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QUEBEC CITY

| Canada

300C FEATURE DESTINATION: Quebec City , Quebec, Canada

Spread over Cap Diamant and the banks of the St Lawrence, QUÉBEC CITY is Canada’s most beautifully located and most historic city. Vieux-Québec, surrounded by solid fortifications, is the only walled city in North America, a fact that prompted UNESCO to classify it as a World Heritage Site in 1985. In both parts of the Old City – Haute and Basse – the winding cobbled streets are flanked by seventeenth- and eighteenth-century stone houses and churches, graceful parks and squares, and countless monuments. Although some districts have been painstakingly restored to give tourists as seductive an introduction to Québec as possible, this is an authentically and profoundly French city: 95 percent of its 600,000 population are French-speaking, and it is often difficult to remember which continent you are in as you tuck into a croissant and a steaming bowl of coffee in a Parisian-style café. Moreover, despite the fact that the city’s symbol is a hotel, the Château Frontenac , the government remains the main employee, not tourism, and some of the more impressive buildings are government-run and off-limits.

Arriving from Montréal you’re immediately struck by the differences between the province’s two main cities. Whilst Montréal is international, dynamic and forward-thinking, Québec City is more than a shade provincial, often seeming too bound up with its religious and military past – a residue of the days when the city was the bastion of the Catholic Church in Canada. On the other hand, the Church can claim much of the credit for the creation and preservation of the finest buildings, from the quaint Église Notre Dame-des-Victoires to the Basilique Notre Dame de Québec and the vast Seminary . In contrast, the austere defensive structures, dominated by the massive Citadelle , reveal the military pedigree of a city dubbed by Churchill as the “Gibraltar of North America”, while the battlefield of the Plains of Abraham is now a national historic park. Of the city’s rash of museums, two are essential visits – the modern Musée de la Civilisation , in Vieux-Québec, expertly presenting all aspects of French-Canadian society, and the Musée du Québec , in the Haute-Ville, west of Vieux-Québec, which has the finest art collection in the province.

Outside the city limits, the town of Lévis and the Huron reservation, Wendake , make worthwhile excursions, whilst the churches and farmland of the Côte-de-Beaupré and the ÃŽle d’Orléans hark back to the days of the seigneurs and habitants . The gigantic Basilique de Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré , attracting millions of pilgrims annually, is one of the most impressive sights in Québec, and for equally absorbing natural sights there are the spectacular waterfalls at Montmorency and Sept-Chutes , and the wildlife reserve in the Laurentians .

The City

Québec City spreads from its historic heart into a bland suburbia but the highlights lie beside the St Lawrence, with main attractions being evenly distributed between the upper and lower portions of what is known as Vieux-Québec (Old Québec). On the Cap Diamant, Haute-Ville (Upper Town) continues along the St Lawrence from the old city walls and the furthest you need to wander from here is to the Musée du Québec, set in the extensive parkland of the Plains of Abraham. As the oldest part of the city, this area comprises some of the main sights of interest, including the magnificent Citadelle. The Terrasse Dufferin is also worth a stroll to watch street entertainers, unproductive students or the views over the river, but it gets overcrowded in the evening. The second part of the city, the Basse-Ville (or Lower Town) is connected to Haute-Ville by funicular from Terrasse Dufferin or by several windy streets and stairs. One of the main pleasures of the area, besides the wonderful old houses and small museums, is the Musée de la Civilisation.

This itinerary begins at Vieux-Québec’s Place d’Armes and then explores the upper part of Vieux-Québec and the rest of Haute-Ville as far west as the Musée du Québec. To finish the tour, you can explore Vieux-Québec’s compact Basse-Ville, which can be reached directly from Place d’Armes. Strapped between the cliffs and the St Lawrence, this district is of considerable interest and is a pleasant area to wander around.

HISTORY

For centuries the clifftop site of what is now Québec City was occupied by the Iroquois village of Stadacona , and although Cartier visited in the sixteenth century, permanent European settlement did not begin until 1608, when Samuel de Champlain established a fur-trading post here. To protect what was rapidly developing into a major inland trade gateway, the settlement shifted to the clifftop in 1620 when Fort St-Louis was built on the present-day site of the Château Frontenac . Québec’s steady expansion was noted in London, and in 1629 Champlain was starved out of the fort by the British, an occupation that lasted just three years.

Missionaries began arriving in 1615, and by the time Bishop Laval arrived in 1659 Québec City and the surrounding province were in the grip of Catholicism. In the city’s earliest days, however, the merchants of the fur trade wielded the most power and frequently came into conflict with the priests, who wanted a share in the profits in order to spread their message amongst the aboriginal peoples. The wrangles were resolved by Louis XIV , who assumed power in France in 1661 and was advised to take more interest in his kingdom’s mercantile projects. By 1663, New France had become a royal province, administered by a council appointed directly by the crown and answerable to the king’s council in France. Three figures dominated the proceedings: the governor, responsible for defence and external relations; the intendant, administering justice and overseeing the economy; and, inevitably, the bishop.

Before the century was out, the long-brewing European struggles between England and France spilled over into the colony with French attacks on the English in New York and New England in 1689 and a foiled naval attack on the city by Sir William Phipps, governor of Massachusetts, in the following year. It was at this time that the Comte de Frontenac , known as the “fighting governor”, replaced Champlain’s Fort St-Louis with the sturdier Château St-Louis, and began work on the now-famous fortifications that ring Vieux-Québec.

In September 1759, during the Seven Years War, the most significant battle in Canada’s history took place here, between the British under general James Wolfe and Louis Joseph, Marquis de Montcalm . The city had already been under siege from the opposite shore for three months and Montcalm had carefully protected the city from any approach by water. Finally, Wolfe and his four thousand troops heard of an unguarded track, scaled the cliff of Cap Diamant and crept up on the sleeping French regiment from behind. The twenty-minute battle on the Plains of Abraham left both leaders mortally wounded and the city of Québec in the hands of the English, a state of affairs confirmed by the Treaty of Paris in 1763. Madame de Pompadour commented: “It makes little difference; Canada is useful only to provide me with furs”.

In 1775 – the year after the Québec Act of 1774 allowed French-Canadians to retain their Catholic religion, language and culture – the town was attacked again, this time by the Americans, who had already captured Montréal. The battle was won by the British and for the next century the city quietly earned its livelihood as the centre of a timber-trade and shipbuilding industry. By the time it was declared the provincial capital of Lower Canada in 1840, though, the accessible supplies of timber had run out. The final blow came with the appearance of steamships that could travel as far as Montréal, while sailing ships had found it difficult to proceed beyond Québec City. Ceasing to be a busy seaport, the city declined into a centre of small industry and local government, its way of life still largely determined by the Catholic Church.

With the Quiet Revolution in the 1960s and the rise of Québec nationalism, Québec City became a symbol of the glory of the French heritage – for example, the motto Je me souviens (“I remember”) above the doors of its parliament buildings was transferred to the licence plates of Québec cars, to sweep the message across Canada. Though the city played little active part in the changes, it has grown with the upsurge in the francophone economy, developing a suburbia of shopping malls and convention centres as slick as any in the country.

ARRIVAL

Québec City’s airport , 20km west of the city, caters almost exclusively for domestic flights, primarily those of Air Canada and its regional carriers: most international flights arrive at Montréal. A shuttle connects the airport with several downtown hotels (8.45am-10.20pm; 7-8 daily; $9 to Vieux-Québec). The twenty-minute trip by taxi is a fixed rate of $24.50.

Trains from Montréal arrive at the central Gare du Palais in Basse-Ville, whereas services from the Atlantic provinces arrive at Charny, across the St Lawrence, from Ste-Foy, in the very early morning; a shuttle is available to Gare du Palais but reservations must be made in advance. The long-distance bus terminal is at 320 Abraham-Martin, adjoining the Gare du Palais . Parking downtown can be a real pain: it’s best to leave your vehicle outside the centre, off Grande-Allée or in the Vieux-Port area .

INFORMATION

For information about Québec City’s sights and events, as well as an accommodation service, the main information centre is beside the Voltigeurs de Québec armoury, off Place Georges V at 835 ave Wilfrid-Laurier (late June to mid-Oct daily 8.30am-7.30pm; mid-Oct to late June Mon-Thurs & Sat 9am-5pm, Fri 9am-6pm, Sun 10am-4pm; tel 649-2608, www.quebecregion.com ), in the same building as the Discovery Pavilion of the Plains of Abraham. Information on the whole province (as well as Québec City) is available at the Centre Infotouriste on the other side of Place d’Armes from the Château Frontenac at 12 rue Ste-Anne (daily: late June to early Sept 8.30am-7.30pm; early Sept to late June 9am-5pm; tel 1-877/266-5687, www.bonjourquebec.com ). Both centres provide a free booklet, Greater Québec Area , which has a good map.

