Notre-Dame-des-Monts is a municipality in the Quebec Region, on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, in Quebec.

The economy of this locality in the hinterland of Charlevoix is centred on forestry, agriculture and recreational tourism activities (hiking, vacationing, snowmobiling, and all terrains vehicles). Visitors want to know the legend of La Noyée and admire the mountain setting formed by the rim of the crater of the Astroblème de Charlevoix.

Understand

History

Mountain setting

Going up the valley of the Rivière du Gouffre, from the limit of Saint-Urbain and Baie-Saint-Paul, the panorama of a mountain setting hugs the northern edge of the famous crater of the Astroblème de Charlevoix. A bucolic road trip from Baie Saint-Urbain is to take successively (heading east):

• Rang Saint-Jean-Baptiste (first in Saint-Urbain, then in Notre-Dame-des-Monts) along the foot of the cliff and the course of the Gouffre river;
• Rang St-Antoine, the 7th & 8th row road, the Chicago row, the Ste-Philomène row, and the 5th & 6th row road, to the village of Notre-Dame-des-Monts.

Clockwise (from the village of Saint-Urbain), the mountain range forming an arc of a circle, i.e. the northern fringe of the gigantic crater, is formed successively by the Mont des Ilets, the Mont Blanc du Grand Lac, the Mont Gros Ruisseau, Mont du Lac à Moïse, Mont du Lac des Cygnes, Mont du Lac à L'Empêche, Mont du Four (at the border of the lands of the Séminaire and the zec des Martres) and the mountain of la Noyée, to the course of the Malbaie river.

In the village of Notre-Dame-des-Monts, in the hinterland, the view of this mountain setting is superb; at the top of the mountain at Joseph-à-Johnny (located southeast of the village), the panorama is even more splendid. This mountain setting has inspired many painters who have immortalized it as a backdrop.

Drowned woman legend

The legend of the drowned woman is transmitted in the history of Saint-Aimé-des-Lacs and Notre-Dame-des-Monts. This legend, which originates from the depths of the Amerindian ages, refers to the La Noyée mountain whose summit (at 883 m) is located 215 m north of the boundary of the townships of Lacoste and De Sales. This summit is 1.75 km southwest of Lac du Tonnerre, in the canton of Lacoste in the unorganized territory of Mont-Élie, of the MRC of Charlevoix-Est; about 7 km south of the Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie National Park; and 13.1 km north of the center of the village of Notre-Dame-des-Monts. The south cliff of this mountain displays a vertical drop of 571 m (between the summit and the level of the lake of the chalet); the latter flows into Lac du Pied des Monts and the stream of the same name which becomes a tributary of the Malbaie River.

The mountainous relief of the southern part of Lacoste Township suggests the profile of a pregnant woman lying on her back, half-submerged, face and hair in the water. This mountain of La Noyée would represent the maternal womb according to legend. She would be associated with two other mountains (representing the mother's breasts) on the east side, which would presumably be:

• a 698 m peak on the east side of Lac du Tonnerre;
• a 501m peak on the east side of the Lac du Tonnerre outlet.

In addition, at this height, a peninsula in the course of the Malbaie River stretches 2.3 km (1.4 mi) to the east, forcing the current to bypass the head of the drowned woman according to legend. In short, in this position, the drowned woman would have her head to the east with her hair touching the Malbaie River; and the legs to the west, touching the Gouffre river. Curiously, the shortest distance between the course of the du Gouffre river and the Malbaie river, that is 8.8 km (5.5 mi), is obtained by drawing a straight line connecting the two rivers, at the foot of these mountains which is the rim of this ancient crater.

Her saddened lover, symbolized by another mountain, would keep watch on the other side of the Gouffre River. Locals and authors romanticize this local legend each in their own way.

Geography

The dwellings are mainly concentrated on the eastern part near Lake Nairne of Saint-Aimé-des-Lacs, where the village is located. The northern part of the municipality, north of the Lac au Brochet outlet, is mostly wooded. Thus, the territory of Notre-Dame-des-Monts is conducive to recreational tourism activities related to forestry.

Geology

The centre of the village of Notre-Dame-des-Monts is 16 km (9.9 mi) from the north side of the summit of Mont Les Éboulements. The entire municipal territory is located in the heart of the crater of the Astroblème of Charlevoix.

