Les Falaises

Les Falaises is a named picnic area beside the Cabot Trail, on the Chéticamp side of Cape Breton Highlands National Park. The reason to stop is the view up at La Grande Falaise, a large bare cliff rising above the road. Pull in for a short break if you’re curious about the cliff; this is a quick look, not a long outing.

La Grande Falaise means “The Great Cliff”; it’s the landmark the picnic area looks up at. Its full size is easier to take in from farther down the coast, while Les Falaises gives you a close view from below. For a photo, keep some of the lower slope beneath the rock face in frame instead of cropping tightly; that helps show the cliff’s scale.

Nearby Le Buttereau is a separate hill and trail across the Cabot Trail. Its old cart path once linked Cap Rouge and Chéticamp, and the walk passes remains of early settlers’ homes and interpretive panels. Those ruins and the wider views toward Pillar Rock and the mouth of the Chéticamp River belong to that walk, not this picnic stop.