About Quebec - City Guide and the River St Lawrence

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This about Quebec city guide will help you understand how the city and river are inextricably linked.

The city sits on the cliffs of Cap Diamant overlooking the St Lawrence River travel highway.

It is the centre of French-Canadian culture.

And the city is almost entire French speaking and has a very Parisian look and atmosphere.

It was declared a World Heritage Site in nineteen eighty-five and it is the only walled city north of the Rio Grande. The city walls give it a very European feel with the narrow cobblestone streets and old buildings complete the picture.

It is reasonably compact city at just twenty-one square miles and being a city of this size it is so easy to explore at a relaxed pace.

This really is a city worth visiting for both its ambience, style and setting. This especially true in the Fall when the maple trees are at their most vibrant and you can drive to the Appalachians to see this wonderful display of nature. Quebec information offices can help in pinpointing the best time each year to view the trees.

Although there was an Indian settlement long before the city was discovered it was founded as a city in 1608. French explorers founded the city but the British later took it in 1759. Even so, it has retained its ‘Frenchness’.

The oldest part of the city is Basse-Ville or Lower Town. It had fallen into disrepair but was renovated in the 1970’s and now has lovely cafes and winding streets that make it a relaxing part of the city to visit. There is a funicular railway that runs from Terrasse Dufferin to this part of town and it provides great aerial views over the city centre.

The Terraasse Dufferin itself is, as the name suggests, a sort of terrace, a boardwalk on the top of Cap Diamont with terrific views over the St Lawrence river and the Laurentian Mountains. If you are visiting in winter an ice slide for toboggans is installed on the terrace.

As the Provincial capital it has the Parliament building, the Assemblee Nationale which conducts almost all debates in French. The building was completed in 1886 and has an imposing façade. It is a building of the period and it is situated just outside the old city walls. It has an imposing façade and there are twenty two bronze figures up the sides of the tall central tower, these represent individuals who were instrumental in the development of the city.

Quebec is one of those cities that are just nice to take at a stroll and you don’t feel as though you have to rush around try to see all the important sites and museums.

For those who do like to visit museums the city has a superb Musee de la Civilisation. It is a very modern building but is linked to other older historic buildings. It is the museum of Quebec’s history and culture and has everything you need to know regarding Quebec’s development and culture.

Because of its ‘Frenchness’ the city streets have their fair share of ‘Rues’ and ‘Places’, Churches and Chateaux.

To point out the best known;

Place Royale is a cobblestone square in Basse-town and has been renovated to regain its 18th century splendour; Rue de Petit Champlain which descends down several levels from Haute-Ville lined with mostly gift shops, to a narrow walkway which is the oldest part of town.

The churches aren’t especially noteworthy as they are relatively modern but The Basilica is possibly the most visited as it is a place of pilgrimage for Roman Catholics as it houses a relic and statue of St Anne.

The best-known Chateau is the Chateau Frontenac, a luxury hotel and a famous Quebec landmark.

Quebec has a blend of the old and the new, it is essentially Canadian with the feel of a European city. Combine that with the added attraction of all the delights of the St Lawrence River and the Laurentian mountains and you can put together a vacation as short for as long as you wish.

Bon Chance!

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