Montmorency Falls from Quebec City: Cable Car, Suspension Bridge and How to Get There
5 min read
Montmorency Falls is the easiest big waterfall to reach from Quebec City, and you can see it in a morning or afternoon without a car. Sépaq, which runs the park, gives the drop as 83 m, and the Québec City tourism office puts it 30 m higher than Niagara Falls. The park is roughly 15 minutes from Old Québec, so the real question is not whether to go but how: cable car ticket, bus tour, bike tour or public bus.
What you get at the park
The cable car climbs the cliff beside the falls to the Manor at the top. A footpath along the cliff edge leads to the suspension bridge above the falls, and a 487-step staircase runs down the cliff to the foot of the falls. The Québec City tourism office lists the park as open all year, closed on 25 December, with hours that change by season, so check the park’s website on the day. Its listing gives access for people with reduced mobility only as partial: do not assume every viewpoint works with a wheelchair or a pushchair.
Four ways to go
The Montmorency Falls with cable car ride ticket costs €17.82 and has 2,916 reviews. It is the one to book if you already have a way to reach the park. The booking page lists park entry, the return cable car ride and parking at the cable car terminal, but no transport from the city. It also says that, because of parking works, visitors start at the bottom of the falls.
The Old Town and Montmorency Falls bus tour takes about three hours and costs €35.84. It pairs the falls with Old Québec’s cathedrals, fortifications and gardens, which suits a short stay. The booking page gives 2.5 to 3 hours in total with about 45 minutes of free time at the falls, and does not recommend the tour for people with limited mobility.
The Montmorency Falls bike tour lasts four hours and costs €121.06. It crosses the St Charles River by bike, stops at the Domaine de Maizerets park, includes a cable car ride at the falls and then rides back to the city. The booking page rates it easy and suitable from age 12, so children under 12 cannot join, and only riders aged 18 or over get an e-bike. It has only 64 reviews so far.
If you want the falls plus the countryside, the half-day tour with Île d’Orléans is a different trip and covered in its own guide.
| Option | Format | Price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cable car ticket | Park entry with cable car | €17.82 | 4.6/5 from 2,916 reviews |
| Old Town and falls bus tour | 3-hour bus tour | €35.84 | 4.6/5 from 1,087 reviews |
| Bike tour | 4-hour guided ride | €121.06 | 4.9/5 from 64 reviews |
The wider category of Montmorency Falls and Île d’Orléans trips has 14 offers from €17.82; browse them on the Montmorency Falls tours page.
Going by public bus or car
The Québec City tourism office says public bus 800 toward Beauport stops at des Rapides (stop 3473), a few minutes’ walk from the car park at the top of the falls. Because the cable car ticket’s booking page sends visitors to the bottom of the falls, check before you go where your entry starts. Parking on site is partly free and partly paid. If you would rather drive, compare car hire in Québec City and check excess, fuel policy and the deposit with the rental company first. For this one stop, a car is rarely worth it.
Our verdict
Pick the cable car ticket if you can get to the park on your own and want the falls without a long day. Pick the bus tour for a first, short visit that also covers Old Québec. Choose the bike tour only if you like cycling. The park is open in winter too, but conditions differ from summer, so check the Sépaq website and the booking page for the cable car before you travel.
