Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Reserve

The Cap-Tourmente NWA reception station is 48 km (30 mi) northeast of downtown Quebec City, on the northwest shore of the St. Lawrence River, facing the northeast end of the Île d'Orléans. The territory of the reserve is surrounded by (clockwise): the municipality of Saint-Joachim (in which the reserve is located), the municipality of Saint-Tite-des-Caps (north side) and the unorganized territory of Sault-au-Cochon (east side). This reserve sits at the confluence of the upper and fluvial estuary of the St. Lawrence, and at the junction of the Canadian Shield, the St. Lawrence Lowlands and the Appalachians.

This reserve presents varied reliefs: St. Lawrence River, flats of Pointe aux Prêtres, large coastal marshes, agricultural and forest plain, mountainous area and three waterways. The coastal plain of the reserve (western part) is crossed by the chemin du Train de Charlevoix which goes towards the foot of the cliff of Cap Tourmente, along the river to La Malbaie.

The summit of the Cap Tourmente mountain is 580 m above sea level. The path leading to the Cime belvedere passes on the south side of the summit, facing the St. Lawrence River.

The reserve is home to a great diversity of animal and plant species: more than 180 species of birds, 30 species of mammals, 22 types of forest stands and 700 species of plants. Some species are considered at risk or have a precarious status, notably the Peregrine Falcon, Bobolink and Butternut. Wildlife experts have identified 20 species of ducks and geese, 30 species of warblers and a dozen species of birds of prey in this reserve.

In spring, some rarer species appear in the reserve: the Wood Duck, the Saint-Martin Harrier, the Pileated Woodpecker, the Ruffed Grouse, the Scarlet Piranga, the Indigo Bunting and the Redstart. The coastal marsh is home to: the red-winged blackbird, the marsh sparrow, the American black duck and the Bobolink. Nelson's Sparrow has chosen the reserve as one of the rare nesting sites on the north shore of the St. Lawrence.

Nearly 20 species of birds have adopted the reserve as their winter habitat, such as the Black-capped Chickadee, the Blue Jay and the Barred Owl. The most common mammals in the reserve are: muskrat, white-tailed deer and red squirrel. Occasionally, visitors observe American porcupine, red fox and black bear.

Every year, in spring and fall, migratory birds make an energizing stopover for a few days or weeks in the narrow corridor formed by the river and the Cap Tourmente escarpment. These migratory birds then invade the mosaic of habitats of the reserve.

In this reserve, several historic buildings and infrastructures attest to more than 400 years of human and agricultural activities, overlapping the period of New France (until 1759) and the English regime (since 1759); thus, the territory of this reserve constitutes one of the founding sites of Canada.

Historical summary:

• At the turn of the first millennium - Iroquoian period: presence of typical longhouses.
• As early as 1623, the inhabitants harvested fodder there.
• In 1626, the first farm was erected there.
• In 1664, Monseigneur François de Laval acquired the seigneury of Beaupré.
• In 1759, the farms were destroyed during the English invasion.
• In 1786, the farm at the end of the cape was fitted out with its outbuildings.
• In 1934, electricity reached Saint-Joachim and the Petite-Ferme was connected. Today, La Petite-Ferme houses the administrative offices of the reserve.
• In 1940, a fire completely destroyed the Friponne farm; it will not be rebuilt.
• In 1969, the Canadian Wildlife Service acquired the land.
• On April 28, 1978, this reserve was officially created to protect the wetlands where the American bulrush grows. This plant is one of the favorite foods of the great snow geese during their semi-annual migration.
• In 2019, the new trail "Les Chutes" of the Ruisseau de la Friponne, is laid out over a length of 4.8 km round trip, allowing access to four lookouts, in an area previously inaccessible to visitors.

The management of this protected area falls under the federal government, under the Canada Wildlife Act, National Wildlife Areas (NWAs) are protected and managed in accordance with the Wildlife Area Regulations. According to its regulatory framework, the primary objective of NWAs is to protect and conserve wildlife and their habitat. As a result, certain activities may be prohibited.

The management of the Cap Tourmente NWA involves several challenges and certain threats, in particular the impact of visitors on the environment of the reserve, the development of the nearby territory, poaching and invasive exotic plants.

The main attractions of the Cap Tourmente NWA are the grandiosity of the St. Lawrence River, the full-scale nature and its educational aspect (e.g., observation of flora and fauna and interpretation, photographic hunting), as well as the opportunity to practise many outdoor recreational and tourism activities (e.g., hiking). Seasonally, the Cap-Tourmente NWA organizes various awareness programs that are offered seasonally. The recommended duration of a visit is 2 to 4 hours. Recreational tourism activities authorized in the Cap-Tourmente NWA include:

• non-commercial wildlife observation, on the road linking the entrance to the reserve and the interpretation centre, from lookouts and observation towers, as well as on trails and in designated areas;
• non-commercial hiking, on the path connecting the entrance to the reserve and the interpretation center and on designated trails;
• participation in a non-commercial meal or non-commercial group activity of fifteen or more people in designated areas;
• non-commercial use of a vehicle, with the exception of a snowmobile or an all-terrain vehicle, on the road linking the entrance to the reserve to the interpretation centre and in the designated parking areas;
• non-commercial snowshoeing on designated trails.

Summer activities - From May to October

Visitors can do activities lasting a few hours or a day in the summer season, including:

• travel up to 20 km of walking trails through the mosaic of habitats - See the NWA Walking Trails Map (Spring-Summer-Fall);
• visit the interpretation centre: information, exhibition and audiovisual projections;
• participate in nature activities (offered to the general public, as well as school and tourist groups);
• stop at picnic areas;
• practice white goose hunting (limited and regulated) in certain areas of the reserve;
• Discover the territory and wildlife using tools independently:
  • nature rally with GPS "On the Fox's track";
  • geocaches;
  • historic circuit;
  • binoculars and identification guides;
  • anti-collision route;
  • search and find;
  • Grozoiseau challenge.

Winter activities - From January to March

Visitors can do in the winter season:

• cover 6 km of winter walking trails;
• browse the network of bird feeders;
• stop at a heated relay on weekends and inquire.

Main points of view

The observation points of the reserve (belvedere of the Falaise or belvedere of the Cime) allow to admire:

• the four freshwater marshes developed with the help of Ducks Unlimited: The Grande-Ferme marsh, the Graves marsh, the Petite-Ferme marsh and the Cap marsh;

  the flats of Pointe aux Prêtres;

• the archipelago of islands on the St. Lawrence River: Madame Island, Ruaux Island, La Grosse Île, Marguerite Island, Deux Têtes Island, Corneille Island, Canot Island, Grues Island, etc.;
• the northeast end of Île d'Orléans;
• the southeast coast of the river, between Berthier-sur-Mer and Saint-Jean-Port-Joli;
• the escarpment of the cliff of Sault-au-Cochon.

• From Tadoussac (178 km (111 mi), in 2 hr 35 min, take the Tadoussac-Baie Sainte-Catherine ferry; take route 138 (westbound); after Saint-Tite-des-Caps go down the large hill leading to the bridge over the Sainte-Anne river; turn left at the foot of the large hill on the route des Carrières; go to the village of Saint-Joachim; take Chemin du Cap Tourmente (Eastbound) to the reception desk.
• From Quebec City (48 km (30 mi), in 40 minutes, take route 138 (Eastbound), cross the Sainte-Anne River bridge, then turn right at the foot of the Grande Côte on the Route des Carrières; go to the village of Saint-Joachim; take Chemin du Cap Tourmente (Eastbound) to the reception desk.