CITY TRANSPORT

Québec City’s sights and hotels are packed into a small area, so walking is the best way to get around. Motorcycles are banned from Vieux-Québec. For sights further out, like the Musée du Québec, STCUQ local buses are efficient and run from around 6am to 1am (certain routes run until 3am Fri & Sat). Fares are a standard $1.75 per journey by prepaid ticket, available at newsstands, grocery stores and supermarkets across town, as are one-day passes ($4.70); the cash fare per journey is $2.25, exact fare only. If you need more than one bus to complete your journey, pick up a transfer ( une correspondance ) from the driver, which enables you to take the second bus for no extra charge. The main bus stop in Vieux-Québec is on the west side at Place d’Youville, near Porte St-Jean. The main transfer points for STCUQ buses are here and at Place Jacques-Cartier, reachable by buses #3, #5, #7, #8 and #30. Even if it means a longer walk, the frequency of the STCUQ’s Métrobus services (#800, etc) makes them the best option.

EATING

It is when you start eating in Québec City that the French ancestry of the Québécois hits all the senses: the eateries of the city present an array of culinary delights adopted from the mother country, from beautifully presented gourmet dishes to humble baguettes.

Whether you are on a tight budget or not, Québec’s lively cafés are probably where you will want to spend your time, washing down bowls of soup and croutons (toasted baguettes dripping with cheese) with plenty of coffee. Decked out in a variety of decors, traditional to stylish, they are always buzzing with activity, as students and workers drop in throughout the day. As you might expect, Vieux-Québec is home to most of the gourmet restaurants and cafés, but other areas – notably along rue St-Jean (quirky and cheaper) and Grande-Allée (generally touristy and expensive), just outside the city walls – have their fair share. Your best bet for good-value mid-price restaurants is to head for avenue Cartier near the Musée du Québec, with its numerous terrace-fronted restaurants.

Snacks and Cafes

A.L. Van Houtte , 995 Place D’Youville. Reliable chain with sandwiches and salads until 11pm. Internet access for $6 per hour.

Bistro St-Jean , 481 rue St-Jean. Café/restaurant that serves late breakfasts and decent hamburgers.

Bouche Bée , 383 rue St-Paul. Cheap café in Basse-Ville, serving sandwiches, quiches, soups and the like.

Brûlerie Tatum Café , 1084 rue St-Jean. All-day omelettes and light snacks. Exposed brick walls and roasting coffee beans provide ambience.

Café Buade , 31 rue Buade. In a central location, with good light breakfasts and passable bistro fare throughout the day. It’s nicer upstairs. Open from 7am.

Buffet de l’Antiquaire , 95 rue St-Paul. An institution, popular with locals for breakfast and home-cooked comfort food like poutine and pâté chinois (shepherd’s pie).

Chez Temporal , 25 rue Couillard. Bowls of steaming café au lait , croissants and chocolatines make this Quartier Latin café, a few doors from the Auberge de la Paix hostel, a perfect place for breakfast. Soups and sandwiches are also available until 1.30am.

Dazibo Café , 526 rue St-Jean. Full Irish breakfast (11am-3pm). Soda bread and light meals help to soak up the best Guinness in town. Closed Mon.

L’Omelette , 66 rue St-Louis. Reasonable tourist joint with omelette specialities; breakfast from 7am.

Café Retro , 1129 rue St-Jean. Well-priced if touristy café/restaurant; serves everything from sandwiches to T-bone steaks.

Ste-Ursule Smoked Meat , 7 rue Ste-Ursule. Carnivore heaven: stacked slices of smoked meat on rye for $5.

Restaurants

In Québec’s finer restaurants high-quality French cuisine is easy to come by and, although prices tend to be rather high, even the poshest restaurants have cheaper lunch-time and table d’hôte menus. For a change of taste, the dishes of other countries are also represented, including Italian, Greek, Swiss and Thai – as well as the good old hamburger. Strangely though, typical French-Canadian cooking – game with sweet sauces followed by simple desserts with lashings of maple syrup – is available at very few places in town, although the many cabanes àsucre on ÃŽle d’Orléans offer typical meals to tourists.

BARS AND NIGHTLIFE

Nightlife in Québec City is far more relaxed than in Montréal: an evening spent in an intimate bar or a jazz or blues soiree is more popular than a big gig or disco, except among the younger set. Few major bands tour here, except during the Festival d’Été in July, when everyone lets their hair down. Québec City’s main bar and nightclub strip is around St-Jean – the stretch outside the city walls in the Faubourg St-Jean-Baptiste has studenty bars and gay nightspots. Places on Grand-Allée tend to cater to tourists, but there are a few decent spots mixed in. For up-to-date information on the goings-on, check out the listings section in the French daily newspapers Le Soleil and Journal de Québec and the free weekly newspaper Voir . The quarterly bilingual magazine for tourists VoilàQuébec also carries information, as does the English Québec Chronicle Telegraph , published every Wednesday.

ENTERTAINMENT AND NIGHTLIFE

Québec City is not especially renowned for its high culture, but from May to September there are dance , theatre and music events at various outdoor venues, and throughout the year performances can be caught at the city’s theatres. The liveliest periods are in February and July, when the entire city is animated by its two principal festivals : the excellent Carnaval and the equally frenzied Festival d’Été. Tickets for most events can be purchased through the Admission agency (tel 1-800/361-4595, www.admission.com ).

LISTINGS

Airlines Air Canada and Air Alliance, Aéroport de Québec (tel 692-0770 or 1-800/630-3299); Canadian Airlines, Aéroport de Québec (tel 692-1031 or 1-800/665-1177), Continental Airlines (tel 1-800/231-0856).

Banks and exchange American Express, Place Laurier, 2700 boul Laurier, Ste-Foy; Banque Royale, 700 Place d’Youville and 140 Grande-Allée est. Caisse Populaire Desjardins du Vieux-Québec, 19 rue des Jardins (summer daily 9am-6pm; winter Mon, Tues & Fri 9.30am-3pm, Wed & Thurs 9.30am-6pm) has exchange facilities and a cashpoint (ATM) in Vieux-Québec; as does Banque Nationale, 1199 rue St-Jean (summer: Mon-Fri 9am-8pm, Sat & Sun 9.30am-8pm; winter: Mon-Thurs 9am-5pm, Fri 9am-4.30pm).

Bike rental Vélo Passe-Sport Plein Air, 22 Côte du Palais is conveniently situated, but Cyclo Services, 84 rue Dalhousie in the Vieux-Port, is cheaper, rents rollerblades and is close to the start of the bike trail. Information on cycle trails from Promo-Vélo (tel 522-0087).

Bookshops English books can be purchased at Librairie Smith, Place Laurier, 2700 boul Laurier in Ste-Foy; La Maison Anglaise, Place de la Cité, 2600 boul Laurier in Ste-Foy; and there’s a small selection at Pantoute, 1100 rue St-Jean. For travel books, there’s a small shop inside the tourist office at Place d’Armes.

Bus enquiries Long-distance: bus terminal, 320 rue Abraham-Martin (tel 525-3000). Local: STCUQ (tel 627-2511). Ski shuttle: Hiver Express (tel 525-5191; winter only).

Car parks Hôtel-de-Ville, rue Pierre-Olivier Chauveau (near Hôtel-de-Ville), rue Haldimand (near Jardin des Gouverneurs), ave Wilfrid-Laurier near the tourist office outside Porte St-Louis, Place D’Youville (off Dufferin), rue Dalhousie, Vieux-Port. Long-term parking: opposite bus terminal.

Car rental Avis, Hôtel Hilton , 900 boul René-Lévesque est (tel 523-1075) and at the airport (tel 872-2861); Budget, 380 rue Wilfred-Hamel (tel 687-4220), 29 Côte du Palais (tel 692-3660) and at the airport (tel 872-9885); Discount, 12 rue Ste-Anne (tel 692-1244); Hertz, airport (tel 871-1571), 44 Côte du Palais (tel 694-1224), and 580 Grande-Allée est (tel 647-4949); Thrifty, Château Frontenac (tel 877-2870) and near the airport, 6210 boul Wilfred-Hamel (same phone).

Consulate US, 2 Place Terrasse-Dufferin (tel 692-2095).

Dentists For dental emergencies, ring 653-5412 (Mon-Wed 8am-8pm, Thurs 8am-6pm, Fri 8am-4pm) or tel 656-6060 at the weekend.

Gay and lesbian information Gai Écoute and Gay Line (tel 1-888/505-1010).

Hospitals Hôtel-Dieu Hospital, 11 Côte du Palais (tel 691-5042); Jeffrey Hale Hospital, 1250 chemin Ste-Foy (tel 683-4471, ext 0).

Ice hockey The Rafales, who are not in the NHL, play at 350 boul Wilfred-Hamel (tickets tel 691-7211 or 1-800/900-SHOW; season is mid-Sept to April).

Laundry Lavoir la Lavandière, 625 rue St-Jean; Lavoir Ste-Ursule, 17B ave Ste-Ursule (Mon-Sat 9am-9pm, Sun 9am-6pm).

Left luggage Both the train and bus stations have $2 luggage lockers.

