Observatoire de l’Astroblème – Charlevoix

More than 400 million years ago, a meteorite coming from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter landed on Earth. This powerful impact created a crater of more than fifty kilometers in diameter, covering the area from Baie-Saint-Paul to Mont des Éboulements to La Malbaie. Hundreds of millions of years later, the crater was flooded by the sea. Once the water receded due to ground elevation, it left behind a fertile soil naturally rich in carbon and oxygen atoms, favorable to agriculture and the development of terrestrial life. This phenomenon, to which we owe the creation of Charlevoix and its uniquely shaped landscape, is known as the Charlevoix Astrobleme.

By day, guided tours explore the meteoritic origin of Charlevoix, while geological excursions wind along the St. Lawrence River. In the evening, a scientific guide unveils the mysteries of the night sky through multimedia presentations and sky observation instruments, breathtaking on clear nights.

The Speed of Light Walk, a 3 km trail starting directly from the Manoir Richelieu grounds, reproduces our solar system to scale along the riverbank. A scientific and contemplative stroll, perfect at sunset.

The observatory was inaugurated in the presence of Hubert Reeves, a world-renowned Quebec astrophysicist, author of numerous science popularization books and former scientific advisor to NASA, and is recognized by the Canadian Commission for UNESCO.

Open from June to September. For more information: www.astroblemecharlevoix.org