When
we climbed out of the tent this morning we were greeted by a pale pink sunrise
and mostly clear skies. As we made breakfast and packed up the sun peeked
over the ridge, setting the yellows, oranges, and reds of the trees
ablaze. We couldn't have asked for more spectacular scenery to begin the
morning!
The first two kilometers of trail after leaving La Faille involved a very steep
climb straight up the side of a mountain. In many places the trail was
muddy and wet, and the deep coating of wet leaves made the rocks very
slippery. In the most difficult sections there were ropes to help guide
us, which we greatly appreciated.
Although the going was tough we kept a pretty steady pace, stopping every once
in a while to catch our breath and enjoy the scenery. Much of the slope was
covered in sugar maples and American beeches. A carpet of yellow, orange,
and red maple leaves crunched beneath our feet while overhead a canopy of
coppery beech leaves rustled and shone. We could see the soft blues and
greys of the Saint Lawrence through the trees, creating a beautiful contrast
with the warm fall colours that surrounded us. Against this backdrop the
crisp, bright colours of Blue Jays and Hairy Woodpeckers stood out in stark
relief.
Just as we thought we'd reached the end of the strenuous climb, we came to a
section of trail that presented a particular challenge to those of us with a
fear of heights. We found ourselves skirting around the edge of a steep
peak on a series of boulders, below which was a seemingly endless drop to the
water's edge far below. As we rock scrambled along, and I frequently
found myself either wedged or too short, I was once again left feeling envious
of Sean's longer legs and larger reach.
In reality, the crossing probably wasn't as difficult as it seemed with 50 lbs
backpacks on, and the view was pretty amazing. As we rounded the peak we
looked down past our feet at a large freighter chugging by, surprisingly close
to shore in the shallow turquoise waters of the Saint Lawrence. We could
also see many shoals and small islands out in the seaway, and as we rounded the
bend the sound of hundreds of Snow and Canada Geese suddenly became much
louder!
After a few hundred meters of inching across the boulders while trying not to
feel like we'd plummet down the slope, we came to a much easier section of
trail. We wound our way through stands of spruce and balsam fir, stopping
to enjoy the view from several lookout platforms. It was fun to watch
American Crows and Bonaparte's Gulls flying by below our lofty perch.
Not too long after this we came to the wooden platform at La Cime, or The
Top. This marked the beginning of a new trail section maintained by
Environment Canada, which led down into the Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Refuge.
At this point the trail got much, much easier to navigate, with wooden
staircases, boardwalks, and ropes for assistance on many of the ascents and
descents. In most sections the trail bed was relatively level and easy to
walk, leaving us free to enjoy our surroundings.
To our delight, as we steadily descended into the wildlife refuge we began to
walk through stands of sugar maple, beech, and birch that were still displaying
the full glory of their autumn colours. It felt like we were hiking through
a glowing golden tunnel, surrounded by sunshine, and we took far too many
photos in our excitement.
As we descended we walked along the base of sheer rock walls and cliffs, and
squeezed between many tall, mossy boulders. It was an amazing feeling to
be so high up, and yet to have the solid rock walls towering above us.
The sounds of Black-capped Chickadees, White-breasted Nuthatches, American
Goldfinches, and Dark-eyed Juncos filled the trees around us, and the sounds of
geese never ceased in the background.
As the trail widened into a track, and then a 3 ft wide trail, and finally into
a hard-packed gravel laneway the number of hikers we passed increased
exponentially. The last few kilometers of the hike were on the wide treed
roadway, but they were extremely steep. Nevertheless, many people were
out happily making the huge climb and resting on the prevalent and well-placed
benches along the way. There was even a couple with a nearly newborn baby
at the top!
Eventually we reached the bottom of the hill we were in the Cap Tourmente
National Wildlife Area, which was established in 1978 by Environment and
Climate Change Canada. It was created to protect the American bulrush
marshes that provide important habitat for the Greater Snow Goose during spring
and fall migration periods.
