Quebec City
”Kebec” is an Iroquois phrase meaning “the straights” or “the place where the river narrows”. Neither the city nor the province was Quebec until 17th century French explorers mistakenly assumed the description was the place name. When Jacques Cartier first sighted the land, the Iroquois village was known as “Stadacone” (“conquest”). Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec City, Canada’s first permanent colonial community, in July, 1608. The modern province of Quebec, almost the same size as Alaska, is a unique place. The proud French-speaking territory of nearly nine million people enjoys a distinct culture that sets it apart from the rest of the mostly Anglicized nation. To distinguish between the province and city names, the French articles “a” and “au” are used - “a Quebec’ means “in Quebec City” and “au Quebec” means “in Quebec Province”. Although Canada officially recognizes both the French and English languages nationwide, all commercial and official labels and signs must appear in both languages, But many “Quebecois speak only French. In fact, apart from the main cities and tourist areas, non-French speakers who venture into Quebec could find themselves at a disadvantage, if not completely lost. There are also some minor differences between the province and its neighbors. For example, right turn on red is illegal in the French province but acceptable in the rest of Canada.
French heritage does not end with dual language specifications. French Canadian food is refined as any on the French world, and Quebec is an incredibly picturesque city. One of the first sites that you will notice is the multi-turreted castle-like façade of the Hotel Frontenac. The imposing cliff-top structure, now owned by the Canadian-Pacific group, is a city landmark and historic property. Far below the hotel, near the port, the narrow cobbled streets of Old Town, built 400 years ago, still follow the original city plan. The old district’s time worn, cobblestone streets make wonderful settings for bistros, boutiques and sidewalk cafes. UNESCO added the neighborhood along with the upper town, its fortifications, Citadel and shopping district, to its list of World Heritage Sites in 1985.
Place D’ Armes
Is a perfect place to begin exploring the upper city. Long Dufferin Terrace extends from Chateau Frontenac toward the Citadel. From the cliff edge, enjoy a view of the harbor and the St Lawrence River below. The court leads to Governor’s Walk, which lines the Citadel walls. The path leads over the edge and is recommended only if you don’t mind heights.
Adjacent to the Chateau Frontenac, a small Governor’s Garden features a twin memorial dedicated to French leader Marquis de Montcalm and British commander James Wolfe. The two men led opposing forces in the brief skirmish of September 12, 1759, that ended French rule. Both leaders died, Wolfe in battle and Montcalm the next day.
Musee du Fort
Also is in the vicinity, has an excellent scale model of Quebec City. There is also a bilingual sound and light show presented each half which offers an interesting and informative city history lesson. Rue du Tresor leads from the square and is lined with talented artists and craftspeople who offer their products as they work.
Basilica of Notre Dame
The huge stone portal of Notre Dame Cathedral faces City Hall and marks the entrance to the North America’s oldest Catholic Church. An architectural masterpiece, the ornate baroque structure reflects the vast wealth of the colonial period.
Battlefield Park
The 250 acre National Battlefield Park was established in 1908 to commemorate the Quebec’s 300th birthday. City residents know the park as the Plains of Abraham because Abraham Martin originally owned most of the land. The memorialized battle occurred on June 17, 1759 when General James Wolfe led his force of 9000 troops to Ile d”Orleans, just opposite the old port. From their camp, they began bombarding the upper city with cannon fire. The besieged residents held out for months, but on September 12th, Wolfe led his men to the mainland. The park’s Musee du Quebec is one of the province’s premier art galleries. It overlooks the St Lawrence River and its exhibits are divided into three separate, but linked sections. Great Hall, the newest and central structure, is topped with a cross of futuristic-looking skylights, and represents the museum’s modern inclination. The main hall serves as a reception and dining area for visitors and provides access to the rest of the collection.
Pavilion Gerard-Morisset
This is a classical structure which was opened in 1933 to house the permanent collections. The interior décor and bas-relief embellishment on its façade are exquisite. Pavilion Charles-Baillairge, built between 1861 and 1871, overlooks the St Lawrence. Originally the Quebec City prison, it now has exhibition galleries and an art library. Some of its 19th century prison cells have been preserved. The museum at Parc Champs-de-Bataille is closed on Mondays.
