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| Place Royal is considered the birthplace of New France. The plaza has one of the oldest churches in North America - Notre Dame-des-Victories, which was built upon the ruins of Samuel de Champlain's first outpost. |
Standing on the Plains of Abraham, a battle
begins between my faithful black umbrella and a rainstorm accompanied by howling
wind.
The strong gusts threaten to turn my
umbrella inside out, so I surrender to the elements and stuff it back inside my
purse. But this isn’t the only battle that has taken place on this historic
piece of land in Quebec City.
Under the cover of darkness, more than
4,000 British soldiers scaled a nearby cliff in September 1759. Already
burdened by the weight of their clothing (17 pounds for a full uniform), the
soldiers lugged two canons weighing 1,300 pounds up the cliff, along with an
assortment of other weapons of war.
When the sun came up, the entire force was on
the plateau – a sea of red stretching across the plains. They soon met French
soldiers, sparking a violent confrontation that lasted less than 30 minutes and
resulted in the death of both generals, along with the capitulation of Quebec
to the British.
The battles that took place on the Plains of
Abraham 260 years ago mark a pivotal moment in Canadian history. It’s all part
of a visit to Quebec City. Here’s how to spend three days in the city known for
history, food and culture.
Day
1: Wander the streets of Old Quebec
A whole day can easily be spent exploring
the maze of narrow, cobblestone streets of Old Quebec. Designated a UNESCO
World Heritage Site in 1985, the stone buildings with gabled roofs and large chimneys
look straight out of Europe, with some of them dating back to the 1600s. The
old city houses various monuments, national historic sites and is the only
walled city in Canada and the U.S. The fortifications around Old Quebec stretch
4.5 kilometres in length and were part of a defense system built between 1608
and 1871.
Start at the Saint-Jean Gate in the Upper Town,
then wander down Saint-Jean Street, which is packed with lively restaurants,
bars, and unique shops. Make a stop at the Notre-Dame de Quebec Basilica-Cathedral,
which was originally built in 1647 under the French Regime and has the only Holy
Door outside of Europe.
Take the Breakneck Stairs to the Petit-Champlain
District in the Lower Town where you’ll find posh boutique hotels, funky art
galleries, cozy restaurants and Place Royal – a small public square where the
city was founded in 1608. The magical plaza has one of the oldest churches in
North America – Notre-Dame-des-Victoires Church, which was built in 1688 upon
the ruins of Samuel de Champlain’s first outpost.
End the day with an evening ferry ride
across the St. Lawrence River to Levis, where you can enjoy views of Old Quebec
from the water.
Day
2: Dive into history at the many unique museums
Many of the buildings and landmarks in Old
Quebec have a story to tell. Those stories are brought to life in the city’s museums
and there’s plenty of them to choose from. A good place to start is at Battlefields
Park, which includes the Plains of Abraham and the museum that tells the story of
the famous battle for Quebec. The massive park is also home to La Citadelle,
which was erected between 1820 and 1850, and houses the Museum of the Royal 22nd
Regiment. The museum has a collection of weapons, uniforms, decorations and
official documents from the days of New France. The Musée National des
beaux-arts du Quebec, the fine arts museum, is also located on the Plains and
has more than 40,000 works of art.
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| Soldier's uniforms at the Plains of Abraham Museum. |
After the museums, walk through the park to
the Governors Promenade, which takes you along the cliffs overlooking the St.
Lawrence River to the Dufferin Terrace at the famous Fairmont Chateau Frontenac.
If you’re feeling fancy, head inside the luxurious hotel for an elaborate lunch,
afternoon tea, or simply view historical artifacts dating back 400 years in specially
designed display cases.
The Morrin Centre is also worth a visit. During
the 1800s, the current building served as the city’s main prison. The jail
closed in 1867 and the building was later repurposed as the city’s first
English-language university. Today is serves as an English-language cultural
centre, but still has a few of the creepy old prison cells open for tours,
along with a gorgeous Victorian-era library containing 25,000 books.
A true hidden gem is the Monastére des
Augustines, which tells the story of the Augustinian Nuns, who first came to
Quebec City in 1637 and founded one of North America’s oldest hospitals. Designated
a national historic site, today the monastery has a museum and boutique hotel where
guests sleep in the renovated cells that once housed 230 nuns when the convent
was at its peak. About eight nuns still live at the monastery and are delightful
to run into.
End the day by treating your taste buds to a
gourmet food tour.
Day
3: Head into nature and relax at the spa
After two days of soaking in the city’s
history and gorging yourself on mouthwatering food, it’s time get out into
nature. Located about 13 km from Old Quebec is Parc de la Chute Montmorency, which
is the site of another battle that took place between the French and the
English in 1759, and the 83-metre Montmorency Falls. To view the highest falls
in the province, climb the 480 wooden stairs clinging to the side of the cliff
to a suspension bridge dangling over the falls. Or take a cable car. There are
also three via ferrata routes near the falls, along with a 300 metre double zip
line.
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| Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac looms over the lower town of Old Quebec. |
If you have a car, cross over the nearby
old bridge to Ile d’Orleans to get a taste of rural life in one of the first
settlements of New France in the sixteenth century. Considered the bread basket
of Quebec, the small, picturesque island of 10,000 people has historic homes,
sugar shacks, berry farms, orchards, bakeries and four vineyards. The west end
of the island offers views of Quebec City.
End the day at the Storm Spa Nordique near Old
Quebec. Nestled along the St. Lawrence River, the spa’s floatation bath is truly
a unique experience and has 37 tons of Epson salt dumped into 102,000 litres of
water. With only a few hours left before my flight, I lie back in the shallow, salt
water pool and experience the soothing feeling of weightlessness, slowly drifting
into a deep state of relaxation. I reflect on my time in Quebec City – a place that
feels like another country and one every Canadian should visit to truly appreciate
our history.
- published by the Vancouver Sun in June 2019: https://vancouversun.com/travel/local-travel/how-to-spend-three-days-in-quebec-city
If you
go:
The French love to eat, but you don’t have to be a foodie to enjoy the unique cuisine found throughout Quebec City. One of the best ways to experience the wide variety of French Canadian cuisine is by taking a gourmet food tour with HQ Tourism Services. The tour has five stops, including Quebec’s most famous restaurants, Le Continental – the oldest French restaurant in the city. Other great restaurants to explore on your own include Le Clocher Penché Bistro, Chez Muffy at Auberge St-Antoine, and La Bûche, where maple syrup is a common ingredient. Make sure you try the foie gras with poor man’s pudding and bacon. Reservations are recommended, especially during peak season. For more information on food tours visit https://hqst.ca/fiche/2-evening-gourmet-tour.
The French love to eat, but you don’t have to be a foodie to enjoy the unique cuisine found throughout Quebec City. One of the best ways to experience the wide variety of French Canadian cuisine is by taking a gourmet food tour with HQ Tourism Services. The tour has five stops, including Quebec’s most famous restaurants, Le Continental – the oldest French restaurant in the city. Other great restaurants to explore on your own include Le Clocher Penché Bistro, Chez Muffy at Auberge St-Antoine, and La Bûche, where maple syrup is a common ingredient. Make sure you try the foie gras with poor man’s pudding and bacon. Reservations are recommended, especially during peak season. For more information on food tours visit https://hqst.ca/fiche/2-evening-gourmet-tour.
Located in the Lower Town, Le Germain Hotel Quebec is a good base for exploring the old city. The hotel was once the old office building of Dominion Fish and Fruit Limited, which was built in 1912 and was Quebec’s first skyscraper. Visit https://www.legermainhotels.com/en/quebec/ for more information.
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| Old Quebec was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. |