This NWA was recognized as a Wetland of International Significance under the
RAMSAR convention in 1981, becoming the first site in North America to earn
this distinction. It is also one of more than 100 Important Bird Areas
that are found in the province of Quebec. Cap Tourmente is home to
more than 180 bird species, 30 mammal species, 700 plant species, and 22 types
of forest stands. Many of the species it supports are at risk, including
the Peregrine Falcon, Bobolink, and butternut.
The diversity of species this unique area supports is partially due to its
unique location at the junction of the Canadian Shield, the St. Lawrence
Lowlands, and the Appalachians, as well as at the confluence of the Upper and
Fluvial estuaries of the Saint Lawrence.
Although the Sentier TransCanadien simply goes through the Cap Tourmente
National Wildlife Area, we took a few hours to explore some of its trails and
boardwalks which went by the Visitor's Center and past several wooden bird
observatory platforms. The grounds were filled with birders scouring the
shrubs, bushes, marshes, and shorelines, and the whole place had a festive
atmosphere.
Along the shore we of course spotted thousands of Snow Geese, resting on the
sandy shore exposed by the low tide, floating in the water, and filling the air
above the waves, so thick they nearly blotted out a freighter passing behind
them. They were joined by Mallards, Green-winged Teals, American Black
Ducks, Black Scoters, Ring-billed Gulls, Herring Gulls, and likely other
species as well. It was amazing to see so much bird life in one
spot! While standing there watching the Snow Geese we were reminded how
birds connect us all from coast-to-coast-to-coast. A week ago we saw the
skies over Saskatchewan come alive with Snow Geese, and we know they are
traversing the skies above BC right now. It was truly magical.
From the Observatoire de la Halte-du-Pélèrin we looked up at the cliffs and saw
a Peregrine Falcon nest. It was of course empty now, but the adults were
spotted in the area and reported on eBird today. We enjoyed reading the
information provided in the pavilion on this beautiful bird of prey that was
endangered in the 1970's but has made an impressive comeback.
Cap Tourmente is not only rich in natural history, it also contains a number of
historically important buildings. The largest of these is the historic
farm site, La Petite-Ferme du Cap Tourmente, which was established by Samuel de
Champlain in 1626. The farm originally served as a food source for the
fledgling community of Quebec City, and later it was run for nearly 300 years
by and for the Seminary of Quebec. The farmhouse, which was built in
1667, still stands today and was designated as a National Historic Site of Canada
in 2018.
As we passed the National Historic Site the grounds keeper, who was out mowing
the lawn, stopped to ask where we were hiking from. We chatted for a bit,
and he advised us that there was free camping in Sainte-Anne-de-Bauepré, which
was our goal for tonight, but that heavy rain was expected overnight and for
tomorrow. We were grateful for his kindness and concern, and his good
wishes for the rest of our journey.
As we trekked through the gates, and walked down the grassy trail from the first
parking lot to the second we passed two more ponds and their adjacent wetlands.
Trails led around the ponds, and there were wooden observatories at the far
end. We spotted a Great Blue Heron perched in a willow at the pond's
edge, as well as Ring-necked Ducks, Hooded Mergansers, American Coots,
Mallards, American Black Ducks, and Northern Pintails floating on the water.
As we left Cap Tourmente we followed the Véloroute Marie-Hélène Prémont.
Marie-Hélène Prémont is a Canadian cross-country mountain biker who was born in
Quebec City in 1977. She is a 6-time Canadian Champion, an Olympic silver
medalist, a Common Wealth gold medalist, and a regular winner at the UCI
Mountain Bike World Cup cross country circuit. Throughout the afternoon we
were passed by many cyclists who were taking advantage of the beautiful route.
The road we followed is also part of the Route de la Nouvelle France (New
France Route). This historical trail links Old Quebec with the Côte-de-Beaupré
and traces the route taken by early settlers who delivered their crops to
Quebec City. Many structures of historical importance are located along
this route, including the colony's first windmill (erected in 1651), many
ancestral homes, root cellars, and eight major points of interest, the first of
which we reached this afternoon.
As we headed out along the route we passed a small rest area filled with
colourful bird houses on poles. How cool is that? There were also
picnic tables, garbage cans, a bike rack, and even a water fountain. It
felt so good to be part of a culture where hiking, cycling, and the enjoyment
of nature are part of the mainstream culture and well-supported by
amenities.
