trip to the area in the summer of 1965, a former logger explained to Jean-Marie McNicoll how to reach the Sainte-Anne River falls. As there was no road to the river, Jean-Marie had to make his way through the woods but was rewarded with the discovery. He returned to his brother Laurent telling him he had discovered a unique place.Two years later, they leased the immediate shores of the river from Hydro-Québec
Hydro-Québec
Hydro-Québec is a government-owned public utility established in 1944 by the Government of Quebec. Based in Montreal, the company is in charge of the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity across Quebec....
and purchased the wooded lots between Route 138 and the leased riverbanks. Slowly but surely, work began to clear a road. All was in place to welcome the first visitors on July 14, 1973.
Honours
- 2002: Canadian Winner 2002, “Attraction Canada Awards”, category: “Natural Outdoor Site, less than 100km²”.
- 2002: Quebec Tourism Awards, silver medallist, category: « Tourist attraction, 100 000 visitors and more ».
- 2001: Top 5, Elle Québec Magazine, listed as one of the five most interesting natural site, near of an urban agglomeration, July 2001.
- 2000: Henry David Thoreau: 150th anniversary of his passage, American philosopher and naturalist.
- 1999: Quebec Tourism Awards for the Great Quebec City area, category: « Responsible and durable tourism ».
- 1999: Shooting of exterior scenes of the movie “Battlefield earth” produced by John Travolta.
- 1988: Quebec Tourism Awards, for the Great Quebec City area, category: « Small touristic enterprise ”.
- 1983: Canadian Winner, State minister for Small business and tourism, silver medallist, category « Exceptional contribution to touristic industry ».
- AAAAmerican Automobile AssociationAAA , formerly known as the American Automobile Association, is a federation of 51 independently operated motor clubs throughout North America. AAA is a not-for-profit member service organization with more than 51 million members. AAA provides services to its members such as travel, automotive,...
/CAACanadian Automobile AssociationThe Canadian Automobile Association , commonly known as CAA, is a non-profit federation, founded in 1913, of nine clubs across Canada, providing roadside assistance service, a complete range of auto touring and leisure travel services, insurance services, and member discounts with preferred...
Tourist guide: star Attraction in the Quebec CityQuebec CityQuebec , also Québec, Quebec City or Québec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located within the Capitale-Nationale region. It is the second most populous city in Quebec after Montreal, which is about to the southwest...
area. Canyon Sainte-Anne has joined a group of a dozen most impressive sites not to miss.
In the same area
- Montmorency falls park
- Cap TourmenteCap TourmenteThe Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area is a National Wildlife Area located on the north shore of the Saint Lawrence River in the Charlevoix region of Quebec established on 28 April 1978. It is critical habitat for the Greater Snow Goose during migration. Flocks of tens of thousands of these birds...
National wildlife reserve - Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Shrine and pilgrimage center
- Ski station and resort Mont Sainte-Anne