Quebec City



Quebec City (French: Ville de Québec, or just Québec) is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec. It sits at a commanding position on cliffs overlooking the St. Lawrence Seaway. Quebec City's Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of only three cities in North America (the others being Campeche, Mexico and San Juan, Puerto Rico) with its original city walls. Quebec is a city of about 700,000 residents.

Understand
Quebec City is referred to as the "national capital in the province". Much of the business here is of the administrative and bureaucratic nature, which would normally make a city quite dull. Fortunately, the city has a remarkable history, as the fortress capital of New France since the 16th century. Although the town's day-to-day life leaves things a little yawny at times, the vibrant historical centre makes for an incredible visit.

Quebec was first settled by Europeans in 1608 in an "Habitation" led by Samuel de Champlain, and celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2008. The generally accepted dates of Champlain's arrival in the city, July 3rd and 4th, were marked with major celebrations. The area was also inhabited by Native peoples for many centuries before the arrival of the Europeans, and their ongoing presence has been notable since then.

When it was founded by the French to make a claim in the New World, the name Quebec referred to just the city. It is an Aboriginal word for "where the river narrows" as the St. Lawrence River dramatically closes in just east of the city. It rests on 65-m-high (200-foot) cliffs with stunning views of the surrounding Laurentian Mountains and the St. Lawrence River. Under French rule from 1608 to 1759, the major industries were the fur and lumber trades. The French lost the city and the whole colony of New France to the British in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759. Much of the French nobility returned to France, and the British assumed rule over the remaining French population. The rulers of the colony allowed the French to retain their language and religion, leaving much of the culture intact. In the 1840s, there was an influx of Irish immigrants during the Potato Famine. Due to cholera and typhus outbreaks, ships were quarantined at Grosse Isle to the east of the city past l'Île d'Orléans. The bodies of those who perished on the journey and while in quarantine are buried there. The city remained under British rule until 1867 when Canada West (Quebec) and Canada East (Ontario) joined New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to form the Dominion of Canada.

French is the official language of the province of Quebec, though in the tourist areas of Quebec City, English is widely spoken as a second language by almost all of the staff. It is also not unusual to find Spanish, German and Japanese spoken in many establishments in Vieux-Quebec. Outside of the tourist areas, some knowledge of French is advisable and perhaps necessary, depending on how rural the area is. While older locals struggle when attempting to sustain a discussion in English, most people under 35 should be able to speak conversational English. Less than a third of the overall population is bilingual French/English.

In French, both the city and the province are referred to as Québec. Context determines the difference. By convention, the province is referred to with masculine articles (le Québec, du Québec, or au Québec), and the city takes no article at all (de Québec, à Québec). Provincial road signs and other official signage refer to Quebec City as simply Québec.

Quebec City was named the 5th best city destination in North America and 10th in the world in 2010 by Condé Nast Traveler, and best Canadian city for culture, 4th best Canadian destination, and 7th most romantic city in the world in 2010 by TripAdvisor.

Climate
Quebec has a humid continental climate, meaning there's considerable temperature variation over the year. Winters are cold with temperatures below certainly not unheard of (for a comparison to European destinations, the winter temperature range is comparable to Rovaniemi at the Arctic Circle while Quebec is at the same latitude as Central France!), with strong winds amplifying the cold temperature, and often also much snow.

Summer daytime temperatures are often just above, though it can get considerably hotter. Spring and fall tend to be rather short transition periods, and periods of warm weather far into the fall are common.

Orientation
Orienting yourself in Quebec is fairly easy. Many sights of interest are in the Old Town (Vieux-Québec), which constitutes the walled city on top of the hill. Many surrounding neighbourhoods, either in Haute-Ville ("Upper Town") or in Basse-Ville ("Lower Town"), are of great interest: Saint-Roch, Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Montcalm, Vieux-Port and Limoilou. Haute-Ville and Basse-Ville are connected by many staircases, all of which are unique, such as the aptly-named Escalier Casse-Cou ("Breakneck Stairs") and the more easily climbable "Funiculaire".

The city spreads westward from the St. Lawrence River, for the most part extending from the old city. The true downtown core of Quebec City is just west of the old city. Across the river from Quebec City is the town of Lévis. Frequent ferry service connects the two sides of the river.

Visitor information

 * Quebec City tourism website
 * Quebec City tourism website

Airport
Direct flights to Quebec within Canada include from Toronto (1.5-1.75 hours).

For more flight options, travel to Montreal.

