Quebec City/Charlevoix, Canada

What to do in Quebec City/Charlevoix, Canada

Tour Old Quebec City

Board a trolley and take in the serene beauty of the oldest French settlement in North America. As you wind through the narrow streets of this small village, a professional guide acquaints you with the main historic and intriguing sights, and regales you with lore and legend. The only walled city north of Mexico is full of a history and culture unique to North America.

Fortifications of Québec

This impressive, nearly 3 mile-long rampart encircling the old city was declared a national historical monument in 1957. A path leading visitors along the walls and through the gates is dotted with informative panels. Highlights include the Artillery Park National Historic Site and the Citadel.

Citadelle

Located high atop cap Diamant, the Citadel constitutes the eastern flank of Québec's fortifications, inspiring romantic writers to call it the "Gibraltar of America." Its star-shaped floor plan is characteristic of Vauban fortifications. The continued presence, since 1920, of the Royal 22e Regiment at the Citadelle makes it the largest fortified structure still occupied by troops in North America. A popular event is the Changing of the Guard.

Dine-Around

There are so many excellent restaurants in this ancient city that you'd need an "all-eating, all-the-time" vacation just to get to them. Or, you could join a "dine-around" and have a each course from cocktails to dessert at several of the best restaurants including La Gambrinus, Le Vendome, and L'Asturil!.

Fairmont Château Frontenac and Terrasse Dufferin Don't worry about how to find them! The imposing tower of the Frontenac dominates the skyline of the Old City, with the Terrasse at its base. This world-renowned hotel looks like a medieval castle and has hosted royalty and world leaders. Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip were honored guests, as well as Churchill and Roosevelt, who had the place entirely to themselves for World War II summit. The ground and lower levels are filled with boutiques, casual cafés, and a fine restaurant face the river, boardwalk, and town square. An oak-paneled bar with a fireplace and a long, wide row of windows overlooks the Terrasse Dufferin and the St Lawrence.

Beaupré Coast

This coastland of beautiful (beau) meadows (prés) runs the length of a long strip of fertile land that stretches from the river to the Laurentians. In spring and autumn thousands of snow geese take a rest on their migration to and from their breeding grounds on the Cap Tourmente. The Basilica of Sainte Anne-de-Beaupré is a magnificent cathedral built on the site of an original chapel credited with savings countless lives of wrecked and stranded sailors. Further south on the coast, the striking Montmorency Falls are 100 feet higher than Niagara.

Charlevoix

As the Laurentians descend toward the St Lawrence Bay, the land turns to stark contrasts of wooded hills quenched by narrow riverbeds, and rolling meadows ending abruptly at harsh cliffs. Where the Saguenay and St Lawrence rivers converge, 6 species of whales can be seen from boat and shore. In 1988, Charlevoix was named a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, the only one in the world to include human settlement.

Rue du Trésor

Owing its name to the building where French settlers used to pay their dues to the Royal Treasury, this picturesque alley now bustles with the activity of numerous artists displaying water-colors, prints, paintings, and other artistic creations. The quaint open-air gallery off rue Sainte Anne, was founded in the 60s by entreprising fine arts students and has become a renowned attraction.

Musée de la Civilisation

Located along the river, a few steps from the Old Port of Quebec, this museum features exhibits that link the past, the present, and the future. It presents a new and dynamic vision on the human experience, focusing on civilizations from this region as well as from farther afield. It is the most important ethnographic and historical collection in Québec.