Perce Rock, Natural arch in Gaspe Peninsula, Canada.
Percé Rock is a limestone formation in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence on the Gaspé Peninsula in Quebec. The structure rises roughly 90 meters above the water and stretches over 400 meters in length.
Jacques Cartier described three arches in the formation in 1534, two of which collapsed over the centuries. The remaining opening continues to shape the appearance of the island today.
The name refers to the opening that pierces through the stone and remains visible from shore. Local fishermen use the tidal rhythm around this formation to guide their journeys along the coast.
At low tide it is possible to walk out to the formation, but timing depends on water levels and weather conditions. Climbing on or entering the rock structure is not permitted.
The limestone holds remains of more than 150 different species from long-vanished seas. These inclusions offer insight into life from several hundred million years ago.
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