landscapes

Here's a few pictures of places I've been to so far.
(click on the picture for a bigger image)

This is the town I live in, called La Malbaie. It's a view of the St Lawrence river.

One day, I went to a town called Baie-Saint-Paul supposed to be one of the nicest places to go to during summer...I can't wait to go back next June or July. What you can see is still part of the St Lawrence river all coverd in ice. It's not the river itself which is frozen as it's a salt water river, but it's ice blocks coming and going with currents

After all this time, I finally went skiing at the Mont-Grand-Fonds which is just 10 minutes drive from where I live. But I can only show you one picture as there was only one picture taken, It was soooooo cold that my finger froze just during the 30 seconds I had my gloves of to take this shot. I'll take some more on other occasions, and warmer days.

An event was organised for the winter carnival, and part of this event is ice sculptures. I've decided to go and take some pictures during the day and the night as it'll have a very different aspect depending on the lighting. Here is a selection of the sculptures I appreciate most.

Here is what you use to start with : a big block of solid ice. You just have to dig in with any tool you can find and mould what you want.

You can find many different people working in the ice, and in this case it's an amateur having some fun.

Even in Canada we can find kangourous

This is a very nice piece of work..

Animals or people these are the main subjects. But it is understandable, it gives a bit more life to this big white block.

Big and cuddly, it's a pity it's cold..

It must be hard to keep proportions on a 2m head

Not much like a big block anymore..

The little Prince..

The style of the houses, hotels and churches is very particular, and very much to my liking. Here is a few I've collected to show you:

On my day off today, I've decided to go out and see what's around, because I know there's plenty of nice places, but I don't know where and it's not written on any map or guide. So I took the car and a friend who kindly joined me, and we went of to "we-don't-know-where-land".

We both decided to follow the signs leading to Port-au-Persil, and didn't regret one second our decision...oh! except for the few seconds after falling face first in the snow while trying to reach the little wall (no in fact it didn't happen it was just to make you laugh, but it would have been funny too).

On this nice and "warm" day I've decided to go and walk on one of the cross-country skiing track. It's at the Mont Grand-Fonds, the same place as where I went skiing ealier this year (see picture further up).

As it's a bit late for me to buy some skies this year, I'll still do the tracks but by foot.

Today as I had the day off, I've decided to go a bit further to a place called "Les Sources Joyeuses". It's a place where you can go cross country skiing, snowshoeing, ice skating, sliding on a doughnut or just walking.

This time I just went walking because I was told there's a very nice view, and that's what i was there for..

This is how the track starts. As you can see we just walk through the forest on a small path. We have the illusion of being by ourselves in this big tree maze..

Look how the snow only stayed on the thickest part of the branch and gives this nice effect, as if it was the skeleton of the tree..

Not a genuine one, but still one with table chairs and fireplace, nice place for you to rest from your walk..

This place is set on one of the biggest crater on earth.

About 350 billions years ago a meteorite has hit the ground. It was 2km wide for a weight of 15 billion tonnes and at 20km/s...not something you want to be in the way of.

The crater is 53km wide and the main point of this walk is to reach "The Mirador" a raised platform where you have an amazing view..

The Mirador..

The View..

Other activities you can enjoy at this place:

-sliding down a slope on doughnuts (left)

-ice skating (right)

Just a picture to show you how high is the snow on the side of the road. It's not everywhere like this, but there it was.

This weekend I went to Qu�bec city. Although it is supposed to be "nice", I wasn't impressed at all, and much prefer walks in the forest or near the water. I'll see during the summer if it's more interesting, but until then I'll go to closer places and more enjoyable too..

I still managed to find a few nice pics to show you, and here they are..

Except for the middle part missing you have a pretty good idea of the view from the border of the Old Qu�bec.

I don't know what building this is, but it has a pretty nice shape to it, especially the tower.

I know this building, but it's not as nice as it could be. It's the Ch�teau Frontenac. Unfortunately it has been turned into a hotel, they have fitted I don't know how many windows but far to much and all modern ones too, so it takes away all it's charm.

Today on a friend's advice I went for a walk in a nearby town. Clermont has got a nice cyclepath just meters from the River Malbaie (which is joining the St Lawrence River further down).

Well as I don't have a bicycle, I've done it by foot, and it wsn't a bad idea, because you need time to stop and look, and also it enabled me to go down near the river instead of just walking on a path along it.

Another day, but the same town. This is Clermont again, but a bit further west..
With the snow melting, we are starting to see the river grow bigger, and also water falls, small ones but nice ones.

This is the closest harbour to where I live, it's just about 2 minutes drive, and there's a nice long walk along the beach we can do.

Except that this time, the melted snow created a water fall to large for me to cross ..

This is the beginning of the harbour..

This is the reason why I couldn't continu my walk any further..

Part of the second water fall..

The first water fall, quite tall, but easy to cross..

One of the first National Parc to be open is "Parc des Grands-Jardins". In fact this one is open all year round, but it's not easily accessible, unless if you go snow-shoeing.

It's a very nice walk, not an easy one, but definitly worth the effort.

Going up..

A bit higher..

Nearly at the top..

Part of the Lake Fuman, still ice covered in mid-may..

Approching the top, trees look pretty strange, all the branches are at the bottom of the tree..

Part of the view from the top..

I think this is what they call Lac-des-Cygnes, this is also part of the view from the top..

Looking back of the last part of the track..

The end of the track (and also the beggining) I just found the place nicer on the way back, than when i just started walking..

This day I manage to see a caribou, it was on the road running happily, unfortunately for you the camera was on the back sit and I didn't have time to get it out, fit the right lens etc..and I was more interested in watching him rather than taking a photo.

Then on the way back home, I saw the porcupine you can see on the picture on the left. He was in a tree just near the road, all the cars drove by, but as soon as I stopped to take a few pictures nearly everyone stopped to watch him, but he didn't seem to be disturbed by so much attention, maybe he is the star of the forest and is used to the cameras..