Mount Bélair is a peak in the Laurentian Mountains, Quebec, Canada, with an altitude of 485 m (1,591 ft). It is located in the Val-Bélair section of Quebec City, approximately 24 km (15 mi) west of downtown.

Mount Bélair
Mont Bélair
View of Mount Bélair from the intersection of Chauveau Avenue and Autoroute Henri-IV.
Highest point
Elevation485 m (1,591 ft)
ListingList of mountains in Canada
Coordinates46°49′23″N 71°29′38″W / 46.82306°N 71.49389°W / 46.82306; -71.49389
Geography
Mount Bélair is located in Quebec
Mount Bélair
Mount Bélair
Parent rangeLaurentian Mountains

Activities

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Mount Bélair is a popular site for outdoor activities. Year round, the summit offers a panoramic view from which one can see downtown Québec, and portions of the trail employ raised wooden walkways.[1] In the autumn, it is decorated with the ornate colors of the boreal forest. In winter, available activities include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and walking.[1] During warmer temperatures, one may take advantage of a pool, volleyball and soccer nets, a playground, hiking trails, and campground.[2]

In 2001 a telescope was placed in the park, making it the first and only observatory in Québec City, and club members periodically hold observation nights open to the public (weather permitting).[3]

Telecommunications

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Communication towers and transmitters atop Mount Bélair.

The mountain is also used as a transmission site for many of Quebec City's radio stations, as well as for television stations CBVT-DT and CKMI-DT. It is also used as an easement for Hydro-Québec's transmission lines. The Canadian Coast Guard uses the site for VHF Marine communications along the St Lawrence River.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Parc naturel du mont Bélair" (in French). Association forestière des deux rives. Archived from the original on March 31, 2012.
  2. ^ "Base de plein air La Découverte" (in French). City of Québec. Archived from the original on December 5, 2011.
  3. ^ "Histoire" (in French). Club d'astronomie io de Val-Bélair. Retrieved September 3, 2011.