Medical advice 24hr medical service (tel 648-2626).

Pharmacy 24hr service: Pharmacie Brunet, Les Galeries Charlesbourg, 4250 ave 1ère, in the northwesterly suburb of Charlesbourg.

Post office 300 rue St-Paul (Mon-Fri 8am-5.45pm); also 5 rue du Fort (same hours).

Rape crisis line Viol Secours (tel 522-2120).

Ridesharing Allo-Stop, 665 rue St-Jean (tel 522-0056, www.allostop.com ).

Road conditions For 24hr information, call 648-7766 (Nov to mid-April).

Taxis Taxi Coop (tel 525-5191); Taxi Québec (tel 525-8123).

Train enquiries VIA Rail (tel 692-3940 or 1-800/361-5390); Gare du Palais, 450 rue de la Gare-du-Palais; Gare de Ste-Foy, 3255 chemin de la Gare.

Weather information For 24hr bulletins (tel 648-7766).

EXPLORE QUEBEC CITY

Around the City

There are various options for a swift or protracted trip out from the city. In Wendake , west of the city, the past and present crafts of Canada’s only surviving Huron community can be seen, while to the east the Côte-de-Beaupré , though something of a city annexe, boasts the spectacular waterfalls of Chute Montmorency and in the Canyon Ste-Anne . Just offshore, the ÃŽle d’Orléans has a tranquil charm, its agricultural landscapes dotted with gîtes and auberges, and the homes of the well-heeled. For those in search of wilderness, the Réserve Faunique des Laurentides is within easy reach and there are a number of ski hills in the area. Lévis , on the opposite shore of the St Lawrence, is less inundated by visitors than Québec City and has great views of its more illustrious neighbour.

City buses and bicycle paths run to Chute Montmorency and Wendake, a few Intercar buses go daily to Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré , and a quick ferry trip lands you in Lévis. The HiverExpress winter shuttle bus (tel 525-5191) connects the ski slopes with downtown hotels for around $25 return. The only places for which your own transport is essential are the wildlife reserve, ÃŽle d’Orléans and Canyon Ste-Anne.

Artillery Park

Backtracking to Côte de Palais and down the hill a few steps, rue McMahon leads to the northwest corner of Vieux-Québec and Artillery Park , whose immense defensive structures were raised in the early 1700s by the French, in expectation of a British attack from the St Charles River. After Québec fell the British added to the site, which was used primarily as a barracks for the Royal Artillery Regiment for more than a century. In 1882 it became a munitions factory, and a foundry was added in 1902, later providing the Canadian army with ammunition in both world wars; it finally closed in 1964. The massive Dauphin Redoubt, named after Louis XIV’s son, typifies the changes of fortune here: used by the French as the barracks for their garrison, it became the officers’ mess under the British and then the residence of the superintendent of the Canadian Arsenal. The jumble of fortifications is well explained at the reception and interpretive centre (Feb-March & Nov-Dec Wed-Sun noon-4pm; April to early May Wed-Sun 10am-5pm; early May to Oct daily 10am-5pm, except July & Aug until 6pm; $3.25, guided tours an additional $3.25; www.parkscanada.gc.ca/artillerie ) in the former foundry beside Porte St-Jean. The centre has displays on the military pedigree of the city, including a vivid model of Québec City in 1808. The nearby Officers’ Quarters, where the British officers lived until 1871, is set up as it was circa 1830, with costumed guides relating the everyday lives of the soldiers and officers

Cartier-Brebeuf National Historic Site

Northwest of Vieux-Québec, on the banks of the St-Charles River (bus #3 or #4), the Cartier-Brébeuf National Historic Site , 175 de l’Espinay (daily: May to early Sept 10am-5pm; early Sept to mid-Oct 1-4pm; $3; www.parkscanada.gc.ca/brebeuf ) has a double claim to fame. It marks the spot where Jacques Cartier spent the winter of 1535-36 in friendly contact with the people of the surrounding Iroquoian villages – a cordial start to a relationship that Cartier later soured by taking a local chief and nine of his men hostage. It is also where Jean de Brébeuf, with his Jesuit friends, built his first Canadian residence in 1625: Brébeuf is best known for his martyrdom near today’s Midland in Ontario . The interpretive centre features an excellent account of Cartier’s voyages and of the hardship he and his crew endured during the winter. The guided tour of the site (included in the entrance fee) leads to a mock-up of an Iroquoian longhouse and sweat lodge set within a palisade, where costumed guides demonstrate daily tasks, mostly to the benefit of the kids. Keep an eye out for the resident muskrat.

Chapel des Ursulines

Heading south along rue des Jardins brings you to the narrow rue Donnacona, where a sculptured hand holding a quill – a monument to the women who, since 1639, have dedicated their lives to teaching young Québécois – rests on a pedestal. It seems to point the way to the Chapelle des Ursulines , built by a tiny group of Ursuline nuns who arrived in Québec in 1639 calling themselves “the Amazons of God in Canada”. Their task was to bring religion to the natives and later to the daughters of the settlers, a mission carried out in the classrooms of North America’s first girls’ school – the buildings still house a private school. They also cared for the filles du roi , marriageable orphans and peasant girls imported from France to swell the population. These girls were kept in separate rooms in the convent for surveillance by the local bachelors, who were urged to select a wife within fifteen days of the ship’s arrival – a fine of three hundred livres was levied on any man who failed to take his pick within the period. Fat girls were the most desirable, as it was believed they were more inclined to stay at home and be better able to resist the winter cold.

The Ursulines’ first mother superior, Marie Guyart de l’Incarnation, was widowed at age 19 and left her son with family when she entered the Ursulines de Tours monastery twelve years later. Her letters to him once she finally made it to Québec give some sharp insights into the early days of the city: “It would be hard to live here an hour without having the hands protected and without being well covered. Although the beds are covered well with quilts or blankets, scarcely can one keep warm when lying on them.” Her likeness can be seen in a replica of a posthumous portrait by Pommier in the interesting little museum (May-Sept Tues-Sat 10am-noon & 1-5pm, Sun 1-5pm; Oct-April Tues-Sun 1-4.30pm; $4), housed in the former home of one of the first nuns. A painting by Frère Luc, though executed in France, pictures a Canadian version of the Holy Family: Joseph is shown presenting a Huron girl to Mary, while through the window one can glimpse Cap Diamant and the St Lawrence flowing past wigwams and campfires. Other paintings, documents and household items testify to the harshness of life in the colony, but lace-work and embroidery are the highlights, particularly the splendid ornamental gowns produced by the Ursulines in 1739.

Marie de l’Incarnation’s remains are entombed in the oratory, but public access is limited to the adjoining chapel (May-Oct Tues-Sat 10-11.30am & 1.30-4.30pm, Sun 1.30-4.30pm; free), rebuilt in 1902 but retaining the sumptuous early eighteenth-cent-ury interior by sculptor Pierre-Noël Levasseur. A plaque indicates General Montcalm’s resting place below the chapel, though only his skull is buried there. The collection of seventeenth and eighteenth-century paintings were acquired from France in the 1820s. Next to the museum the Centre Marie-de-l’Incarnation (Feb-Nov same hours as chapel; free) sells religious and historical books, and displays a few of Marie’s personal effects.

Citadelle

Dominating the southern section of Vieux-Québec, the massive star-shaped Citadelle is the tour de force of Québec City’s fortifications. Occupying the highest point of Cap Diamant, 100m above the St Lawrence, the site was first built on by the French, but most of the buildings were constructed by the British under orders from the Duke of Wellington, who was anxious about American attack after the War of 1812.

The complex of 25 buildings covers forty acres and is the largest North American fort still occupied by troops – it’s home to the Royal 22nd Regiment, Canada’s only French-speaking regiment. Around the parade ground are ranged various monuments to the campaigns of the celebrated “Van-Doos” ( vingt-deux ), as well as the summer residence of Canada’s governor general and two buildings dating back to the French period: the 1750 powder magazine, now a mundane museum of military artefacts, and the Cap Diamant Redoubt, built in 1693 and thus one of the oldest parts of the Citadelle.

In addition to entertaining hour-long guided tours around the Citadelle (daily: April 10am-4pm; May & June 9am-5pm; July & Aug 9am-6pm; Sept 9am-4pm; Oct 10am-3pm; $6; www.lacitadelle.qc.ca ), other activities include the colourful Changing of the Guard (mid-June to early Sept daily 10am) and the Beating of the Retreat tattoo (July & Aug Wed-Sat 6pm).

Faubourg St. Jean-Baptiste

If you want to take a break from the old city, head through the Porte St-Jean and across Place D’Youville to where rue St-Jean picks up again in the former faubourg – the name given to the settlements that once stood undefended outside the city walls – of St-Jean-Baptiste . The quarter’s studenty atmosphere is more laid-back than the rest of Québec, with cheaper restaurants and great nightlife spots.

