I am back in the French speaking part of Canada on a day trip to Quebec City from Montreal. My French Canadian friend (Christine) told me earlier that everyone in Quebec will be speaking French and very little English. Quebec City is the capital of the Quebec Province in which Quebec City and Montreal reside. The drive from Montreal to Quebec City took just a couple of hours.

Historically, Quebec was a part of the New France and did not want to be a part of Canada before they lost a battle to the British.  Because the  British did not have enough people for their settlements, they allowed the French who at the time resided in Quebec to remain. Some Quebecers till this day still consider themselves as a separate nationality to Canadians.

Christine told me that Quebecers (Quebec City people) think their city is the centre of the universe and I will soon find out why.

Baked Beans cooked in Maple Syrup

I started my day with a hearty brunch at one of the many chain restaurants called Le Cochon Dingue (The crazy pig ). I had their version of a big breakfast consisting of a slice of ham on top of a sweet crepe, poached eggs on 2 English muffins, cranberry cake topped with chicken liver parfait, a few slices of toast and last but not least the baked beans cooked in Maple syrup, a true Canadian feast.  I then wash all these down with a  massive bowl of Cafe Au Lait.

After the feed, I had all the energy I needed to get me through the entire day. I had a great time exploring Quebec City, learning its past and enjoying its present existence. Most of the time was spent strolling down little alleyways. Below are some of the main attractions -

Provincial Parliament Building

As we arrived at Quebec City, my friend took me straight to their Provincial Parliament building. Around the provincial parliament building stand statutes of Quebec’s past provincial leaders. Right in front of the building there is  a massive statue named Duplessis. He is the main guy who imposed the double tax on the Quebec people which is still in place to this day. Every provincial leader is allowed to erect a statue and he decided to double his statue size of predecessors.

My timely arrival meant I was able to join the free provincial parliament tour where I had the opportunity to view the interior and the main room called the blue room where parliamentary meetings and debates are held.

Across from the parliament building lays a fountain originally from France, presented to Quebec as a gift by the founder of Simon. The fountain was disassembled piece by piece and shipped from France to Quebec. Later I found out that Simon was a department store (originally from Quebec and pretty much part of the city’s identity) and the fountain was a symbol of gratitude for their loyalty.

City Wall – Old Town Upper town

Walking away from Parliament house towards the old Quebec City, I was amazed by its fortification. The city wall surrounded the old town with many entrances.  I entered the Upper town via Rue St Jean, where all the buildings behind the wall were very well preserved. There are so many shops and I had a great time window shopping .

Simon

One particular store that satisfies not just the ladies but also Gents is Simon, a strong part of Quebec city’s identity. The stores sell affordable contemporary clothing for women and men as well as accessories and home & bath products.

Basilique Notre-Dame

The chancel lamp is a gift from King Louis XIV and the church has a rich interior with most of the artworks from the French regime.

Chateau St Louis – archeological dig site

Less than a year ago this archeological site did not exist. Chateau St Louis was the official residence of the French Governor of New France, it was destroyed in 1834 and just recently found. Across from Chateau St Louis is Chateau Frontenac.

Chateau Frontenac

Chateau Frontenac can be seen from everywhere. It was built at 1892 by a Canadian Railway company as a hotel and it stays as a hotel to this day. There is a nice place to have drinks here on the rooftop terrace overlooking St Lawrence River and Terrasse Dufferin.

Terrasse Dufferin

In Terrasse Dufferin, you can walk up and down the boardwalk alongside St Lawrence river. There are many green and white topped gazebos and although I did not get a chance, I was told it’s a perfect place to watch a sunset.

I was too short on time to explore the upper town, there are many attractions such as La Citadelle and its city hall. If I had an extra day, I’d certainly have spent that time on the Upper Town.

Funicular – avenue from Upper Town to the Lower Town

As I cut short my exploration of the Upper Town due to time constraints, I took a funicular down to the lower town. The view down overlooking the lower town, the old port and St Lawrence River was magnificent.

Maison Louis Jolliet

Now the funicular lower’s terminus, this was the home of Louis Jolliet (The Quebec born explorer in 1683

Rue du Petit-Champlain

This is the street full of cafes and bistros. It’s the North American oldest street. I was told in winter, it’s a beautiful place with ice statues and twinkling white lights.

I continued exploring the lower town passing many quaint shops .

Place Royale

This was the first New France permanent colony. There is a statue of King Louis XIV, a gift from the city of Paris in 1928, even though King Louis XIV never actually stepped foot in Quebec. Around the square are 17th and 18th century houses which once belonged to wealthy merchants.

Eglise Notre-Dame-des-Victoires

This Quebec’s oldest stone church’s located onto the Place Royale square. Inside this church’s a boat suspended from the ceiling, a votive offering brought by early settlers to ensure safe voyages.

It’s getting late and I decide to take a funicular back up to the upper town just in time to catch a ferry across the St Lawrence River before driving home to Montreal.

Quebec is a beautiful city so rich in history I felt I stepped back in time to a quaint town in France. Quebecers have every reason to think that their city is the centre of the universe. Their double tax is definitely money well spent .

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1. Canada- Ottawa (Canada Day Celebrations)
2. Eastern Canada Trip – A quick summary (more details to come)
3. Sweden – Stockholm – Stadshuset (Stockholm City Hall)
4. Stockholm – Sweden – Gamla Stan (Old City)
5. Turkey – City of Troy and Pergamon (Canakkale)