Airlines
Canadian airlines operating to Montreal:



Ground transportation
As of 2019, the RTC, the local public transportation system, operates two buses to/from the airport: bus route 76 runs between the airport and the gare de Sainte-Foy, while bus route 80 runs between the airport and Saint-Roch in Basse-Ville, to the west of the Old City. The buses run 7 days a week at 30-minute intervals, departing from the airport between roughly 05:00-23:00 (on the 76) and 06:00-23:30 (on the 80). One bus ticket purchased from the RTC machine costs $3.10.

The taxi fare from the airport to downtown is a flat fee of $35.10. Uber is available in Québec.

Train operators

 * Routes operating to or near Quebec City:
 * Between Quebec City and Ottawa including stops in Sainte Foy, Drummondville, Saint-Hyacinthe, Saint-Lambert, Montreal, Dorval, and Alexandria. Multiple trains per day travel the entire route and some additional trains travel between Montreal and Ottawa. Travel time to Quebec City from Drummondville is 2-2.25 hours, from Montreal is 3.25-3.5 hours, and from Ottawa is 6-6.25 hours. Stops at Gare du Palais and Gare de Sainte-Foy.
 * Between Halifax and Montreal on The Ocean service, including stops in Moncton and Sainte-Foy (near Quebec City). Operates 3 evenings per week. Travel time to Sainte-Foy from Halifax is 18.25 hours, from Moncton is 13.75 hours, and from Montreal is 3.5 hours. A shuttle between Sainte-Foy station and Gare du Palais in Quebec City is available for The Ocean trains, but must be reserved in advance.


 * Route:
 * Operates a daily train between Quebec City and La Malbaie with stops in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Petite-Rivière-Saint-François, Baie-Saint-Paul, Les Éboulements, and Saint-Irénée. Travel time is 4 hours one way, departing in the morning from Quebec City and in the afternoon from La Malbaie. In Quebec City, it terminates at Quebec (Chute-Montmorency) station.

By bus
The bus station, Terminus Gare du Palais at 450 rue de la Gare du Palais, is at the old port of Quebec, next to the train station in the same building.

Another bus station is in Sainte-Foy, 3001 chemin des Quatre-Bourgeois, which is easily accessible by city transit.
 * Routes operating to Quebec City:
 * From Quebec City to Sherbrooke with stops along the way including in Sainte-Foy and Victoriaville. Travel time from Victoriaville is 2 hours and from Sherbrooke is 3.5-4 hours. Operates daily.
 * From Quebec City to Sherbrooke with stops along the way only in Sainte-Foy and Drummondville. Travel time from Drummondville is 2.25 hours and from Sherbrooke is 3.25 hours. Operates two days per week.
 * Routes operating to Quebec City:
 * From Dolbeau to Montreal including stops in Val-Jalbert, Alma, and Quebec City. Travel time to Quebec City from Dolbeau is 5.5 hours, from Val-Jalbert is 3.75 hours, from Alma is 2.75 hours, and from Montreal is 4 hours. Operates several days per week.
 * From Jonquiere to Montreal including stops in Chicoutimi and Quebec City. Travel time to Quebec City from Jonquiere is 2.75 hours, from Chicoutimi is 2.5 hours, and from Montreal is 3.5 hours. Operates daily.
 * From Baie-Comeau to Montreal including stops in Forestville, Tadoussac, Baie-Sainte-Catherine, Saint-Siméon, La Malbaie, Clermont, Saint-Hilarion, Baie-Saint-Paul, Saint-Tite-des-Caps, Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Boischatel, and Quebec City. Trips to Baie-Comeau start from Quebec City. Travel time to Quebec City from Baie-Comeau is 7.25 hours, from Forestville is 5.5 hours, from Saint-Siméon is 3.25 hours, from La Malbaie is 2.25 hours, and from Baie-Saint-Paul is 1.25 hours. Operates daily.
 * Several days per week there a same day connection to and from Sept-Îles involving a transfer in Baie-Comeau. Travel time to Quebec City from Sept-Îles is 10.5 hours.
 * Routes operating to Quebec City:
 * From Montreal via Drummondville. Travel time to Quebec City from Montreal is 3.25 hours and from Drummondville is 2 hours. Operates multiple trips daily. Most trips do not stop in Drummondville, but at least one trip per day stops in each direction.
 * From Montreal via Saint-Hyacinthe, Drummondville and Victoriaville. Travel time to Quebec City from Montreal is 4 hours and from Drummondville is 2.75 hours. Operates two days per week. For Victoriaville stop, it is drop off for only trips to Quebec City and pick up only for trips to Montreal.
 * From Montreal via Trois-Rivières. Travel time to Quebec City from Montreal is 3.75 hours and from Trois-Rivières is 1.75 hours. Operates multiple trips daily.
 * From Rimouski including stops in Trois-Pistoles and Rivière-du-Loup. Travel time to Quebec City from Rivière-du-Loup is 2.25-3 hours, and from Rimouski is 4-4.75 hours. Operates two trips per day.
 * Same day connections available in Rimouski to and from Gaspé. Travel time to Quebec City from Gaspé is 11.5 hours, from Percé is 12.25 hours, and from Pointe-à-la-Croix is 7.5 hours.
 * Maritime Bus operates buses in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. Maritime Bus and Orléans Express operate to the following locations:
 * Rivière-du-Loup (as of May 2022, Maritime Bus is not operating here due to Covid-19)
 * Pointe-à-la-Croix, QC / Campbellton, NB (2 km taxi ride between these communities)
 * Rivière-du-Loup (as of May 2022, Maritime Bus is not operating here due to Covid-19)
 * Pointe-à-la-Croix, QC / Campbellton, NB (2 km taxi ride between these communities)



