Waterfalls of Quebec

Ryan and I are big into waterfalls, so of course, we had to make a few stops while in Quebec. 

The first waterfalls, Montmorency Falls, is just outside the city and is basically on the side of the highway.  It's taller than Niagara, although not as wide.  We did the entire trail and walked the stairs to the bottom.  Then we realized we had to walk the 470 stairs back to the top.  Either that or take the Gondola for $20.  $20?  I don't think so.

It was very beautiful although very touristy.

After Montmorency falls, we drove around Ile D'Orleans, which is a large island in the middle of the St. Lawrence.  We stopped at a Chocolaterie which had ice cream.  I had a dark chocolate dipped cone, and let me tell ya, I am still dreaming about this delicious ice cream cone.  It's a good thing it's so far away....

We also stopped at a Chocolaterie which had ice cream.  I had a dark chocolate dipped cone, and let me tell ya, I am still dreaming about this delicious ice cream cone.  It's a good thing it's so far away....

It was impossible not to get chocolate on your face...just sayin'

We stayed for a couple of nights at Mont-Saint-Anne, and hiked Les Sept-Chutes the next day, which means Seven Waterfalls (for those of you who speak the same amount of French as my husband). It was an amazing hike up to the top. 

They also have a hydroelectric plant there.  At the top we were able to see the dam. 

From the dam down to the plant, they had this huge pipe that is full of water flowing through it.  The hydro plant controls the water pressure based on the hydro demand at any given time.

We also did a tour of the hydro plant.  It was built in the early 1900s and it took 300 men 3 years to build the entire system.  They then had men living on site to run the plant.  It is now run remotely and everything is automatic.  It was really interesting.

I love being somewhat active on our holidays, and so all of the walking and hiking on this trip definitely met that criteria!  It was pretty exhausting but everything we did was worth it.

Guess what, I'm not done talking about this trip yet.  Next week I will tell you about the "biggest" activity that we did.  (Then I'm done, I promise, maybe.)