Best Attractions In Quebec
Vieux-Québec (Old Québec) is a compact area easy to negotiate on foot. The area's narrow streets and alleyways make driving difficult, so wear comfortable walking shoes and leave your car at your hotel or a parking lot.
Since Québec City was Canada's first settlement, a great deal of provincial as well as national history took place here, so history buffs will enjoy a vacation here. In fact, the site of Samuel de Champlain's 1608 trading post, the marketplace for the first colony in New France, is now Place-Royale, one of the most visited parts of the Old City. The 17th- and 18th-century buildings framing this beautifully restored plaza were once the homes and businesses of early merchants. Built of stone, the multi-story houses have dormer windows, tin roofs and tall chimneys. In the cobblestoned square is a bust of King Louis XIV of France, and facing the plaza is the 1688 Our Lady of Victories Church (Église Notre-Dame-des-Victoires), one of the province's oldest. The church's name commemorates French victories over the British in 1690 and 1711.
The French and British struggle for control of this strategic area often resulted in military sites changing hands. Such was the case with what is now Artillery Park Heritage Site (Site patrimonial du Parc de l'Artillerie). Built and occupied by the French in the 17th and 18th centuries, the garrison was taken over by the British in 1759. Among the historic buildings visitors can see are the officers' quarters, restored to its 1830s appearance; a barracks; an early 19th-century kitchen; and a foundry, which now serves as an interpretive center and features a scale model of Québec City built 1806-08.
In the same vein is The Citadel of Québec (La Citadelle de Québec), a star-shaped fortress at the top of Cap Diamant begun by the French but completed by the British. Built following the War of 1812 in expectation of renewed attacks, the fort can be seen only on a guided tour as it is still an active military base. A museum in the former powder magazine has collections of medals and uniforms from the base's Royal 22e Régiment as well as weapons, artwork and maps. In summer visitors are treated to a Changing of the Guard ceremony complete with a regimental band and troops in scarlet uniforms.
Not far away, just outside the old walls, is Battlefields Park (Parc des Champs-de-Bataille), the site of the 1759 clash between French and British forces that decided the fate of New France. The brief struggle on the Plains of Abraham ended in the deaths of both generals Montcalm and Wolfe and the eventual ceding of the territory to Great Britain. Although the battlefield has an interpretive center and its share of monuments, its 267 wide-open green acres are used today primarily as a public park and as a site for concerts and other special events.
A number of excellent museums add another dimension to this charming city. In 1639 three Augustinian nuns founded the first hospital in North America here. The efforts of those missionaries are remembered at The Augustinian Monastery (Le Monastère des Augustines) on the site of that 17th-century building. Period furniture and medical instruments are on display.
In a bold, contemporary, grey stone and glass building designed by noted architect Moshe Safdie, the Museum of Civilization (Musée de la civilisation) blends well with its much older neighbors. Though its changing exhibits may explore life in other parts of the world, its permanent exhibits are securely rooted in Québec. The province's original residents, the 11 First Nations who inhabited the region long before Champlain set up his trading post, are the focus of Encounter with the First Nations, which has an exceptional collection of Inuit art, ceremonial costumes, canoes, baskets, and shells used as wampum. Quebecers' relationship to the land and nature also is explored, as are events that shaped the province's history. Audiovisual presentations complement each exhibit.
All great cities have a great art museum, and Québec City is no exception. The National Museum of Fine Arts of Québec (Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec) displays the creations of well-known provincial artists in three connected buildings—a 1933 neoclassical gem, a former prison built in 1867 and a 1991 glass-walled contemporary hall that houses the reception area. Works dating to the 17th century include paintings, sculptures, items fashioned out of gold and silver, and ceramic pieces. In addition, visitors can see an exhibit about life in the former prison and view a fine collection of Inuit art.