A five-minute walk will bring you to the Protestant Burying Ground (May to mid-Nov daily 7am-11pm), Québec City’s first Protestant cemetery and now the oldest one remaining in the province. Many historical figures were buried here between 1772 and 1860, including Lt Col James Turnbull, Queen Victoria’s presumed half-brother. Further along on the same side of the street, Maison Jean-Alfred Moisan has been in the grocery trade since 1871, making it the oldest grocery store in North America. The tin ceilings and wooden furnishings provide a backdrop for fine foods and baked goods.

The district’s namesake, the Eglise St-Jean-Baptiste , 410 rue St-Jean (late June to mid-Sept Mon-Fri & Sun 11am-4pm, Sat 9am-4pm), dominates the faubourg, its spire rising to 73m. When reconstruction began after a fire destroyed the original church in 1881, local architect Joseph Ferdinand Peachy looked to France for inspiration – the facade is a close reproduction of the Église de la Trinité in Paris.

Hotel Dieu

The ten-minute walk along rue des Remparts circles round the north side of the Séminaire to the Hôtel-Dieu du Précieux Sang , the oldest hospital north of Mexico. The adjacent stone buildings are still occupied by the Augustinian order of nuns, who founded the hospital in 1639. Turning left up Côte du Palais and first left again leads to the Musée des Augustines de l’Hôtel-Dieu de Québec , 32 rue Charlevoix (Tues-Sat 9.30am-noon & 1.30-5pm, Sun 1.30-5pm; donation), where the artworks include some of Québec’s oldest paintings, among them the earliest-known portrayal of the city in the background of the portraits of the Duchess of Auguillon and her uncle Cardinal Richelieu, who together funded the hospital. Another notable painting is the Martyrdom of the Jesuits , a gruesome tableau showing the torture of Jesuit missionaries in southern Ontario by the Iroquois in 1649. (Only a disappointing black-and-white engraving is on display to the public.) Grateful patients also donated a fine collection of antique furniture, copperware and ornaments. Many of the items are from France, as the first settlers usually found themselves interned in the hospital to recover from the diseases rife on the ocean crossing. A collection of medical instruments from the seventeenth to mid-twentieth century is also on display. On request the Augustines offer free guided tours of the chapel and the seventeenth-century cellars where the nuns sheltered from the British in 1759.

Jardins des Gouverneurs

Rue Haldimand, around the corner from the Musée d’Art Inuit, leads to the Jardin des Gouverneurs , whose wonderful prospect of the St Lawrence was once the exclusive privilege of the colonial governors who inhabited the Château St-Louis. The garden’s Wolfe-Montcalm obelisk monument, erected in 1828, is rare in paying tribute to the victor and the vanquished. Converted merchants’ houses border this grandiose area, and the nearby streets are some of the most impressive in Vieux-Québec – check out rue de la Porte and the parallel rue des Grisons on the park’s west side, which boasts some fine eighteenth-century homes.

To escape the tourist hordes for a bit, follow rue Mont-Carmel, on the northern side of the square, to the almost unnoticed Parc du Cavalier du Moulin , a quiet little park that’s perfect for a picnic. The remnant of a defensive bastion built atop Mont Carmel hill, this was part of the seventeenth-century French fortifications that protected the city’s western side. You can’t really see walls from this angle, but you can see the rear facades of the houses on rue St-Louis.

From the Jardin des Gouverneurs, ave Ste-Geneviève runs west towards Porte St-Louis. En route, turn right onto rue Ste-Ursule for the Chalmers-Wesley United Church at no. 78 (July & Aug Mon-Fri 10am-5pm; free), built in 1852 and one of the most beautiful in the city. Its slender, Gothic Revivalist spires are a conspicuous element of the skyline and, inside the stained-glass windows are worth a look. Opposite, the 1910 Sanctuaire de Notre Dame du Sacré-Coeur (daily 7am-8pm; free) also has impressive stained-glass windows.

A left turn onto rue St-Louis leads to the Porte St-Louis, one of the four gates in the city wall. It’s surrounded by Parc de l’Esplanade , the main site for the Carnaval de Québec, and departure point for the city’s smart horse-drawn calèches. The park’s Centre d’interprétation des Fortifications-de-Québec , 100 rue St-Louis (early May to early Oct daily 10am-5pm, except late June to early Sept 9am-5pm; $2.75; www.parkscanada.gc.ca/fortifications ), includes a powder house constructed in 1815 and a dull exhibition on the fortifications. Most visitors start their 4.5-kilometre stroll around the city wall from here. You can also take a ninety-minute tour with a costumed guide for $10.

Jardins de l’hotel de Ville

Returning to the old city at Porte St-Jean, head south on the steep rue d’Auteuil as it runs alongside the fortifications up to Porte Kent, next to the Chapelle des Jésuites , 20 rue Dauphine (Mon-Fri 9am-11.30pm & 1-4.30pm; free). The church’s delicately carved altar and ecclesiastical sculptures are by Pierre-Noël Levasseur, one of the most illustrious artists to work on the early Québec parish churches.

Rue Dauphine continues northeast to rue Cook, which leads east to the Jardins de l’Hôtel de Ville , scene of numerous live shows in the summer. The park surrounds the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall), which dates from 1883, and is overlooked by the far more impressive Art Deco buildings of the Hôtel Clarendon and the Édifice Price (the city’s first skyscraper), at nos. 57 and 65 Ste-Anne, respectively.

By the corner of rue Ste-Anne and rue des Jardins stands the first Anglican cathedral built outside the British Isles, the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity (daily: May & June 10am-6pm; July & Aug 9am-8pm; Sept-Nov 10am-6pm; free guided tours; www.ogs.net/cathedral ). The king of France gave the site to the Récollet Fathers but their church burnt down in the late eighteenth century. Its replacement, constructed in 1800-04 on orders from George III, followed the lines of London’s church of St Martin-in-the-Fields. The simple interior houses the 1845 bishops’ throne, reputedly made from the wood of the elm tree under whose branches Samuel de Champlain conferred with the Iroquois. Many of the church’s features came from London, including the silverware from George III. The golden bars on the balcony denote the seats for the exclusive use of British sovereigns. In the courtyard are Les Artisans de la Cathédrale, Québec-based artisans whose small crafts and clothes stalls avoid tourist tack.

Maisons Jacquet and Kent

On the corner of rue des Jardins and rue St-Louis – the main restaurant strip in Vieux-Québec – stands Maison Jacquet , occupied by the restaurant Aux Anciens Canadiens . The name comes from Québec’s first novel, whose author, Philippe Aubert de Gaspé, lived here for a while in the middle of the nineteenth century. Dating from 1677, the house is another good example of seventeenth-century New France architecture, as is the blue-and-white Maison Kent at no. 25 on the other side of rue St-Louis, which was built in 1649. Once home of Queen Victoria’s father, the Duke of Kent, it’s best known as the place where the capitulation of Québec was signed in 1759.

Musee d’art Inuit de Brousseau

The delightful Musée d’Art Inuit Brousseau , at 39 rue St-Louis (daily 9.30am-5.30pm; $6), traces the development of Inuit art from the naive works of the mid-twentieth century to the highly narrative and intricately carved sculptures by contemporary artists. The few ancient items include simple ivory works from the nomadic Dorset and Thulé cultures. Stone sculpture really began in the 1940s, replacing the declining fur and hunting industries as a source of income – the Inuit artists used aspects of everyday life such as animals and hunting for inspiration, but would also carve an ashtray if they thought they could sell it to a traveller passing through. One such man, James Houston, became convinced that these sculptures needed a wider audience and organized sales of their work in the south – the nucleus of the Brousseau’s collection came from these sales, one sculpture per year. A video shows the surprisingly coarse tools used to make the graceful objects.

Musee du Quebec

Canadian art had its quiet beginnings in Québec City three hundred years ago, and the full panoply of subsequent Québécois art can be found in the 20,000-strong collection of the Musée du Québec , whose bright, glassy entrance is at the foot of rue Wolfe-Montcalm, on the western edge of Parc de Champs-de-Batailles (June to early Sept Mon-Tues & Thurs-Sun 10am-6pm, Wed 10am-9pm; early Sept to May Tues & Thurs-Sun 11am-5pm, Wed 11am-9pm; $7, free on Wed Sept-May only; www.mdq.org ). If you don’t fancy walking, bus #11 connects Vieux-Québec to avenue Wolfe-Montcalm along Grande-Allée. As you face the entrance hall, the museum’s original Neo classical building, now known as the Gérard-Morisset Pavilion, is to the right; and the recently renovated Victorian prison, renamed the Charles-Baillairgé Pavilion, is to the left.

