The Domaine Joly-De Lotbinière offers visitors a privileged access to the St. Lawrence, one of the most important rivers in North America.
The Domaine Joly-De Lotbinière offers visitors a privileged access to the St. Lawrence River, one of the most important rivers in North America. In the summer, the magnificent shale beach overlooking the high cliffs and tidal flats is an ideal place to enjoy the freshness of the water.
Visitors have access to a superb 8 km (round trip) walking beach that stretches along the banks of the St. Lawrence River at the foot of the cliffs. Here and there, long tree trunks invite visitors to take a break to contemplate the majestic river, the main communication highway from the beginning of the colony until the end of the 1920s. Visitors, conquered by this enchanting maritime landscape, can also enjoy a picnic while being lulled by the gentle breeze of the St. Lawrence.
On a walk along the river, visitors will discover the remains of the old Pointe Platon wharf and will be able to observe many species of birds. Children will enjoy collecting shells on the beach and filling their bags with beautiful discoveries. The natural beauty and serene calm of this unique place will allow visitors to escape from their daily lives and reconnect with nature.
To better prepare your visit to the river, consult Pointe Platon's Tide Table 2021.
An ecological reserve is foremost a territory conserved in its natural state that presents distinctive ecological characteristics. Ecological reserve status allows for the protection of rare and endangered species of fauna and flora, or exceptional sites. In all cases, we can truly speak of natural museums, because reserves safeguard fragile and rare natural environments in Quebec in a complete and permanent manner. Ecological reserves are therefore the insurance policies of our natural heritage.
In the Quebec City area, the Pointe Platon Ecological Reserve protects natural community representative of the wetlands of the St. Lawrence Estuary, which is subject to the tides. The 60-hectare site consists of two terraces separated by a relatively steep cliff. It is composed of an important American bulrush marsh, red ash, willow, grey alder, deltoid and balsam poplar groves, and a sugar maple grove.
To this day, forty-three (43) vascular plants have been identified in the intertidal zone of Pointe Platon. Of these species, eight are likely to be designated threatened or vulnerable, including four that occupy the ecological reserve site: the Tuckerman's quillwort, the Yellowseed false pimpernel, the Estuarine wild rice and the Victorin's water-hemlock.
The ecological reserve fauna is little known at the present time. There are high concentrations of waterfowl frequenting the marshes in the fall and spring, as well as the presence of the Great Blue Heron and numerous shorebirds, white-tailed deer and moose.
Although the Pointe Platon Ecological Reserve lands are part of the original territory of the domain, they are currently the property of the ministère du Développement durable, de l'Environnement et des Parcs. These lands are protected by the Ecological Reserves Act, which prohibits all human activity on them, except for management, scientific research or educational activities authorized by the ministre de l'Environnement du Québec.
For more information on the Pointe Platon Ecological Reserve, visit the section reserved for this subject on the Website of the ministère du Développement durable, de l'Environnement, de la Faune et des Parcs (MDDEFP).
(Excerpts from "Les réserves écologiques: des habitats protégés au naturel", Website du ministère du Développement, de l'Environnement et des Parcs du Québec)
7015, route de Pointe Platon, Sainte-Croix (Quebec) G0S 2H0
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