Riot of color draws fall tourists to Canadian mountaintop

Despite the complete absence of snow, the ski resort in Canada's Quebec province attracts tens of thousands of visitors every fall to witness one of the world's great displays of autumnal glory.

The auburn, crimson and golden foliage spreads across much of eastern Canada each year, with the bright red leaves of the country's signature maple trees taking a starring role.

At Mont Orford, shivering hikers step off the resort's chairlift and declare the trip worthwhile despite temperatures barely above freezing at the top.

"The temperature, the colors, the atmosphere it creates... It's something, honestly, that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world," said Dominique Poudrier, 42, from nearby town Trois Rivieres Quebec, who came to admire the spectacle with his family.

Situated about 100 kilometers (60 miles) from Montreal, near the border with the US states of Maine and Vermont, Mont Orford even boasts views over heart-shaped Baker Lake -- a highlight for many visitors.

"The ski lift, coming to see the colors at the top, that's what really attracts people here," resort spokeswoman Valerie Collette, sporting a knitted cap and parka, told AFP.

Quebecker Melanie Diamond, 46, admired the display, but cautioned that the peak colors would soon slip away.

"It's very, very beautiful," said Diamond who came with her niece. "It loses a bit of its intensity as we're heading into winter, but the view is incredible, the colors are really superb."

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© Agence France-Presse

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