Grand Falls

Grand Falls/Grand-Sault is a city of 5,200 people (2021) in the valley of the Saint John River in New Brunswick.

Understand

Grand Falls Gorge

The town derives its name from a waterfall created by a series of rock ledges over which the river drops 23 m (75 ft).

Three main industries reside in Grand Falls: potato farming, potato processing and tourism. The town is also a local commercial centre for Victoria County, catering to the surrounding communities of Plaster Rock, Perth Andover, Blue Bell, and New Denmark.

History

The area is the traditional territory of the Maliseet First Nations (Indigenous) people. French settlement began in the late 1600s, and there is mention of. French fort there in 1693. In 1763, the region passed into British hands and its French population diminished due to the deportation of the Acadians. In 1783, the Loyalists settled in Acadia and the province of New Brunswick was created the next year. In 1785, the Acadians in Fredericton and nearby were evicted from their land and in June 1785, a group decided to establish the region of Grand Falls and the rest of Madawaska with the agreement of the Maliseet First Nations people.

In 1791, Thomas Carleton, then Governor of New Brunswick, built a fort at Grand Falls. The Madawaska region was then disputed between Quebec, New Brunswick and the United States. The War of 1812 showed that the area's roads were not safe and in 1875, the colonial government of New Brunswick decided to build a road from Woodstock to Grand Falls. The territorial differences culminated in the Aroostook War in 1838. The Webster–Ashburton Treaty in 1842, gave Grand Falls to the province of New Brunswick.

Get in

By plane

• 1 Grand Falls Airport (5 km NE of Grand Falls). A private airfield with no scheduled service. (updated May 2019)

By car

Grand Falls is 210 km (130 mi) northwest of Fredericton, and 65 km (40 mi) southeast of Edmundston, on Route 2 (Trans-Canada Highway).

Border crossings

• 2 Hamlin–Grand Falls Border Crossing, NB 218 (Grand Falls, NB – Hamlin, ME). 24 hours. (updated Dec 2024)
• 3 Limestone–Gillespie Portage Border Crossing, NB 375 (Grand Falls, NB – Limestone, ME). 6AM-10PM. (updated Dec 2024)

By bus

• Maritime Bus, toll-free: +1-800-575-1807, info@maritimebus.com. Operates intercity buses in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. (updated Apr 2022) Operates a route between Edmundston and Moncton including stops in Grand Falls, Perth-Andover, Florenceville, Woodstock, Fredericton, and Fredericton Airport.
  • Travel to Grand Falls from the following destinations involving same day transfers is as follows:
    • From Saint John with a transfer in Fredericton
    • From Bathurst, Campbellton, Halifax, Miramichi with a transfer in Moncton
    • From Charlottetown ) with transfers in Amherst and Moncton
    • From Antigonish, North Sydney, Sydney with transfers in Truro and Moncton

See

• 1 The Grand Falls Gorge, 25 Madawaska Rd, ☏ +1 506 475-7750, toll-free: +1-877-475-7769, Fallsgor@nbnet.nb.ca. Interpretive display, gift shop, canteen and a small campground at the top of the cliff. (updated Dec 2024)
• New Denmark Memorial Museum, 6 Main New Denmark Road, New Denmark (15 km east of Grand Falls on Route 108), ☏ +1 506 553-6897, hilltown@nbnet.nb.ca. The collection includes portraits, farm machinery, small tools, clothing, china, books and many other artifacts belonging to the original Danish settlers of the area. Dates of operation: June 19 to September 2. 

Do

Many activities are only open during the summer tourist season.