Nearly 400 million years ago, the fall of a meteorite significantly modified the relief of Charlevoix, creating a crater 54 km in diameter; it is the eleventh largest identified impact site on earth. The impact zone would be located along the St. Lawrence River; 60% of the astroblème covers the north shore of the river and 40% is under the water of the river. The astrobleme begins on the southwest side a few kilometers west of Baie-Saint-Paul, up to Cap-à-l'Aigle, located on the east bank of the Malbaie River, in La Malbaie. The centre of the astrobleme would be the Mont des Éboulements (summit at 768 m), formed by the effect of the raising of the bottom of the crater following the impact. Since this impact, the crater has been strongly metamorphosed under the effect of various erosion agents, making it more difficult to recognize its outline, particularly the part immersed in the St. Lawrence River. Consequently, experts define this ancient impact structure as the astrobleme. Inaugurated in 2014, an interpretation centre dedicated to the Charlevoix astrobleme is open to the public; it is housed in the former Club House of the Manoir Richelieu in La Malbaie.

Get in

By car

• From Tadoussac (94 km (58 mi), 1 hr 35 min), take the Tadoussac-Baie Sainte-Catherine ferry; take route 138 (westbound), to chemin du rang 2; take the chemin du rang 2 (west) to the village of Notre-Dame-des-Monts.
• From Quebec City (126 km (78 mi), 1 hr 32 min), take Route 138 east to Cartier Road; take Chemin Cartier (north) to the village of Notre-Dame-des-Monts.

By bus

• 1 Intercar, Restaurant Michel-Main du Motel Gil-Ber, 269, route 138, Saint-Hilarion (junction of route 138 with the village of Saint-Agnès), ☏ +1 418-665-3443, toll-free: +1-800-806-2167. Intercity bus connecting Quebec City to Baie-Comeau, via Baie-Saint-Paul, La Malbaie and Tadoussac. (updated Jan 2022)

Get around

See

• 1 Église de Notre-Dame-des-Monts, 48, rue Notre-Dame (in the heart of the village, at the intersection of rue Notre-Dame (row 2) and rue Principale). Open yearly. Church. (updated Jan 2022)

Do

• Snowmobile. The rural, forest and mountainous territory of Notre-Dame-des-Monts attracts many snowmobile enthusiasts. (updated Jan 2022)
• 1 Chalet des Loisirs de Notre-Dame-des-Monts, 11, rue Principale. Summer activities: playground, soccer field and day camp (Camp le Manoir). Winter activities: skating rink, sliding. Free. (updated Jan 2022)

Buy

• 1 Marché des Montagnes, 24, rue Principale, ☏ +1 418-201-8015. Grocery store. (updated Jan 2022)

Eat

Since March 2020, in the context of health measures resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic, several restaurants or dining rooms in Charlevoix have transformed the mode of meals at the tables into take-out or by delivery service. In general, restaurateurs have shown great resilience by updating their website, integrating interactive and automated applications for remote orders, as well as displaying the menu, opening hours, their mode of operation (e.g, by reservation, drive-through service), health measures required (e.g., vaccination record, mask, distance), other services (e.g., caterer, shops, accommodation, access for disabled, wi-fi, take-out, delivery), contact details and often the history of the restaurant or site. Considering the evolving context of the pandemic and government measures, it is recommended that customers obtain information from each establishment by consulting their respective website.

• 1 Le Grenier, 49, rue de la Forêt, ☏ +1 418-439-4227. Sandwich shop, catering service, frozen meals. Online order. (updated Jan 2022)

Sleep

Chalets, gîtes

• 1 Gîte Pousse Pioche, 17, rang St-Thomas. (updated Jan 2022)
• 2 Edentia Notre Dame Des Monts, 72, rang Ste-Christine, ☏ +1 418-439-2602. Hotel on the farm. (updated Jan 2022)
• 3 La Datcha, rang Sainte-Philomène. Affiliated with a holiday apartment rental service. (updated Jan 2022)
• 4 Maison de Rose-Anna, rang Saint-Jean-Baptiste. Villa. (updated Jan 2022)

Cope

• 2 Bibliothèque La Girouette ("La Girouette" Library), 285, rue Principal, ☏ +1 418-439-2006, . Library affiliated with the library network of the Capitale-Nationale and Chaudière-Appalaches. The library organizes several cultural activities. The library service is organized by volunteers. Free. (updated Jan 2022)