By car
Quebec City is 2½-3 hours by car from Montreal on either Highway 40 or Highway 20 (north and south side of the St. Lawrence, respectively). Both routes are rather monotonous drives through endless forests dotted with farms. Autoroute 20 is part of the Trans-Canada Highway between Longueuil and Rivière-du-Loup.

For a slower but more picturesque tour of Quebec's heartland, drive along the Chemin du Roy (Highway 138), which follows the north bank of the river instead.

By boat
A seasonal cruise operates during the summer months between Montreal and Quebec City. The one-way trip takes approximately 7 hours and is slow-going, but the views make it worthwhile.

On foot
Walking is a great way to get around the Old Town, as the compact layout makes distances short. You will see beautiful old buildings and little vistas around every corner. You will get exercise. Do be careful of uneven cobblestones and narrow streets, though.

Côte de la Montagne is a steep, winding street that connects Upper Town and Lower Town. If you get tired, use the Funiculaire to go between the upper and lower parts of the Old Town. $5 per person (Apr 2024) will get you from near the base of the Breakneck Stairs (l'Escalier Casse-Cou) back up to the front of the Chateau Frontenac. It is well worth it if you have small children or large packages.

Many intersections are set up with separate traffic signals and cycles for cars and for pedestrians. At one point in the cycle, all traffic lights turn red and all pedestrian signals turn white, meaning that you can cross the intersection in any direction. Yet when the traffic light is green and the pedestrian signal is red, you may find cars turning in front of you. Some intersections have a pedestrian button to activate the signals, and you will never get a pedestrian cycle unless you push that button.

By bike
The bicycle network of Quebec City has been growing slowly but steadily for the last decade. Although small compared to the extensive utilitarian network of Montreal, it now offers a few recreational bike paths called Corridors with complete bidirectional and segregated bike lanes beginning downtown and ending in the countryside, generally giving splendid views of the area on the way. Most of them are part of the Route Verte system of provincial bike paths.

Corridor des Cheminots is a peaceful trail that runs from the Old Port to Val-Bélair, which continues on to the Jacques-Cartier park area. It can be a challenge because of its long uphill slope, and is a breeze on the way back.

The eastern section of Corridor du Littoral leads to Chutes Montmorency. This one-hour route (2 hours both ways) runs along the St. Lawrence River, hidden by the Dufferin Expressway. By crossing under the expressway, you can make brief stops at the Baie de Beauport recreational park and the Battures de Beauport vista point for restrooms and views on the river. Keep some of your strength for the stairs up at Chutes Montmorency: the view is well worth it.

The western section of Corridor du Littoral leads to the Samuel-de-Champlain promenade. This time, no expressway stops you from having spectacular views on the river and you might even enjoy some nice contemporary architecture on the way. Restrooms and a cafe can be found at the end of the promenade. 1½ hour both ways.

The Parcours des Anses is in Lévis, across the river. Cross with the ferry for $3.65 (an experience in itself) and bike west on the south shore until you reach the Quebec Bridge and cross back on the north shore to connect with the Samuel-de-Champlain promenade and Corridor du Littoral. Crossing the Quebec Bridge is not for the faint of heart though, as it is the longest cantilever bridge in the world and the path is narrow. That said, this route is the most rewarding of all and will take you a whole afternoon to complete. Part of the route on low-traffic streets still lacks a proper bike path.

The city offers maps of its bicycle paths online. They are open from April to October.

By car
Driving in the Old Town can be tricky, since the cobblestone streets were designed for narrow 17th-century horse carts rather than 21st-century SUVs. One way streets abound throughout the Old Town, and parking is difficult to find. Be aware of parking signs and ask locals to ensure parking regulation is understood. Parking patrols are effective and unforgiving.