• Zip Zag, 25 Madawaska Road, ☏ +1 506 473-4924, toll-free: +1-888-4-ZIPZAG (947924), fax: +1 506 473-4995, info@zipzag.ca. Zipline rides across the gorge and back. 2 lines. $30-40. 
• 1 Grand Falls Golf Club, 803 Main St., ☏ +1 506-473-4494, andre@cepsc.ca. (updated Dec 2024)
• 2 Kahoutek Ski Club, 60 Rue Ouellette (located in E.& P. Sénéchal Center). A cross-country ski club, with over 20 km (12 mi) of groomed cross-country ski trails. All trails begin at the E. & P. Sénéchal Center. (updated Dec 2024)
• Kayaking, canoeing, boating in Saint John river
• Potato Festival, ☏ +1 506-475-7760, info@gfpotatofestival.ca. This event coincides with the end of June and beginning of July, during the Canada Day weekend. It includes a carnival, a Broadway block party, a bistro with live entertainment, the Miss Grand Falls Gala, fireworks and several other events. (updated Dec 2024)

Buy

Downtown stores

• Giant Tiger, 200 Broadway Boulevard, ☏ +1 506 473-3026. M-W Sa 8AM-9PM, Th F 8AM-9:30PM, Sa 10AM-5PM. Discount store 
• La Rochelle Gift Shop Boutique, 1 Rue Chapel. Daily 10AM-6PM. La Rochelle provides camping sites, access to the gorge via stairwell and a pontoon-boat ride that goes through the gorge. (updated May 2019)
• The Grand Falls Farmers Market, 68 Madawaska Road. Saturdays from May to October: 8AM-1PM. (updated May 2019)

Eat

• Le Grand Saut Ristorante, 155 Broadway Blvd, ☏ +1 506-473-3876. Su-Th 10:30AM-10PM, F Sa 10:30AM-10:30PM. Pizzas, steaks, ribs and seafood from the grill, salads and desserts. (updated May 2019)
• Jack Fries, 233 Broadway Blvd, ☏ +1 506-473-4165. Burgers, poutines, wraps, fish and chips. (updated May 2019)
• Tresor et Delices, 264 Broadway Blvd, ☏ +1 506-473-1633. Canadian, Indian and Mauritian cuisine. Samosas, mussels, curries. (updated May 2019)

Drink

• T & F Dunster's Restaurant & Pub, 240 Broadway Blvd, ☏ +1 506-475-2805. W 11AM-11PM, Th F 11AM-2AM, Sa 10AM-2AM. Finger foods, drinks & beer on tap. Karaoke Fridays and Saturday nights. Live music some nights. (updated May 2019)

Sleep

• Falls & Gorge campground, 120 Manse Rd, ☏ +1 506 475-7769, toll-free: +1-877-475-7769. 12 June - 4 Sept. Wooded nature, rumble of the falls, a spectacular gorge. Bilingual staff. The campground is located just above the cliff in the heart of downtown and near the season falls and gorge. Lookouts along the gorge offering panoramic views are available at all times. $30 - 40. (updated Apr 2017)
• Cote's Bed & Breakfast, 575 Boulevard Broadway West, ☏ +1 506 473-1952, toll-free: +1-877-444-2683, stay@cotebb-inn.com. All rooms have private, en suite bathrooms, king or queen size beds, TV/DVD, CD players air conditioning, a small refrigerator and high-speed Wifi. They are also smoke-free. Doubles from $95. (updated Apr 2017)
• Motel Leo, just off the Transcanada Highway, Exit 75 Eastbound and exit 77 or 75 Westbound, Route 144, ☏ +1 506 473-2090. Restaurants a few minutes away and approximately 3 mi (4.8 km) from the waterfalls, Comfortable accommodation in an executive suite or in a spacious family unit. Warm, modern decor, cable TV, air conditioning and many other amenities. Non-smoking rooms available. Doubles from $90. (updated Apr 2017)
• Hill Top Motel, 131 Chemin Madawaska, ☏ +1 506 473-2684, toll-free: +1-800-496-1244, reservations@hilltopmotel.ca. Restaurant on site. Breakfast included. Doubles from $93. Children under 12 free. Discount for 65+. (updated Apr 2017)

Go next

Routes through Grand Falls

Edmundston ← Vallée-des-Rivières ←	W  E	→ Perth-Andover → Fredericton
END ←	W  E	→ New Denmark → Jct N S
Ends at N S ← ←	W  E	→ END
Caribou via ← Limestone ← becomes ← ←	W  E	→ END