technical tour
A field trip is offered to discover four sites located within the limits of the Champlain Sea. These sites have been affected to varying degrees by landslide-related issues in sensitive clays.
Date of field trip: Thursday, Octobre 2, 2025
Meeting place: Musée de la Civilisation de Québec
Departure from and return to Quebec City: 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Tour cost: Coming soon
Registration opens on April 1, when you register for the conference (see Registration section). Hurry, places are limited. Bring appropriate clothing and footwear for the time of year to enjoy the visit (raincoat, warm clothes, walking shoes, etc.), as the weather can be changeable.
1st stop – Saint-Alban
The first stop is located on Saint-Philippe road in Saint-Alban, where a deep rotational landslide occurred on April 13, 2022 on the bank of the Noire river, near a bridge spanning the river. Emergency work had to be carried out to protect the infrastructure. In the first phase, an emergency excavation was carried out to secure the site and reopen the road. A second phase of work was carried out in the summer of 2024 to protect the riverbank against erosion and ensure the long-term safety of the site.
This stop will provide an opportunity to observe the stabilization work that has been carried out and to discuss the various stages leading up to its completion.
2nd stop – Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan
The second stop is located on rue des Brumes, in Sainte-Geneviève-de-Batiscan. Here, cuttings and rockfill were carried out as a preventive measure on the opposite bank of the Batiscan River. The geotechnical properties of the clay, the geometry of the slope and the presence of active erosion predisposed the site to a possible highly retrogressive landslide. A debris propagation study showed that the residents of Rue des Brumes, located on the alluvial plain opposite the embankment under study, could be threatened by a possible tsunami. This stop will provide an opportunity to discuss the work that has been carried out to protect residents, as well as the various analyses that were conducted.
In addition, large-scale preventive stabilization work is currently under study to protect the heart of the village. Riprap work on the Veillet river is expected to cover some 1.5 km long and is the subject of a multidisciplinary partnership to harmonize the work with the natural habitat.
3rd stop – Nicolet
The third stop is in Nicolet, where a clay flow, followed by a spreading landslide phase (composite landslide) occurred on November 12, 1955. This landslide had major repercussions, as it occurred in the downtown area. It swept away a school, part of the Episcopal building, a gas station and three houses, and claimed the lives of 3 people. The landslide occurred while rockfill work was underway to protect the riverbank from erosion. This stop will allow to present a case study of a composite landslide and discuss the historical aspects of this movement.
The cathedral, although spared by the landslide, had to be demolished as its foundations had been weakened. However, some elements of the cathedral were salvaged, including the richly wrought vault that was used to build what is now the popular arts center. Dinner will be held there.
4th stop – Pierreville