Outside of the Old Town, the use of a car is recommended. Right turns on red are allowed unless otherwise indicated.

During the months of November through April, snow will definitely affect driving conditions. Snow tires are required by provincial law between December 15 and March 15 for all vehicles plated in Quebec as some roads will lack snow removal, sand or salting. Vehicles plated in the US or in other provinces are not subject to this requirement.

If snowfall occurred recently, watch out for red flashing lights. It means snow removal is underway. Cars parked on the street will be fined and towed. Parking in an underground garage is advised.

By public transit

 * Tickets cost $3.25 each, which will earn you the right to ride one direction with a transfer valid for two hours. You can get a pre-paid card loaded with up to 12 trips (in bunches of 2) from licensed stores. Daily passes (2 for 1 on weekends) and monthly passes are also sold at the same stores. Free for children below the age of 6. Drivers do not carry money and cannot change bills so do carry exact change - to buy your ticket you place the money in a cash drop box at the entry of the bus. Google Transit can be used to find the best itinerary. As of 2022, a tramway project has been proposed.
 * Four of the bus lines are frequent-service lines called Metrobus. They are served by recognizable green and grey articulated buses. 800 and 801 start in Ste-Foy, head toward the Old Town, and end in Beauport and Charlesbourg respectively. 802 starts at Beauport to Belvedere, through Limoilou and Saint-Sauveur. 803 runs along Lebourgneuf blvd and connects with the Galeries de la Capitale terminus. They can run as often as one every three minutes during rush hour.


 * There is also a shuttle from St-Augustin to Quebec. These different transit companies all pass through Quebec City, which explains the different colours of buses around town.

By boat
Operates a ferry across the St. Lawrence River between Quebec City and Lévis. As of 2022, it costs $9.15 one way for a car (including driver) and $3.65 for pedestrians and cyclists. Crossing time is 12 minutes. The ferry operates throughout the year between 6 am and 2 am. The ferry departs typically once an hour to Quebec City and once an hour from Quebec City, but frequency of departures increases up to every 40 minutes to Quebec City during the weekday morning rush hour and up to every 40 minutes to Lévis during the weekday afternoon rush hour.

See
Quebec City's main sight is the Old Town, the upper part of which is surrounded by a stone wall built by both French and British armies. It is now a tourist district with many small boutiques and hundreds of historical and photographic points of interest. Some of the buildings are original structures, while others are built in the same style and architecture as former buildings.

Fortifications
Quebec is one of two cities in North America with a completely preserved fortification system. (The other is Campeche, Mexico.) The system of fortifications was built by the French and British between 1608 and 1871. It has a length of 4.6 km, four gates, a citadel and three Martello towers and almost entirely surrounds Haute-Ville.







Religious and political buildings




Other buildings






Museums




Do

 * Quebec-Lévis ferry. From Basse-Ville (Rue des Traversiers), you can take this car ferry to Lévis and enjoy the great view of Old Quebec and Chateau Frontenac en route. The crossing takes 15 minutes and there are departures up to every 20 minutes. As of 2019, pedestrians pay $3.65, with discounts for children and seniors; cars with driver pay $8.65. In Lévis, close to the harbor on Rue Saint-Laurent there are some cafés and restaurants, and Avenue Bégin (a 10 minutes uphill walk away) is the gastronomical main street of the town. Closer by, on Rue William Trembley, there's the Terrasse de Lévis which offers a gorgeous view of the river.
 * Quebec-Lévis ferry. From Basse-Ville (Rue des Traversiers), you can take this car ferry to Lévis and enjoy the great view of Old Quebec and Chateau Frontenac en route. The crossing takes 15 minutes and there are departures up to every 20 minutes. As of 2019, pedestrians pay $3.65, with discounts for children and seniors; cars with driver pay $8.65. In Lévis, close to the harbor on Rue Saint-Laurent there are some cafés and restaurants, and Avenue Bégin (a 10 minutes uphill walk away) is the gastronomical main street of the town. Closer by, on Rue William Trembley, there's the Terrasse de Lévis which offers a gorgeous view of the river.




 * Québec is a great city for going out to dance traditional and nuevo-Argentinian Tango. You can find out about classes, practicas, milongas and events at the local association Tango Quebec or at L'Avenue Tango.

Events

 * La Fête Nationale (Saint-Jean-Baptiste celebration). Every year, June 24. Without a doubt the biggest party of the year in the entire province. Join over 200,000 Québécois of all ages on Plaine d'Abraham while they celebrate Quebec's National Day throughout the night. Various Québécois musical performances, bonfire, fireworks, and a lot of drinking.
 * La Fête Nationale (Saint-Jean-Baptiste celebration). Every year, June 24. Without a doubt the biggest party of the year in the entire province. Join over 200,000 Québécois of all ages on Plaine d'Abraham while they celebrate Quebec's National Day throughout the night. Various Québécois musical performances, bonfire, fireworks, and a lot of drinking.