Go next

Routes through Notre-Dame-des-Monts

Quebec City ← Baie-Saint-Paul ←

W  E

→ Tadoussac → Sept-Îles

• 1 Laurentides Wildlife Reserve Wildlife reserve straddling the administrative regions of Quebec Region, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean and Mauricie. It covers an area of ​​7,934 km² (3,063 sq mi). This wildlife reserve borders on the limit of Saint-Urbain.
• 2 Des Grands-Jardins National Park With an area of 319 km² (123 sq mi) and with more than 120 bodies of water, the Grands-Jardins park is located in the unorganized territory of Lac-Pikauba, in the MRC de Charlevoix. This park constitutes a protected area aimed at the conservation of the natural heritage in which certain human activities are permitted. It is one of the central areas of the Charlevoix Biosphere Reserve, a status granted by UNESCO in 1988. The park is managed by the Quebec government through SÉPAQ. Visitors can enjoy a number of activities here, both summer and winter: camping, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, fishing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
• 3 Hautes-Gorges-de-la-rivière-Malbaie National Park This National Park exposes magnificent cliffs, a setting of high mountains and a strongly boxed valley which was shaped during the great glacial eras. This park is distinguished by its bucolic landscapes, the Malbaie River where visitors can paddle (by canoe, kayak or paddle serf), its riverboat excursions, its panoramic hiking trails of various calibers in the valley and in the mountains, its bike trails, its shop and a campsite surrounded by incomparable nature. The Acropole-des-Draveurs trail is one of the most majestic in the province, with a drop of 800 m. This park offers bicycle/kayak rentals, a gift shop and a restaurant serving local Charlevoix products.
• 4 Zec du Lac-au-Sable Controlled harvesting zone (ZEC) in the unorganized territory of Mont-Élie (Quebec); the reception desk is near the junction of chemin du Friche and chemin Snigole in Clermont. This ZEC is a territory for hunting and fishing, camping, hiking in nature; the ZEC offers boat rental on several lakes, boat ramps and various accommodation services (cottage, yurt and camping).
• 5 La Malbaie A super-tourist municipality on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River, offering many recreational and tourist activities, a developed reception infrastructure (resorts, accommodation, restaurants, shops, Charlevoix casino, Richelieu manor, golf, hiking, museums) and many attractions around the bay and the La Malbaie River.
• 6 Clermont (Charlevoix-Est) Town enclosed between the mountains and bordering on the town of La Malbaie. Its territory is crossed by the Malbaie River and by Route 138 which runs along the north shore of the St. Lawrence River. City of shops and services for travelers on Route 138, Clermont also offers a lively cultural life and several recreational and tourist attractions including the Malbaie River, its campgrounds, the Zec Lac au Sable, its municipal parks and the Montagne de la Croix site.
• 7 Notre-Dame-des-Monts Village surrounded by mountains, offering magnificent panoramas. The summit of Gros Mont overlooks the region. The forest and mountainous nature offers many attractions, in particular ATV and snowmobile rides.
• 8 Saint-Aimé-des-Lacs A locality offering plenty of recreational and tourist activities (resorts, fishing, nautical activities, Trans-Canada hiking trails and local trails in the Grands Monts sector, observation of the nautre, flora and fauna). Several organizations offer many services: the zec des Martes, the Pic-bois outfitter and the Hautes-Gorges de la rivière Malbaie national park. Among the main events, there is the Charlevoix triathlon, the Charleboix rodeo (end of June).
• 9 Saint-Urbain (Quebec) A rural, forest and mountainous community, Saint-Urbain has a lot to offer in terms of recreational tourism (vacation, snowmobiling, ATV, mountain biking, hunting, fishing, hiking trails, picking wild fruits, observation of panoramas, flora and fauna). Nestled in the magnificent valley of the Rivière du Gouffre, tucked into the Laurentians, Saint-Urbain is the gateway to the Grands-Jardins national park and the Charlevoix hinterland.
• 10 Saint-Hilarion (Quebec) The village of Saint-Hilarion overlooks the surrounding valley. Annually, a carnival is organized. Locality offering many recreational and tourist activities including a resort, bowling, skating rink, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sliding, mountain biking, snowmobiling.