We stepped into the sixteenth century, my daughter and I. The city of Quebec is celebrating its four hundred’s anniversary and we relished in their celebrations. We delved into historical monuments, ramparts, archeological digs, theatrical depictions of victories and defeats, and the yummy local French cuisine.
After its founder, Samuel de Champlain, set up a fur trading post in 1608, Quebec surrounded itself with ramparts. From its high promontory it had a strategic view over the majestic St. Lawrence River split in two by the island of “L’île d’Orleans”. Upper Town housed the seats of government and religious institutions. Merchants and craftsmen eventually settled in the Lower Town, a steep drop along a narrow ledge between the almost vertical escarpment and the St. Lawrence River.
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Canada’s Quebec is a beautiful place to visit all year round, but especially so in winter, when the countryside is blanketed in snow, and the cultured cities (hello Montreal!) brighten up with special festivals, performances, and fun.
For a traditional skiing vacation at a great value, Quebec’s Mont Tremblant can’t be beat. With a wide variety of trails, a pretty, pedestrian-only village, and the tourist infrastructure of Whistler/Blackcomb (thanks to the same parent company) with a tenth of the crowds at a tenth of the costs, it’s definitely a contender for Canada’s best East Coast resort.
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Drove to Quebec City, about ten miles. Today is the Feast of St John the Baptist, a major holiday in Provence Quebec. Over 250,000 people gathered the previous evening on the Plains of Abraham for a concert and fireworks display. The streets in the Old City were still filled with revelers and sanitation workers were cleaning up the debris left from the huge party.
Walk the old city. Do not drive. The streets are very narrow. The old city, vieux Quebec, is surrounded by a wall with only a few gates to permit entry. Stop at the Jesuit Chapel built in 1817. This is a very simple chapel whose architect was a member of the Baillairge dynasty. They seem to have designed most of the churches in Provence Quebec.
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