Buy


Quebec City's Old Town, especially Basse-Ville, is riddled with shops for tourists. When taking a closer look at souvenirs and crafts for sale in such shops, the fine print all too often reads "Made in China", even if they are marketed as "typically Quebecois". Watch for leather goods and various handmade crafts made by Canada's First Nations peoples.

Quebec is also known for local food products such as cheese, microbrewery beer, cider and maple products including syrup. Maple syrup is available in smaller glass bottles in tourist shops at a premium price, and in bigger plastic bottles in supermarkets — the stuff is as delicious but at a lower price.







Eat
All restaurants in the Old City post menus out front in French and English. Look for the table d'hote specials for a full-course fixed price meal. On the cheaper (but very satisfying) side, have a traditional tourtière québecoise (meat pie), or a poutine (fries, gravy, and cheese curds).

The café culture is very much a part of Quebec City as in most of Europe. It should be very easy to find a quaint cafe around Marché Champlain, and around the Chateau Frontenac. Food is fairly expensive in Quebec, and even a simpler café or bar may be costly.

Most Quebec City delicatessens and markets offer a large variety of Quebec cheese from farms in the surrounding countryside. Specialties of the region include brie or camembert style cheeses made with raw milk (lait cru), which endows the cheese with superior flavours and textures not usually found in North American cheeses of the same type.

Mid-range






Splurge












Drink
There is a place for nearly every visitor, from the wild nightlife to the cozy corner. Drinking age is 18 though enforcement is hazy.

Quality wine and liquor can only be purchased at SAQ shops, most of which are open Su-W until 18:00, and F Sa 08:00-21:00 on weekends; the smaller SAQ Express outlets are open daily from 11:00 to 22:00, but the selection is restricted to the SAQ's most popular items. Beer and a small selection of lower-quality wine are also sold at convenience stores (dépanneurs) and grocery stores (not what you would usually bring to a dinner party but sometimes drinkable-—it has been imported in bulk and bottled and sometimes blended in Quebec and known as "piquette" by the locals). All retail alcohol sales stop at 23:00 and bars and clubs stop serving at 03:00.

There is only one SAQ within the walls of the old city, a SAQ "Sélection" inside the Château Frontenac. It has high-end wines and liquors, a small selection of other liquors and no beer. A SAQ "Classique" with better (though still small) selection is just outside of the walls on Rue St-Jean on the south side of the street.

During the frigid Carnaval, a local specialty known as caribou is available to warm you up (did you know that those canes they sell are hollow?). Though the mixture varies with what is available, it tends to be port or red wine with a hodge-podge of liquors, normally vodka, brandy and perhaps even some sherry.

The Grande Allée has most of the city's clubs & youth-oriented bars and spots:

La Rue St. Jean, beyond the city walls on the west end, is where travellers will find the best pubs in Québec, and some smaller dance clubs:

Spread throughout Old Québec are many upscale bars and jazz clubs. Search out the hotels, as they typically have the best venues for jazz and music at night.



Stay safe
As with the rest of Canada, the emergency number in Quebec City is 9-1-1.

Although crime in Quebec City is rare, it is always best to take the usual precautions, including safeguarding your possessions. Traveling in the city during the day is safe, but be more cautious at night, as there may be drunk bar patrons and those who prey on people unfamiliar with where they are.

Connect
The organization ZAP Québec provides free wireless Internet in cafes and other locations throughout the city, but the service can fail to connect with some smartphones from time to time. As with any place, don't rely on their services for crucial tasks.

Nearby

 * Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré, Basilica of Saint Anne de Beaupré, an enormous church which is reputed to have healing powers similar to those of Lourdes.
 * Île d'Orléans - Beautiful biking or driving excursions. Many pick-your-own strawberry farms. Visit a sugar shack (cabane à sucre). The maple season typically runs from March to April.

Valcartier
Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier (pop 2,933) is a small village approximately 25 km (16 mi) north of Quebec City. It's best known for its Canadian Forces base, which houses a few battalions of the Royal 22nd Regiment (les «vingt-deux» or "van-doos").



Go next

 * Trans-Canada Highway – To the east, Atlantic Canada, to the west, most of the rest of populated Canada.
 * Windsor-Quebec corridor – Along the river and seafronts between Quebec City and Windsor you can find many big cities and other interesting destinations.