It’s a bit of a shame that the Musée du Québec’s impressive permanent collection is no longer on display to the degree that it once was, but the space freed up does allow for touring exhibitions in addition to artist or movement-specific shows using parts of the collection as the nucleus. A good survey of Québécois art up to 1945 can be found in the two galleries on the top level of the Gérard-Morisset Pavilion , though. The first of these hosts “Québec, l’art d’une capitale nationale”, which covers the period from the beginnings of Québécois art in the early seventeenth century until the end of the nineteenth century. Religious art dominates the earliest works, which coincide with Québec City’s role as the capital of New France until the British conquest. The influential output of painter Frère Luc , a former assistant to Poussin, can be seen in The Guardian Angel (1671), depicting the story of Tobias and the archangel Raphael. Sculptures in this period were also heavily influenced by Catholic themes as Québec churches were the primary art commissioners at the time. The most notable contributions to the collection are by two dynasties: the works of brothers Pierre-Noël and François-Noël Levasseur from the mid-1700s displayed here capped a century of family achievements. Three generations of Baillairgés succeeded them, their copious output including the architecture of churches as well as their interior decoration, evidenced by François Baillairgé ’s pulpit for the old church in Baie-St-Paul.

Under the British, Québec City’s next incarnation as a capital saw a broadening in subject matter with a penchant for portraiture among the middle and upper classes. The bourgeoisie’s favourite portrait painter was Antoine Plamondon , who trained in Paris under Charles X’s court painter Guérin, himself a pupil of the classicist David – a lineage evident in Plamondon’s poised Madame Tourangeau (1842). Théophile Hamel , a pupil of Plamondon, combined what he learned from his tour around Europe in the 1840s – the palette of Rubens and the draughtsmanship of the Flemish masters – in his Self-portrait in the Studio , painted soon after his return. The first artist to depict Canadian landscapes was the Québec-born Joseph Légaré , whose sympathy with radical French-Canadians led to his imprisonment after the 1837 Rebellion. His View of the Fire in the Saint-Jean District of Quebec City, Looking West – depicting the 1845 conflagration that made 10,000 homeless – is the most powerful of his many paintings recording local scenes and events. His contemporary, Amsterdam-born Cornelius Krieghoff , became one of the best-known artists of the period for his romanticized landscapes of Québec-area landmarks. Unfortunately, only one is on display – Indian Encampment at Lac Saint-Charles – painted in 1854, the year after he arrived in Québec City.

The adjacent gallery, “Tradition et modernité au Québec”, covers the modernist period of Québécois art, contrasting the changing tastes and styles between the 1860s and 1940s through paintings, prints, drawings, decorative arts and sculpture. In the first part of the exhibition, paintings fight for space on the walls, much as they would have in a late-nineteenth century salon . The subsequent decades are a tug-of-war of styles, as European movements had a strong impact on Québécois artists visiting or studying there at the time. Although born in Ontario, Horatio Walker moved to Québec in the 1880s and became completely engrossed in the lives of the French-Canadian habitants , as shown in his The Return from the Wedding (1930). The European influence made itself felt in sculpture throughout this period as well, largely due to Rodin, as evidenced in Alfred Laliberté ’s bronzes and the plaster works of Marc-Aurèle de Foy Suzor-Côte . The latter is perhaps better known for his paintings, which also have a Parisian influence: Cartier Meets the Indians at Stadacona (1907) was painted shortly after his return, and the contrast between impressionistic style and traditional subject is emblematic of the entire exhibition.

The works of the Group of Seven are more usually associated with the remote wilds of Ontario, but Arthur Lismer , one of the Group’s founders, visited Charlevoix many times, producing pieces such as Québec Village, Ste-Hilarion (1925). Urban life at the time is admirably recorded by Adrien Hébert . Rue St-Denis (1927) wonderfully captures the spirit of Montréal in the 1920s with the chic cut of a woman’s coat contrasting with an ever-omnipresent church in the background. The contemporaneous Marc-Aurèle Fortin ’s best works were his impressionistic renditions of trees, as seen in The Elm at Pont-Viau , where one gigantic tree of numerous intense greens dominates the entire riverscape. The modernism of Matisse and Picasso was introduced to Canada by Alfred Pellan , who returned from Paris in 1940 to teach at Montréal’s École des Beaux-Arts. Pellan’s comparative radicalism is best represented by his Young Woman with a White Collar (1934).

The only permanent contemporary exhibition is a room devoted to Jean-Paul Riopelle on the ground floor of the Gérard-Morisset Pavilion. As you enter, you are immediately confronted by his Sun Spray (1954), a large canvas that feels like a stained-glass mosaic and leaves no doubt regarding his abstract leanings. The principal work, and the impetus for devoting the gallery to him, is L’Hommage àRosa Luxemburg (1992), a forty-metre-long triptych, whose thirty segments create a narrative and “a painted metaphor for his life and art”. The title of the piece is misleading, though – it was more of a reaction to the death of his companion of 25 years, the American painter Joan Mitchell, and the ghostly spray-painted outlines – made by placing objects both natural and man-made on the canvas – seem to suggest this sudden void. Nearby, what appear at first glance to be map cabinets have pull-out drawers – an ingenious way to put as many etchings and lithographs on display as possible.

In the Charles-Baillairgé Pavilion , the red-brick interior walls of the former jail have been spruced up, creating a warm atmosphere in sharp contrast to the sombre grey stonework that prevails outside. Vaillancourt’s Tree on rue Durocher sweeps up into the atrium, which leads to the temporary galleries and a few of the old prison cells. Look out for the prison’s tower, where Montréal sculptor David Moore has created a unique two-storey sculpture of huge wooden torsos and legs that scale the walls and a central figure that dives from the summit. The building also shares space with the Centre d’Interprétation de Champs Batailles ($3.50). Give it a miss – the disjointed narrative and sometimes unclear visuals of the centre’s multimedia show don’t do a great job of telling the history of the Plains of Abraham. Do have a look to see if the free temporary exhibits by the entrance are worthwhile, though.

National Battle Fields Park

Westward of the Citadelle are the rolling grasslands of the National Battlefields Park , a sizeable chunk of land stretching along the cliffs above the St Lawrence. The park encompasses the historic Plains of Abraham , which were named after Abraham Martin, the first pilot of the St Lawrence River in 1620. The Plains were to become the site on which Canada’s history was rewritten. In June 1759 a large British force led by General Wolfe sailed up the St Lawrence to besiege General Montcalm in Québec City. From the end of July until early September the British forces shuttled up and down the south side of the river, raking the city with cannon fire. Montcalm and the governor, Vaudreuil, became convinced that Wolfe planned a direct assault on the citadel from Anse de Foulon (Wolf’s Cove), the only handy break in the cliff face – opinion confirmed when lookouts observed a British detachment surveying Cap Diamant from across the river in Lévis. Montcalm thus strengthened the defences above Anse de Foulon, but made the mistake of withdrawing the regiment stationed on the Plains themselves. The following night the British performed the extraordinary feat, which even Wolfe had considered “a desperate plan”, of scaling the cliff below the Plains via Anse de Foulon, and on the morning of September 16 Montcalm awoke to find the British drawn up a couple of kilometres from the city’s gate. The hastily assembled French battalions, flanked by aboriginal warriors, were badly organized and rushed headlong at the British, whose volleys of gunfire mortally wounded Montcalm. On his deathbed Montcalm wrote a chivalrous note of congratulations to Wolfe, not knowing that he was dead. Québec City surrendered four days later. The park’s Discovery Pavilion , below the tourist office at 835 ave Wilfrid-Laurier est (May-Oct daily 11am-5.30pm except Mon Sept-Oct), has maps, information panels and a short film.

The dead of 1759 are commemorated by a statue of Joan of Arc in a beautifully maintained sunken garden just off ave Wilfrid-Laurier at Place Montcalm by the Ministry of Justice. More conspicuous, standing out amid the wooded parklands, scenic drives, jogging paths and landscaped gardens, are two Martello towers, built between 1805 and 1812 for protection against the Americans. Martello Tower 2, on the corner of Wilfrid-Laurier and Taché, is only open to school groups, whilst Martello Tower 1 (June & Sept to mid-Oct Sat & Sun 10am-5.30pm; late June to early Sept daily 10am-5.30pm; $3.50), further south in the park, has superb views of the St Lawrence from its rooftop lookout. The views are almost as good from the base of the tower, and you don’t have to pay for an unmemorable exhibition in order to reach the top; children get to dress up in costumes for the optional tour. Further west, outside the Musée du Québec, there’s a monument to General Wolfe, whose body was shipped back to England for burial, pickled in a barrel of rum. Beyond the park’s western peripheries, cannons ring the perimeter of a large playing field and there’s another lookout point above where Côte Gilmour winds down the cliffs at Anse de Foulon.