Citadel
The Citadel is perched 350 feet above Cape Diamond. It was begun in 1820 but was not completed until the middle of the 19th century. Enclosed within the star-shaped fortification, the powder magazine dates from 1750. The small adjacent fort, built in 1693 is one of the oldest standing structures in North America. The complex is still an active military base and serves as headquarters for Canada’s famous “Vingt-Deux”, the Royal 22nd Regiment. The Citadel is open daily.
Old Quebec
You should begin your exploration of Quebec City at Place-Royale, the very birth-place of French civilization in North America. Samuel de Champlain’s permanent New France settlement at Place-Royale represents the oldest French establishment in North America. The namesake “royal” was King Louis XIV. The monument honoring him dates from 1686. Walk over to the Batterie Royale, built in 1691. Militiamen will demonstrate how they load and fire their cannons. Everyone at Centre d’Interpretation is already busy getting prepared for the city’s 400th birthday in July 2008.
Musee de la Civilisation
Quebec’s Museum of Civilization is not just one museum, but a complex of ten. The permanent exhibit focuses on Quebec’s past and historic artifacts from the region are displayed. The prized “Close Look at Minitures” exhibit is an investigation into the world of small things while “Three Museums, Three Points of View and The Difference” reflect upon the theme of diversity. There is an excellent interactive computerized children’s discovery center. Although all the exhinits are marked in French, English brochures and English-speaking docents are available. Visiting collections from Xi’an, China, showcase ancient Chinese culture.
Quebec Fortifications
The city’s old ramparts have been collectively designated as a National Historic Monument. The first settlers realized that the cliffs provided natural protection from the river approaches, but the inland side of their community was open to attack. In order to secure themselves, they built a wooden barrier along the western side of their cliff top settlement in 1690. A stronger wall was later started, but was not fortified until 1745 when mounting tensions with reluctant British neighbors raised fear of attack. When British troops captured the city, they converted it into a military base and built the wall into a permanent fixture. A path, lined with memorial plaques describing development of the defensive system, leads along the three mile perimeter. Quebec is North America’s last surviving fortified community north of Mexico City.
Cote de Beaupre
None other than explorer Jaques de Cartier spontaneously uttered the phrase “cote de beaupre” (“the coast of beautiful meadows”) when he spotted a lovely expanse along the banks of the St Lawrence River in 1535. A place of peaceful farmland, the region is popular with Quebec residents seeking a quick city break.
Only six miles northeast of Quebec, is Chute Montmorency which presents a surprising greeting to those making their way to the countryside. Cascading over a 275 foot cliff, the spectacular falls are fully one and a half times as high as Niagra Falls, although not nearly the same volume of water drops from the heights. Samuel de Champlain named the falls and river in 1613 to honor Henri II, due de Montmorency, who later became viceroy of New France. Summer visitors are whisked to the top of the cascade aboard a cable car. The view and ride are both superb. In winter, when the falls freeze into a natural sculpture, Montmorency is a popular local ski resort. (We visited the falls and rode the cable car down to the bottom to catch our bus which then took us out to Orleans Island and then a stop a local winery.)
Just 25 miles further along the St Lawrence, the Catholic Shrines of St Anne de Beaupre tower along the shore. The monuments can be seen for miles. One of Canada’s most famous places of pilgrimage, the basilica honors Anne, mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus. After the council of Ephesus met in the year 431 AD and confirmed Mary’s Motherhood, a devotional cult dedicated to St Anne began in Jerusalem. At first, you may wonder how the sect reached North America, but by the 17th century, it came to France where it became extremely popular. Since French explorers were coming to North America at the time, St Anne came with them. The first chapel on the site was built in 1658, and there has been a devotional shrine there ever since. The riverside perch is magnificent and is visible for miles from both sides of the river. (This is a very beautiful church - wish we would have been given more time here to walk around. There are shops that surround the church area and we had no time to even go to one!!)
(Note - On our walking tour that we did on our own this year we visited many of the places mentioned in the first paragraphs here.)
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Quebec City - Background & What's Ashore
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