Two other local landmarks should also be on your must-do list for Québec City. A stroll along Dufferin Terrace (La terrasse Dufferin) is a perfect way to begin or end your day. This wide, wooden boardwalk, perched high above the St. Lawrence River just behind the venerable Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, provides scenic views of the river, the city of Lévis on the opposite shore and Île d'Orléans (Orleans Island). The boardwalk is an especially lively spot in summer when street performers and vendors add to the merriment. A set of steep stairs at the far end of the boardwalk leads to the Promenade des Gouverneurs, a cliffside walkway that connects the boardwalk to The Citadel and Battlefields Park.
Québec's legislature, the National Assembly, convenes in the stately Parliament Building (Hôtel du Parlement) just outside the city walls. Statues of prominent figures in provincial history stand on the lawn surrounding this dignified 19th-century building reminiscent of the Louvre in Paris. Guided tours in both English and French provide historical details as well as access to various ornate chambers and galleries.
If you prefer your sightseeing outdoors or you like adventure travel, here are several prime attractions to consider. You'll need your car to reach the Laurentian Mountains and Laurentides Wildlife Reserve (Réserve faunique des Laurentides), 60 kilometres (37 mi.) northwest of Québec City. The huge park is a delight in any season. Though best known in summer for fishing, you can also bring your binoculars for some bird-watching or try canoeing, kayaking and biking. When the weather turns cold, bundle up for cross-country skiing or snowmobiling.
You've no doubt admired the broad St. Lawrence River from afar, but did you know you can also enjoy the river close up? Québec City Cruises offers a sightseeing cruise on the MV Louis Jolliet, a boat that for years ferried passengers back and forth between Québec City and Lévis. You can enjoy the scenery from inside the boat or on deck as it passes by Le Château Frontenac, the city's fortifications, Île d' Orléans and Montmorency Falls.
Another short trip, this one to the sector of Beauport, will take you to Montmorency Falls Park (Parc de la Chute-Montmorency). The spectacular falls, narrower than Niagara but 30 metres (98 ft.) higher, flow from the Montmorency River into the St. Lawrence. The churning water can be appreciated from several viewpoints—a 40-person cable car, a cliff-hugging walkway and a bridge 100 metres (328 ft.) above the falls—all of which might appeal to those who enjoy adventure travel. In addition to its scenic side, the park has historical and recreational aspects. Manoir Montmorency, the park's visitor center, is on the site of a 1780 villa built for an early governor of Canada. If you want to burn some calories, hiking, biking and climbing a steep 487-step stairway up a cliff are summer activities, while snowshoeing, ice climbing, cross-country skiing and sliding down an icy hill formed from the waterfall's freezing spray take place in winter.
In the Ste-Foy sector of Québec City is Québec Aquarium (Aquarium du Québec), where you can see marine life outdoors as well as in. Outside, paths through a wetlands ecosystem provide close-up views of aquatic plants, birds, amphibians, insects and reptiles; harbor seals are at a site overlooking the St. Lawrence River; and harp and grey seals, walruses and polar bears inhabit the aquarium's Arctic section. The indoor portion of the aquarium lets you walk through an acrylic tunnel as aquatic creatures swim around you; explore the freshwater and saltwater habitats of the St. Lawrence; and touch invertebrates such as hermit crabs, sea urchins and starfish.
Several sites a little farther away are notable stops on your vacation. Northeast of Québec City in Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré are two diverse spots you'll want to explore. The Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré Shrine, built in 1923, is the fifth church on this site; the original wooden chapel was built in 1658. More than a million devoted pilgrims come here each year to pay tribute to St. Anne, the mother of the Virgin Mary. St. Anne, who many claim has healing powers, is also the province's patron saint. The imposing twin-towered neo-Romanesque basilica, the focal point of this village along the St. Lawrence River, is elaborately embellished with stained glass, mosaics, carvings and statues.
The area's natural beauty is on display at Canyon Ste-Anne, east of Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré, where the Ste-Anne River rushes through a deep gorge carved by glaciers 900 million years ago. The river ultimately forms a cascading waterfall that plummets 74 metres (245 ft.). A trail leads to three suspension bridges crisscrossing the river at different heights, providing views of the tumbling water from several angles and both sides of the canyon. Rainbows can sometimes be seen from viewpoints along the way.
See all the AAA recommended attractions for this destination.