The next point of interest was the Village Cap Tourmente, which was announced
by a handmade wooden sign. It consisted of a collection of small homes,
many of which featured elaborate Halloween decorations on their front
lawns. The charming village was situated in a pastoral setting,
surrounded by emerald green fields, with rolling and hills and mountains covered
in fall colours in the background.
For the next 4 km we hiked through this beautiful and peaceful rural landscape
of small farms and country homes. We passed weathered wooden barns, stone
farmhouses, white stucco homes with red or wooden shutters, a historical forge,
and many more modern homes. The landscape was covered by small fields and
farms, with the mountains rising up in the distance. It was an easy walk
on the paved road, and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Eventually we came to the northern edge of Saint-Joachim. This parish
municipality was one of the first places to be colonized in New France.
It was destroyed in 1629 by the Kirke Brothers, who were adventurers,
privateers, and colonial governors, but it became a major agricultural center
again in 1668 when François de Laval bought the land to establish farms to feed
his Seminary of Quebec. There is an historical church in the community,
but we didn't divert south to visit it. After Saint-Joachim we walked a sidewalk through more developed residential
areas for the next 9 km. It was a mostly pleasant walk, but by the end of
it we were ready for a break. We passed by the turnoff for the world renown ski
resort at Mont-Sainte-Anne, whose steep slopes we could see rising above the
homes lining the road we were following. Apparently these are the highest
ski slopes in Eastern Canada.
Another highlight was passing through the community of Beaupré, and crossing
the wide, meandering Sainte-Anne-du-Nord River. Allegedly, sailors
passing through the region in the early 17th century repeatedly exclaimed
"Oh, le beau pré!" or "Oh, the beautiful meadow!" thus
giving the community its name. We crossed the river on the road, and then
passed the Église Notre-Dame-du-Saint-Rosaire. The church had a unique triangular
front with a single steeple that looked quite interesting. However, we
passed by just as the adjacent school was letting out, so we didn't linger to
take photos.
After hiking just 23 km, we arrived in Saint-Anne-de-Beaupré around 4:30 pm,
feeling like we'd had a full day. As we approached this charming little
community we'd seen the twin steeples of the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré
from quite a distance, which made us realize that the grain elevators of the
prairies, which have guided us for the last few months of our journey, have
been replaced by church steeples here in Quebec.
The Basilica of Saint-Anne-de-Beaupré is one of the five National Shrines of
Canada, and it is the oldest shrine in North America. Legend says that in
1650 a Breton ship was caught in a storm in perilous waters, and the sailors
prayed to Saint Anne, promising to build a shrine in her honour if they were
saved. The first shrine was built on the site in 1658, after Étienne de
Lessard donated some of his property to the Catholic Church so the chapel to
Saint Anne could be built to honour the sailors' promise.
Since it was constructed the Shrine to Saint Anne has been considered a place
of healing and miracles for the sick and disabled. It receives over half
a million pilgrims each year, and around 40 miracles per year are still
attributed to the site. The first of these occurrences was observed
during construction of the original chapel. Louis Guimont, who suffered
from rheumatoid arthritis, was hired to help build the chapel. After
laying three stones, he was apparently cured of all his ailments. Inside
the doors of the basilica are two tall pillars with the crutches and other
mobility aides of those who have been cured at the site.
The popularity of the site with pilgrims throughout the ages led to several
additions and enlargements to the original structure, and in 1876 the first
Basilica opened for worship. It was destroyed by fire in 1922, and
replaced with the current building in 1926. Work on the steeples and the
interior was put on hold during the Great Depression, and only completed in
1946.
When we visited the inside of the basilica we were amazed to discover that much
of the inside, including the domed and vaulted ceiling, was decorated with
stunning mosaics created from tiny tiles. The ceiling mosaic tells the
story of Saint Anne, who was the Virgin Mary's mother, and the grandmother of
Jesus. The walls of the basilica were adorned with painted murals, and
beautiful stained glass windows ringed the top of the structure, including a
colorful and elaborate rose window above the front entrance.
