Percé Rock is part of the Bonaventure Island and Percé Rock National Park.
This impressive block of limestone belongs to the Middle Devonian period and was formed some 375 million years ago. Its weight is estimated at 5 million tons, but it is crumbling at a rate of 300 tons per year. Perce Rock once had two arches, the one that connected the rock to the obelisk collapsed on June 17, 1845.
At its highest point the Rock reaches almost 88 meters in height, it has a length of 471 meters and a width of 90 meters. The arch measures 18 meters in diameter.
The Rock serves as a summer home for many birds (double-crested cormorant, great cormorant, black-legged kittiwake, herring gull, black guillemot…).
It is forbidden to walk along the walls of the Rocher Percé due to the danger of the site. Rock falls are very frequent in this sector. The beach along the Mont-Joli and the walls of the Rocher Percé are extremely dangerous.
The Percé wharf and the Promenade de la Grave are great sites to admire it in complete safety. The Mont-Joli lookout ($2 access – property of the Canadian Heritage Foundation of Quebec) is also a beautiful place to observe the Rock in complete safety.