Sprawling out along the high bluffs above the St. Lawrence River, this city has existed for more than 400 years. It’s the capital of the province of Quebec, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and home to fourteen Michelin Star restaurants. Knowing that, however, does not prepare you for the uniqueness of this proudly French-Canadian city.
Under the Radar
Perhaps I was living under a rock, which I admit I certainly could have been, but I hadn’t really given much thought to Quebec City until I was going there. Given the city’s age, importance in the Second World War, and stunning cuisine, it would surely be a must visit place for nearly everyone in North America.
It’s not exactly a small town, with around 800,000 people living in the metro area, nor is it particularly hard to get to. Regardless, I’d truly been sleeping on the city and had no idea what I was missing.
Local Highlights
As I learned during my visit, the city has some spectacular things to do and see. I was also fortunate enough to meet some locals on the Virgin Voyages cruise I took to Quebec City. They gave us helpful insights into the area we were staying in and some places to eat dinner that were within an easily walkable distance.
The most obvious place to visit is the Chateau Frontenac. The unmistakable building defines the skyline of the city, soaring above the old city walls. Constructed in 1893, it has always been a hotel that caters to wealthy tourists. The sprawling structure contains more than 600 guest rooms. Some of these rooms are even named after important figures they have hosted, including Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Montmorency Falls towers above the lower stream that flows into the St. Lawrence.
Outside the city, there are the Montmorency Falls. Standing nearly 300 feet (83 m), this waterfall has one of the most robust and accessible public viewing areas I’ve ever been to. There is a bridge that crosses the falls and viewing platforms at multiple levels along both sides of the water. A massive seating area at the base, running the width of the river, makes for spectacular viewing and. Not to mention, the Montmorency falls are nearly 100 feet (30 m) taller than the Niagra Falls.
The Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre is nothing short of stunning in its art and architecture.
If you travel still further outside the city, the Catholic Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre is an architectural marvel. Regardless of your beliefs, it’s worth spending some time at this sanctuary if only to admire the construction. Unlike the hundreds of years old cathedrals that most often come to mind, this one was only completed in 1946 and borrows art deco design for the interior space.
Local Cuisine
As I mentioned, the city has a renowned culinary scene and is well recognized for its restaurants. More than 28 restaurants within Quebec City appear in the Michelin guide. Among them are fifteen one-star restaurants and a two-star restaurant, one of only two in Canada to receive that distinction. Don’t be fooled by the high honors, though, Quebec City has far more than just haute cuisine to offer.
One of the most widely known Canadian dishes is poutine and it comes straight from the province of Quebec. For those who are yet unaware of this most Québécois of dishes, it is French fries, topped with cheese curds, and then gravy. I’ve yet to meet a single person that doesn’t like this. Nearly everywhere in the city you can find poutine somewhere.
One of my personal favorite dishes, crepes, is commonplace in the province. They’re not as common as I wish they would be here in the states. Every once in a while, I see a crepes place pop-up and I flock to it, only to have it close again in a year or so. In Quebec City, though, you are spoiled for choice. Both sweet and savory crepes are available, and you really can’t go wrong with either of them. We ate at Le Casse-Crepe Breton and I loved it.
Sagamite’s Boar Short Ribs.
Where we ultimately dined, for our one night in the city, was a restaurant named Sagamite. This establishment works to share the culture of the Huron-Wendat through cuisine. Their specialty dish, Yatista, is fiery display of meat that instantly catches the eye and ear. I couldn’t have been happier to eat at such a unique place, nor could I have been fuller… bring your appetite should you dine here, and you should dine here.
Places to Stay
There is no shortage of places to stay in the city. The most famous building in the area is a hotel and that should give you some indication of how many options you have. We chose to stay at the Hotel Manoir D’Auteuil, located across the street from Esplande Park. The location was very convenient for walking around the city, but the busy one-way made for some more slightly complex pick-ups from drivers.
It was friendly and quaint. An overnight stay even includes breakfast the following morning. It’s not a grand breakfast, but the coffee was good and the bread was fresh. There are some words of warning that I really do feel obliged to share with everyone, though, about staying in the city.
If you need an elevator or have a hard time with stairs, take care to check what room you are booking into.
Neither Nichole nor I have mobility issues, but many people do, even if they are minor ones. Our room was accessible via a metal grated staircase that descended into an open-air courtyard. It’s rather picturesque, but not easily traversable. That’s the thing about old cities, the buildings weren’t built with wheelchairs, canes, or mobility problems in mind. Of course, many disabled people know this already, but for people who might not consider themselves disabled but, for example, merely have a hard time with stairs, this may not occur to them.
Yes, we came down that staircase. I thought it was unique, but would likely be challenging to anyone that struggles with stairs.
In fact, there were two parties of French speaking guests that were quite put out by the fact that their rooms were up the stairs. A rather intense argument ensued between the hotel clerk and the guests over this fact. Given that I know only a smattering of French words and phrases, I’m sure I missed most of the context for the disagreement. Then again, some verbal exchanges are understandable whether you speak the language or not.
Regardless, take care to note these things when booking a room in an older building.
Surprising Cost
When you consider the general appeal to upper end tourism, you might also think that things are expensive here. That’s what I thought too, but I was wrong.
That’s not to say everything is cheap either, you can certainly spend a lot of money staying here. It’s more that it’s not as expensive as you might think. For example, the taxi from the cruise terminal to the hotel, a twenty-minute ride, was under $20 US. As an aside, the cabs were good and clean but primarily used cash, so bring a little bit with you (read our travel money dos and don’ts). Uber is an option as well, but the cabs from the terminal were the faster choice.
Most of the food I mentioned is no more expensive than anywhere else I’ve been. I’d say it was cheaper than Chicago, a city I am frequently in, and had more generous portions as well, something no mid-westerner can ignore.
I even purchased some street art near the Place d’Armes, which turns out to be a rather famous vendor alley. The prints cost under $40 US for two different pieces. They are lovely works that hang in my home right now. Not that most people travel to acquire art, I know I don’t, but I like collecting pieces like that more than getting a t-shirt or hat.
The point is, you can visit Quebec City and not break the bank.
I Will Go Back
The only regret is not staying more nights in the city. When our cruise ended, the timing of flights out of the city were mostly impossible to meet for a same day departure. They were either too early or too late to be feasible for our destination. That seemed to be the case for most people since the city was swarming with guests we recognized from the cruise. We only booked one night and I wish we had stayed for more. The city is romantic and charming, overflowing with history and culture. It’s worth spending time here.
Quebec City is worth every second of your time.
Despite the nearly perfect autumn evening weather, I’m planning on going back in winter the first chance I get. I would love to see these darling streets done up for Christmas or partake in what I was told is some truly excellent snowmobiling in January and February. No matter when, though, I’ll be coming back.