My favorite part of the basilica was all the nature depicted in the artwork
throughout. Tiled squares showing biologically accurate birds, insects, mushrooms,
and flowers adorned the pillars in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception
underneath the basilica. The wooden pews also had birds, insects, and
mammals carved into them, including a star-nosed mole. How cool is
that?
Another interesting aspect of the basilica was the statue of Blessed Kateri
Tekakwitha, the Iroquois Virgin who died in 1680. Kateri, who was
baptized Catherine, and also known as Lily of the Mohawks, is a Catholic Saint
who was born a common Algonquin-Mohawk. When she was young she contracted
smallpox, which killed the rest of her family and left her face badly scarred.
She converted to Catholicism at age nineteen, refused to marry, left her
village, and took a vow of virginity. She moved to a Jesuit village south
of Montreal, and when she died at age 24, purportedly the scars on her face
vanished, leaving her radiant and beautiful looking. She was the fourth
Native American to be venerated in the Catholic Church, and the first to be
canonized.
As people who have walked three pilgrimage routes across Europe to Santiago de
Compostela, following the Camino Frances across Spain, the Via Podiensis across France, and the Camino Portugues across Portugal, we were also delighted find
scallop shells depicted in the artwork throughout the basilica. These shells
are a symbol of pilgrimage, and have been adopted by many pilgrimage societies
around the world, including the Canadian Company of Pilgrims.
After visiting the basilica we walked the stations of the cross, which adorned
a steep, forested hill beside the church. Many of the fourteen stations
were designed by Émile Roy, who studied sculpture at the School of Fine Arts in
Nancy, and they were installed between 1913 and 1945. Saint Anne de Beaupré's
Way of the Cross is considered one of the finest in Québec, and it's outdoor
location is conducive to meditation. The brilliant fall colours
surrounding the statues made the climb very beautiful.
Below the Way of the Cross on the hill was a modest, white stone Commemorative
Chapel, which is where the Miraculous Fountain is located. Like Lourdes
and other pilgrimage sites, Saint Anne de Beaupré has a freshwater spring that
is credited with healing those drink from it. The fountain was built in
1880, and it is protected by a statue of St. Anne in front of the chapel.
Beside the Commemorative Chapel is the Santa Scala, which was built into the
hillside in 1891. It is a beautiful white building with rounded archways
and balcony railings. Along its side are the Holy Stairs, which pilgrims
traditionally ascended on their knees, just as Jesus did for his trial before
Pilate in the praetorium. The original stairs are now in Rome.
After exploring the outsides of these buildings, which were all closed, we
walked past the Cyclorama de Jerusalem, which is located next to the Saint Anne
de Beaupré Shrine. At first the name conjured images of Jesus riding a
bicycle, but upon further investigation, the rounded building with its Middle
Eastern exterior turned out to have an interesting story. It was a
popular tourist attraction since 1895, and inside the building visitors were
once encircled by a huge and highly detailed painting that was 14 m high and
110 m around. It showed the city of Jerusalem, Golgotha, the Mount of
Olives, the road to Damascus, and the surrounding area on the day that Jesus
was crucified. It was designed by Munich painter Bruno Piglhein and
executed by Parisian artist Paul Philippoteaux and his four assistants in 1882.
It was the only cyclorama in Canada, and is one of the most famous in the
world, along with those in Ghettysburg, USA and Waterloo, Belgium. Very
sadly the privately owned attraction has been closed due to a lack of funding,
and it hasn't been designated a historical site. Hopefully someone can
find a way to preserve this unique place!
Before
concluding our day we had a mass said for our respective grandmothers and Sean
took a moment to visit the healing spring of Saint Anne de Beaupre and to say a
prayer for a younger relative. Sometimes when you have tried everything else, all you can do is sit in silence and pray - for help and the strength to continue on.
We ended our explorations with a visit to the Apollo Café, where we had cups of
strong, hot coffee, delicious peanut butter, oat, and chocolate cookies, and
peanut cocoa balls.
It was a wonderful way to end a day that had brought
us from a wild, rugged mountain peak, to a National Wildlife Refuge, to a
pilgrimage site that was rich in history. This is one of the many days on
the Sentier TransCanadien that makes us realize what a privilege it is to walk
across Canada.