Parliament Buildings

Sweeping out from Porte St-Louis and flanked by grand Victorian mansions, the tree-lined boulevard of Grande-Allée is proclaimed the city’s equivalent of the Champs Élysées, with its bustling restaurants, hotels and bars. Adjacent to the Loews Le Concorde hotel, Place Montcalm has a monument to Montcalm and a more recent statue of Charles de Gaulle, the French president who declared “Vive le Québec libre” in the 1960s, much to the separatists’ delight. This area is now known as Parliament Hill, a new name that caused a lot of controversy, as Canada’s Parliament area in Ottawa has the same title and anglophones thought it presumptuous of Québec City to label itself like a capital city. However, there is indeed a hill here, and upon it, at the eastern end of Grande-Allée, stand the stately buildings of the Hôtel du Parlement (late June to early Sept Mon-Fri 9am-4.30pm, Sat & Sun 10am-4.30pm; early Sept to late June Mon-Fri 9am-4.30pm; www.assnat.qc.ca ), designed by Eugène-Étienne Taché in 1877 in the Second Empire style using the Louvre for inspiration. The ornate facade includes niches for twelve bronze statues by Québécois sculptor Louis-Philippe Hébert of Canada’s and Québec’s major statesmen, while finely chiselled and gilded walnut panels in the entrance hall depict important moments in Québec’s history, coats of arms and other heraldic features. From here the corridor of the President’s Gallery, lined with portraits of all the Legislative Assembly’s speakers and presidents, leads to the Chamber of the National Assembly, where the 125 provincial representatives meet for debate.

Place d’armes

The ten square kilometres of Vieux-Québec’s Haute-Ville, encircled by the city walls, form the Québec City of the tourist brochures. Its centre of gravity is the main square, the Place d’Armes , with benches around the central fountain serving in the summer as a resting place for weary sightseers. It was here that Champlain established his first fort in 1620, on the site now occupied by the gigantic Château Frontenac , probably Canada’s most photographed building. New York architect Bruce Price drew upon the French-Canadian style of the surroundings to produce a pseudo-medieval red-brick pile crowned with a copper roof. Although the hotel he designed was inaugurated by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1893, its distinctive main tower was only added in the early 1920s – during which time the hotel never closed – resulting in an over-the-top design that makes the most of the stupendous location atop Cap Diamant. Numerous celebrities, including Queen Elizabeth II, have stayed here, and the hotel has hosted one pair or more of newlyweds every night since it opened. The hotel has fifty-minute guided tours departing on the hour from the lower level (May to mid-Oct daily 10am-6pm; mid-Oct to April Sat & Sun noon-5pm; $6.50; reservations preferable tel 691-2166).

The cape’s clifftop is fringed by the wide boardwalk of the Terrasse Dufferin , which runs alongside the château and the Jardin des Gouverneurs to the fortifications of the Citadelle, overlooking the narrowing of the river that was known to the aboriginal peoples as the kebec – the source of the province’s name. At the beginning of the walkway – which offers charming views of the river – stands a romantic statue of Champlain and, beside it, a modern sculpture symbolizing Québec City’s status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. From here steep steps and a funicular descend to Vieux-Québec’s Basse-Ville .

Beside the Château Frontenac , where rue St-Louis enters the square, is the Maison Maillou , which houses the Québec chamber of commerce. Dating from 1736, this grey-limestone house, with metal shutters for insulation and a steeply slanting roof, displays the chief elements of the climate-adapted architecture brought over by the Norman settlers. On the west side of the square, on the spot where the Récollet missionaries built their first church and convent, stands the former Palais de Justice , a Renaissance-style courthouse designed in 1877 by Eugène-Étienne Taché, architect of the city’s Parliament Buildings.

On the northeast corner of Place d’Armes, where rue Ste-Anne intersects with rue du Fort, is the Musée du Fort (late Jan to March Thurs-Sun 11am-4pm; April-June & Sept-Oct daily 10am-5pm; July-Aug daily 10am-6pm; $6.75), whose sole exhibit is a 37-square-metre model of Québec City circa 1750. You can only see it as part of the quaint thirty-minute sound and light show, when the city’s six major battles, including the battle of the Plains of Abraham and the American invasion of 1775, are re-enacted – a fairly pricey history lesson.

Parallel to rue du Fort is the narrow alley of rue du Trésor where French settlers paid their taxes to the Royal Treasury; nowadays it is a touristy artists’ market. Visitors who want to take home a portrait rather than a saccharine cityscape should shuffle into the pedestrianized section of Ste-Anne to the west of du Trésor, which is full of portraitists and their subjects. At 22 rue Ste-Anne, in the impressive 1732 Maison Vallée, the Musée de Cire de Québec (daily: June-Sept 9am-10pm; Oct-May 10am-5pm; $3) is populated by unrealistic wax figures of Québécois luminaries from Champlain to Lévesque. Production values are a bit higher at the Québec Expérience show back around the corner at 8 rue du Trésor (8 daily; 30min; $6.75). The 3D multimedia show will appeal more to the MTV generation than to history buffs as holographic characters and animatronics give a potted history of Québec.

Quartier Latin

Québec City’s small Quartier Latin , in the northeast section of Vieux-Québec, is dominated by the seventeenth-century seminary in whose grounds stands the Basilique Notre Dame de Québec (Mon-Fri 9am-2pm, Sat & Sun 9am-5pm and between shows ; free). The oldest parish north of Mexico, the church was burnt to the ground in 1922 – one of many fires it has suffered – and was rebuilt to the original plans of 1647. Absolute silence within the cathedral heightens the impressiveness of the Rococo-inspired interior, culminating in a ceiling of blue sky and billowy clouds. The silver chancel lamp, beside the main altar, was a gift from Louis XIV and is one of the few treasures to survive the fire. In the crypt more than nine hundred bodies, including three governors and most of Québec’s bishops, are interred. Champlain is also rumoured to be buried here, though archeologists are still trying to work out which body is his.

Access to the cathedral is limited to half an hour at a time in the afternoons unless you pay for the 45-minute Act of Faith sound and light show (May to mid-Oct Mon-Fri 4-5 shows daily from 3.30pm, Sat & Sun 2-3 shows daily from 6.30pm; $7.50). Architectural details are illuminated and isolated in the darkness to give you a sense of the volumes that make up the church’s interior.

Next door to the cathedral, in the Maison du Coin, is the entrance to – and departure point for one-hour guided tours of – the ever-expanding Musée de l’Amérique Française , whose four sections occupy a small part of the old Séminaire (June-Sept daily 9.30am-5pm; Oct-May Tues-Sun 10am-5pm, www.mcq.org ; $4, free on Tues Sept-June). The Séminaire was founded by the aggressive and autocratic Monseigneur François de Laval-Montmorency in 1663. In the three decades of his incumbency, Laval secured more power than the governor and intendant put together, and any officer dispatched from France found himself on the next boat home if Laval did not care for him. Laval retired early due to ill health, brought on by a religious fervour that denied him blankets and proper food. Death finally came after his feet froze on the stone floor of the chapel during his morning prayer session.

At its construction, the seminary was the finest collection of buildings the city had seen, leaving Governor Frontenac muttering that the bishop was now housed better than him. Primarily a college for priests, the seminary was also open to young men who wanted to follow other professions, and in 1852 it became Laval University, the country’s first francophone Catholic university. Today, only the school of architecture remains; most of the other departments were moved to the western suburb of Ste-Foy.

The Welcome Pavilion in the Maison du Coin has a small exhibition on the early colonists upstairs and adjoins the Roman-style chapel, whose Second Empire interior houses Canada’s largest collection of relics – bones, ashes and locks of hair, a few of which are on display. Laval’s memorial chapel contains his ornate marble tomb, but not his remains, which were moved to the basilica when the chapel was deconsecrated in 1993. The whole interior is a bit of a sham, though – fed up with rebuilding after the chapel burnt down yet again in 1888, the church authorities decided to construct the pillars and coffered ceilings out of tin and paint over them; the stained-glass windows have been painted on single panes of glass and even the tapestries are the result of some deft brushwork.

The wrought-iron gates between the Welcome Pavilion and the basilica lead into a vast courtyard flanked by austere white buildings with handsome mansard roofs, through which you can pass to visit the rest of the museum. Alternatively, take the underground corridor directly from the chapel; a photo exhibit fills in the history of the Séminaire’s buildings. Either way, you end up at the Pavillon Jérôme-Demers (same opening hours as the museum), which displays mostly well-presented, historical exhibitions, which are only a tiny sample of the eclectic items gathered by Québec’s bishops and academics at Laval: scientific instruments, an Egyptian mummy – with a remarkably well-preserved penis – a diverting collection of European and Canadian paintings assembled by the art historians, as well as silverware and some of Laval’s personal belongings.

Copyright Rough Guides Ltd as trustee for its authors. Published by Rough Guides. All rights reserved.The Rough Guides name is a trademark of Rough Guides Ltd.

No excursion to French speaking Canada is complete without a visit to exuberant, romantic Québec City, a travel destination found in one of the most beautiful natural settings in North America. The well preserved Vieux-Québec (Old Québec) is small and densely packed, and is steeped in four centuries of history and French tradition. 17th and 18th century buildings have been carefully maintained and preserved over the centuries and are bordered by numerous attractive parks which contain historic monuments.

