Already spectacular in summer, Montmorency Falls is even more fascinating in winter thanks to the “sugar loaf.” This phenomenon occurs when water crystallizes at the foot of the waterfall and forms a cone of ice. We see in the foreground a man wearing snowshoes, an Indigenous accessory that was widely adopted. Snowshoes make it possible to walk on snow without sinking.

1840 - 1865

When the waters freeze over

Before icebreakers arrived in the 20th century, the immense expanse of the St. Lawrence River in front of Québec City would freeze over every winter. The city would then be cut off from international shipping for many months. In town, however, people carried on with their activities. They would cross the river, either by canoe over floating mounds of ice or on the ice bridge, depending on conditions. All around Québec City, rivers and frozen waterfalls offered an extraordinary spectacle. These magnificent winter landscapes are revealed through 19th-century artworks.

The “sugar loaf” at Montmorency Falls

John Philip Bainbridge Already spectacular in summer, Montmorency Falls is even more fascinating in winter thanks to the “sugar loaf.” This phenomenon occurs when water crystallizes at the foot of the waterfall and forms a cone of ice. We see in the foreground a man wearing snowshoes, an Indigenous accessory that was widely adopted. Snowshoes make it possible to walk on snow without sinking.

Chronoscope Can you locate this place on the map? (unilingual French for a limited time)

Depicted period: 1840

Source: Library and Archives Canada Document in the public domain (free of copyright) - Acc. No. 1983-47-99 - Date: 1840

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