Booking choice: The park entry and cable car ticket (valid for 1 day). Book this Compare the options below
Parc de la Chute-Montmorency is run by Sépaq, Québec's public parks agency, and it charges a per-person access fee to most adult visitors. Children and teenagers get in free, and so do residents of the Greater Québec City area with proof of address.
This guide sets out who pays and who does not, what costs extra, why the Parcs Québec card is no help here, when high and low season apply, how parking works as far as anyone can confirm, and where you actually enter the park.
The quick answer
No, not for most adults. Since 2019 the park charges a per-person access fee, while visitors aged 0 to 17 and residents of the Communauté métropolitaine de Québec with proof of residency get in free. The cable car, the zipline and the via ferrata are paid extras, and the annual Parcs Québec card is not valid here. Sépaq recommends buying online before your visit.
Is it free to visit Montmorency Falls?
Not for most adult visitors: since 2019 the park charges a per-person access fee. Under-18s and residents of the Greater Québec City area get in free.
Until 2019 the park charged for parking and not for access. A per-person fee planned for June 2019 was suspended after public pressure, and the current model began that September: free for local residents and under-18s, paid for other visitors. When it was announced, it also included a preferential rate for Quebecers, so check the categories on Sépaq's rates page if you live in the province. Blogs written before then, and a few written since, still describe the falls as free.
How can you see Montmorency Falls for free?
Be aged 0 to 17, or a resident of the Communauté métropolitaine de Québec who shows proof of residency; other adults pay the access fee.
- Children and teens: access is free from 0 to 17. Claims that only under-6s go free are wrong.
- Greater Québec City residents: free with proof of residency.
- Seniors aged 65 and over: not free, but they pay a reduced rate.
- Families: because under-18s are free, you may only need adult access tickets, plus the cable car if you want it.
What costs extra at Montmorency Falls?
The cable car, the zipline and the via ferrata are paid on top of site access; the staircase, the suspension bridge and the paths are part of the visit.
What is free, what is paid and what to know about each:
| Item | Free or paid | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Site access, adults | Paid | Rates differ between high and low season |
| Visitors aged 0 to 17 | Free | Ages 0 to 17 |
| Greater Québec City residents | Free | Bring proof of residency |
| Seniors 65+ | Reduced rate | Ask at the ticket desk or check Sépaq's rates page |
| Cable car | Paid, separate ticket | Round trip with unlimited rides the same day |
| Zipline | Paid | A 300 m double line across the cove; 2026 season 16 May to 12 October |
| Via ferrata | Paid, booked through Sépaq | The Torrent de Montmorency route, age 12 and over |
| Parcs Québec annual card | Not valid | It does not cover this site |
| Parking | Varies | Not clearly confirmed: check the signs on arrival |
Access and a round-trip cable car on one ticket, with parking at the base included, as the listing states.
Book thisDoes the Parcs Québec card work at Montmorency Falls?
No. The annual Parcs Québec card does not cover Parc de la Chute-Montmorency, even though Sépaq runs both.
It catches out plenty of visitors who hold the card for Québec's national parks. Montmorency is managed by Sépaq but sits outside the Parcs Québec network for access purposes, so you pay the access fee here like any other adult visitor, unless you qualify for one of the free categories.
Do I need to buy tickets for Montmorency Falls in advance?
You do not have to, but Sépaq recommends buying online before your visit.
The park's own entry and cable car ticket is also sold on GetYourGuide. The listing states that it includes the regular access fee, a round-trip cable car ticket and parking at the cable car terminal at the base of the falls. You show the voucher at the car park entrance, then pick up your cable car bracelet inside La Manufacture, the information centre at the bottom. The listing offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before. If you are coming without a car, the shuttle bundle adds transport from Old Québec.
No car? The park's shuttle bundle covers the ride from Old Québec, site access and unlimited cable car rides that day.
Book thisWhen are high and low season at Montmorency Falls?
High season runs from 11 May to 1 November 2026; low season covers 1 April to 10 May 2026 and 2 November 2026 to 31 March 2027, and access rates differ between them.
Low season is also when parts of the park close. Sépaq describes the site as accessible with no services during its closure periods, and whether the access fee applies then is not spelled out, so check before you go. The cable car is closed from 2 November to 18 December 2026 and from 4 January to 5 February 2027. The dates are in the cable car guide.
Is parking free at Montmorency Falls?
It is not clear-cut: the tourism office lists both free and paid parking, Sépaq's own page does not say, and the 2019 plan was to charge all visitors a reduced parking rate.
There are four parking areas. P1 and P2 are at the base, by La Manufacture and the lower cable car station; P3 is at the top, by the Manoir Montmorency; P4 is on the Boischatel side. Be ready for a parking charge and check the signs when you arrive. The park ticket on GetYourGuide lists parking at the cable car terminal as included, which takes the question away if you drive. Driving directions are in getting to the falls.
How do I enter Montmorency Falls?
From the base, by La Manufacture and the lower cable car station, or from the top, by the Manoir Montmorency; the city bus terminus is close to the upper entrance.
Drivers usually start at the base (P1 and P2) or the top (P3). The park ticket sold on GetYourGuide sends visitors to the bottom of the falls, where the cable car begins. By bus, the upper entrance is about a five-minute walk from the Terminus Chute-Montmorency. Either way you can cross between the two levels by cable car or, in summer, by the 487-step staircase.
Rather have entry sorted for you? The half-day tour includes park and basilica entry and a drive on Île d'Orléans.
Book thisFrequently asked questions
Do children pay to enter Montmorency Falls?
No. Access is free for visitors aged 0 to 17. The cable car is a separate ticket, so check its terms if your children want to ride.
Is the cable car included in the entry fee?
No. Site access and the cable car are paid separately at the park. The park's own ticket on GetYourGuide bundles both, plus parking at the base, as the listing states.
Was Montmorency Falls free before?
Until 2019 the park charged for parking only, not for access. Since September 2019 most adult visitors pay a per-person access fee.
Do I pay when the park's services are closed?
Sépaq describes the site as accessible with no services during closure periods, but does not say clearly whether the access fee applies then. Check the rates page before you go.
Ready to go
Choose your visit
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on most options; each listing has the final terms.
Montmorency Falls Entry with Cable Car Ride
- Regular access fee to Parc de la Chute-Montmorency
- Round-trip cable car ticket
- Parking at the cable car terminal, at the base of the falls
Shuttle from Old Québec with Park Access & Cable Car
Transport, entry and cable car, then explore on your own
Montmorency Falls & Île d'Orléans Half-Day Tour
- Guided tour with a bilingual English and French guide
- Air-conditioned coach, with hotel pickup and return listed
- Entry to Parc de la Chute-Montmorency and the basilica