The government of Québec has completely restored many of the centuries old buildings of Place Royale, one of the oldest districts on the continent. Because of its meticulous preservation of this, the only fortified city remaining in North America, UNESCO has designated Vieux-Québec a World Heritage Site.
Perched on a cliff above a narrow point in the St. Lawrence River, Québec City has a view that seems to take in the whole world. In the 17th century the first French explorers, fur trappers, and missionaries came here to establish the colony of New France. Today, it still resembles a French provincial town in many ways. The culture, music, food, and art are all distinctly influenced by the French. At the same time, the Quebecois have created their own enduring culture with its unique traditions, flavors, sounds, and sights. Québec City’s split level landscape divides Upper Town on the cape from Lower Town, along the shores of the St. Lawrence. Separating these two sections of the city are cliffs of steep and precipitous rock, against which were built more than 25 escaliers (staircases). Both parts of the town offer attractions ranging from from centuries old buildings to beautiful churches. The city also has an amazing array of cabarets, cafes, and restaurants where visitors can enjoy the unique Quebecois cuisine. Quebec City is the closest one can come to being in France without leaving North America. Visitors to Quebec City are never disappointed. The blend of French culture with other traditions has produced an amazing city of timeless treasures and memories to be shared

Quebec City City Information

Population: 671,889

Elevation: 300 feet (91 meters) above sea level

Land Area: 1957.1 square miles (3,149.7 square kilometers)

Location: Located in the southern section of Canada, close to the border of the United States

Time Zone: Eastern Time Zone (when it’s noon in Quebec City, it’s 9am in Vancouver). Quebec City observes Daylight Savings Time from Late April – Late October

Weather:

Average Temperatures:

Month High Low

January

18F 2F

February

20F 4F

March

31F 15F

April

45F 29F

May

61F 41F

June

72F 52F

July

76F 57F

August

73F 54F

September

64F 47F

October

51F 37F

November

36F 24F

December

22F 9F Climate: Québec has three distinct climates: the humid continental climate in the region covered by boreal forest (south of the 50th parallel), the sub arctic climate in the taiga region (between the 50th-58th parallels), and the arctic climate of Nunavik, the tundra region above the 58th parallel, home of the Inuit. Québec’s southernmost climate is marked by seasonal extremes of temperature. A rigorous snowy winter, with an average annual snowfall of over 3 metres (10 feet), gives way to an exhilarating spring and a pleasantly warm summer, followed by a crisp and colorful autumn. Through all the thermometer’s ups and downs, the hospitality and conviviality of the people of Quebec is legendary.

Local Seasons:

The crowds are at their most bustling throughout summer (June through August), particularly over the last two weeks of July when Canadian factory workers and other heavy-industry personnel traditionally lay down their tools and take a “long lunch”. Another peak period is the week in mid-March when elementary and high-school students are released from school for the annual family holiday, which in Québec City often means a pilgrimage to nearby ÃŽle d’Orléans.

How to Get There:

By Plane

Aeroporte de Quebec

500, Rue Principale

Sainte-Foy (Quebec)

Canada G2G279

418-640-2700

The airport is located 12 miles (19.3 kilometers) northwest of the city and is served by many of the national and international carriers as well as a variety of local, regional and charter services.

Mirabel International Airport

12600 Aérogare A-1 Street
Mirabel, Québec, Canada J7N 1C9

800-465-1213

Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport

975 Roméo-Vachon Blvd North
Montréal, Québec, Canada H4Y 1H1

514-394-7377

Ground Transportation

Car rental, taxi, shuttle service and limousine service is available at all of the airports as well as throughout the city.

By Car

From the U.S.: Québec City is slightly more than 805km (500 miles) from New York, and less than 644km (400 miles) from Boston. Coming from New York and points farther south, pick up Interstate 91 at New Haven, and follow it right up to the Canadian border. From Boston, take I-93 out of the city and link up with I-91 at St. Johnsbury, Vermont. After crossing the border, I-91 becomes Québec Autoroute 55, to Sherbrooke and Drummondville. From Sherbrooke, there is a choice. To make the trip quickly, take Autoroute 55 to Autoroute 20. But Route 116, which heads northeast from Richmond, midway between Sherbrooke and Drummondville, is more scenic, if a bit slower.

From Montreal & Vice Versa

When driving to Québec City from Montréal, Autoroute 40, which runs along the north shore of the St. Lawrence, is faster than Autoroute 20, on the south shore. The trip takes less than 3 hours without stops.

By Bus

Gare Centrale d`autobus
320, Rue Abraham-Martin
Québec (Québec) G1K 8N2
415-525-3000

Terminus Sainte-Foy
925, Ave de Rochebelle
Sainte-Foy (Québec) G1V 4H8
418-525 3000

By Train

Gare du Palais
450, Rue de la Gare-du-Palais
Québec (Québec) G1K 3X2
418-524-4161

Gare de Sainte-Foy
3255, Chemin de la Gare
Sainte-Foy (Québec) G1W 3A3
418-658-8792

How to Get Around:

Quebec City Bus (RTC)

418-627-2511

Taxi

Québec Taxi Co-op

418-525-5191

Taxi Québec

418-522-2001

Sainte-Foy / Sillery
Taxi Laurier

418-651-2727

Taxi Coop

418-653-7777

Rail

Gare Du Palais

450, de la Gare du Palais

Quebec

418-692-3940

Immigration and customs formalities

Visitors from any country except the United States must carry a valid passport. American citizens need only proof of citizenship such as a birth certificate and an identity card that includes a photo.

Personal luggage not subject to any specific restrictions is tax exempt, but must be declared to Canadian customs. There are restrictions on imports of food products, plants, pets and firearms,

For additional information, call 506-636-5067.

National Holidays:

New Year’s (January 1 and 2)

Good Friday

Easter Monday

Patriotes’ Day (second-last Monday in May)

Québec National Holiday (June 24)

Canada Day (July 1)

Labour Day (first Monday in September)

Thanksgiving (second Monday in October)

Christmas (December 25 and 26)

Quebec City Attractions & Things To Do

Église St-Jean- Baptiste
410 rue St-Jean.
418-525-7188
Constructed by the architect Joseph Ferdinand Peachy this church was inspired by the facade of the Église de la Trinité in Paris. The present church, which dates to 1884 features 36 stained-glass windows – each consisting of 30 sections. The impressive sound of the church organ is a final touch in this majestic monument.
Aquarium du Québec
1675 av. des Hôtels
418-627-2511
The aquarium, located near the center of the city, contains more than 340 species of marine life. This collection of animals includes everything from reptiles, exotic fish, to seals from the lower St. Lawrence River. A wooded picnic area makes for a great afternoon or early morning.

Jardin Zoologique du Québec
9300 rue de la Faune
418-622-0313.
This zoo is especially unique because of the DuBerger River, which runs through the park. 200 animal species make their home in the Jardin. The animals that call – or maybe “roar” the Jardin home include bears, wildcats, primates, and birds of prey. Another unique feature of this park is that during the winter months visitors can cross-country ski.

Musée de Québec (Québec Museum)
1 av. Wolfe-Montcalm
418-643-2150.
Showcasing more than 20,000 traditional and contemporary pieces of Québec art, the Quebec Museum is a must see. An interesting feature of the museum is the incorporation of a newly renovated building – this building, however was once a functioning prison that is said to date back to 1867.

Plains of Abraham
418-648-4071
This park, named after the river pilot Abraham Martin, is the site of the famous battle of 1759. However, nowadays visitors use the area to cross-country ski and for sleigh rides during the summer. And once the snow has melted, visitors can lace up their in-line skates and take a “roll” through the plains.

Château Frontenac
1 rue des Carrières
418-692-3861
This castle is Quebec’s most celebrated landmark. The Frontenac was completed in 1925 with the unique addition of a 20 story central tower. Due to its impressive stature and history, the Chateau Frontenac enjoys a wide variety of famed visitors.

Verrerie La Mailloche
58 rue Sous-le-For
418-694-0445
Catch the sight of a true master at work! The glassblowing techniques used in this museum are said to be quite ancient – however the products tend to be quite modern. Master glassblower Jean Vallières gives a demonstrative workshop for visitors.

Musée de la Civilisation (Museum of Civilization)
85 rue Dalhousie
418-643-2158
Oddly located, this museum’s locale is on the foot of a cliff. The museum designed by architect Moshe Safdie, is lined with a limestone and glass facade that has been made in order for the structure to creatively blend into the surrounding landscape. Its campanile echoes the shape of church steeples throughout the city. The museum tells the story of Quebec’s culture and its people. Many exhibits detail the arrival of the first, the role of the Roman Catholic Church and the Québec nationalism.

Edifice Price (Price Building)
65 rue Ste-Anne.
Known to be the city’s first skyscraper, this structure 20story structure was modeled in the Art Deco style. Built in 1929 it served as the main headquarters of the Price Brothers Company.

Couvent des Ursulines (Ursuline Convent)
18 rue Donnacona.
Founded in 1639 by two French nuns, this is one of the oldest of all girl schools. Located on the property are the Musée des Ursulines and the Chapelle des Ursulines – both of which are open to visitors.

Montcalm Monument
Pl. Montcalm.
This monument was erected as a tribute to Louis-Joseph Montcalm, a general who won four major battles in North America.

Grande Théâtre de Québec
269 blvd. René-Lévesque Est.
418-646-0609.
Opened in 1971, the theater incorporates two main halls. The halls are named in honor of Louis-Frechette and Octave-Crémazie. For a taste of the theater don’t miss out on this site of cultural distinction.

Parc de l’Esplanade (Esplanade Park)
100 rue St-Louis
418-648-7016
The French began building ramparts along the city’s natural cliff as early as 1690 to protect themselves from British invaders. 3 miles of walls surround this park. Guided tours are offered in the summer.

Granby Zoo
Autoroute 10, Exit 68, Route 139
450-372-9113
Recently added to the entourage is the AFRIKA Pavilion and its gorillas and AMAZOO. Amazoo is a water park featuring what is claimed to be the biggest wave pool in all of Canada. Zoo features include family water games, more than 1,000 animals, the Children’s Zoo, l’ÃŽle du Fort Magik and Château Yoplait.

Parc Safari
850 Route 202
450-247-2727
Parc Safari is a family recreational park. Some of the sights and activities include animals, swimming, rides, shows, picnics, games, trails, shops, and restaurants. Parc safari provides the whole family with a full day of fun and discovery.

Quebec City Family Fun Attractions

Aquarium du Québec
1675 Av. des Hôtels
418-627-2511
The aquarium, located near the center of the city, contains more than 340 species of marine life. This collection of animals includes everything from reptiles, exotic fish, to seals from the lower St. Lawrence River. A wooded picnic area makes for a great afternoon or early morning.
Jardin Zoologique du Québec
9300 rue de la Faune

418-622-0313.
This zoo is especially unique because of the DuBerger River, which runs through the park. 200 animal species make their home in the Jardin. The animals that call – or maybe “roar” the Jardin home include bears, wildcats, primates, and birds of prey. Another unique feature of this park is that during the winter months visitors can cross-country ski.

Plains of Abraham
418-648-4071
This park, named after the river pilot Abraham Martin, is the site of the famous battle of 1759. However, nowadays visitors use the area to cross-country ski and for sleigh rides during the summer. And once the snow has melted, visitors can lace up their in-line skates and take a “roll” through the plains.

Granby Zoo
Autoroute 10, Exit 68, Route 139
450-372-9113
Recently added to the entourage is the AFRIKA Pavilion and its gorillas and AMAZOO. Amazoo is a water park featuring what is claimed to be the biggest wave pool in all of Canada. Zoo features include family water games, more than 1,000 animals, the Children’s Zoo, l’ÃŽle du Fort Magik and Château Yoplait.

Quebec City Events & Entertainment

Events

January

Carnaval de Quebec Mr. Christie

Held in late January – mid February

Location:

290, rue Joly

Québec QC G1L 1N8

418-626-3716

The Quebec Winter Carnival is a great winter celebration for the entire family. It is a gathering of art, culture, sports and entertainment in an event that people from around the world are invited to share.

February

Antique Snowmobile Festival

Held in early February

Location: Centre-ville de Saint-Raymond
418-337-4049

Call for additional information

Winter Carnival – Le Carnaval de Quebec

Held in late January – mid February

Location:

290, rue Joly

Québec QC G1L 1N8

418-626-3716

The largest singular event on the city’s social calendar is the Winter Carnival, reputedly the biggest annual event of its kind in the world and one of the reasons why Québec City gets as jammed with people in the middle of winter as it does in summer. The carnival features parades, ice sculptures, dances, a snow slide that sets up on Terrasse Dufferin, and the vigorous downing of locally brewed beers such as St. Ambroise and Boréale. The master of ceremonies since the festival began in 1954 has been a character called Bonhomme, who allegedly snowshoes in from a place called Knulandis and appears around town dressed only in a red hat and a jolly grin.

March

Papillons en fete

Held mid February – mid April
Location:

6029, boulevard Hamel, L’Ancienne-Lorette

418-872-9705

Exotic butterfly sanctuary

June

Air Nova Horse Show

Held over 4 days in late June

Location: St-Jean-Baptiste

418-647-1300 (2248)

Admission free to most events

For four days in late June the Plains of Abraham are transformed into a giant equestrian circuit. This is a premiere stop on the World Cup, attracting well-known horses and riders from around the world; everything from pony rides for the kids to riding accessories and polo demonstrations are offered. Past events have also included an equestrian circus, dog show, miniature horse exhibitions and art exhibits. A moderately priced Show Button offers complete access to all events.

July

Quebec International Summer Festival

Held in early – mid July

Location: Quebec City

514-284-2860

To meet their objective, event planners have turned not only to the stars of Québec’s 70s musical scene but also to outstanding representatives of the younger generation of performing artists who, together, will renew the spirit of fraternity epitomizing this mega-gathering of cultures, a forerunner of today’s Québec City Summer Festival.

Les Grands Feux Loto-Quebec

Held end of July – mid August

Location: Montmorency Falls Park

418- 692-3736

There could hardly be a more spectacular venue for international competitive fireworks displays than Montmorency Falls Park, just outside of Quebec City. Illuminating the night sky and the falls themselves, teams from around the world compete over three weeks for the coveted Solstice Loto-Qubec award; traditional favourites include Italy, Spain and South Africa’s Pyro Spectacular. Regular admission to the park is free (parking is CAD7), and spectators can set up camp anywhere on the grounds.

August

Expo Quebec

Held in mid – late August

Location:

Centre de Foires, Expocité.
250 boul. Wilfrid-Hamel.
418-691-7110

Relive childhood memories at Expo Québec, the biggest fairground in eastern Canada which offers a wide variety of exciting activities!

SAQ New France Festival

Held in early August

Location: Old Quebec

5, rue du Cul-de-Sac, C.P. 128, succ. B
Québec, Québec
Canada G1K 7A1
418-694-3311

Festivities feature the history and heritage of New France and encourage visitors to join in the fun. The 5-day event is held in the heart of Old Quebec.

October

The Quebec City Festival of Sacred Music

Held in late October – early November

Location:

Église Saint-Roch.
590, rue Saint-Joseph Est.

418-525-9777

From Gospel music to Gregorian chants, from Corsican polyphony to Celtic sounds, the Festival features music inspired by the world’s many spiritual traditions, both ancient and contemporary, performed by artists of international fame. Through their art, they give expression to sacred music’s power to create a sense of both peace and exaltation.

December

Nokia Snowboard FIS World Cup

Held in mid December

Location:

Station Touristique Stoneham
1420 avenue du Hibou
418-827-1122

Some of the best riders of the World compete in the Halfpipe, Big Air, Parallel Giant Slalom, and Parallel Slalom disciplines.

Arts and Entertainment

Quebec Opera

1220 avenue Taché
Québec, QC G1R 3B4

418-529-4142

Performances held at the Grand Theatre de Quebec

Call for performance schedule

Quebec Symphony Orchestra

Location: Montcalm/St-Sacrement

418-646-8486

Season runs September – May, call for schedule

Boasting a remarkable amount of musical talent for a city of Quebec’s size, this top-notch orchestra delivers a full program of concerts and events.

Theatre de la Bordee

Located in Old Quebec

418-694-9721

Call for additional information and schedule

One of a surprising number of small independent theatre companies in Quebec City, this venerable organization mounts four productions annually.

Theatre Periscope

Located in Montcalm/St-Sacrement

418-648-9989

Call for additional information and schedule
Situated at the creative forefront of Quebec theatre, the Periscope also sponsors public discussion sessions with respect to their program and art in general.

Elvis Story

Located in Old Quebec

418-694-4444
Call for additional information and schedule

This rollicking chronicle of Elvis Presley’s runs at Quebec City’s Le Capitôle theatre, and audiences show no sign of tiring of the now infamous production. Hear all of the King’s most famous numbers during the biographical drama, including a show-stopping medley of “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Shake, Rattle and Roll” and “Heartbreak Hotel.”

Theatre du Trident

Located in Montcalm/St-Sacrement

418-643-5873
Call for additional information and schedule
One of Quebec City’s premier theatre companies, staging plays from Quebec and around the world.

Grand Theatre de Quebec

Located in Montcalm/St-Sacrement

418-643-8131
Call for additional information and schedule
Quebec City’s modern theatre stands in stark contrast to the venerable beauty of the Palais Montcalm, which it effectively replaced. Built in the mid-1960s, the home of the Quebec Symphony Orchestra and l’Opera de Quebec does have its own charm, however. The Salle Louis-Frechette seats 1,875 in a classic four-tier arrangement, while the Salle Octave-Cremazie is a more intimate option at 506 seats. With a huge annual program befitting a first-class, multi-use facility, any visitor with an interest in the arts is likely to find himself, enjoyably, at the Grand.

Sports

Capitales Baseball Club of the Northern League

Games played at the Municipal Stadium

100 rue du Cardinal Maurice-Roy

418-521-2255

Call for additional information and schedule

Hippodrome de Quebec

Professional harness racing

250 bd. Wilfrid-Hamel ExpoCité

418-524-5283

Admission free

Races held year round

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