Only one day: Old Quebec City

Quebec City is a vibrant place, and really deserves more exploration time than just one day. But the McMillan’s are on the move, and so we focused our attention on the Old City. I had been here once for a conference many years ago, and loved the atmosphere of the city. I was excited to share it with the rest of the family.

The grand city did not disappoint. It was just as I remembered – vibrant, bustling, and alive with a European feel that is unlike anywhere else in North America (it’s also a UNESCO Heritage Site).  

The view from the Levis ferry (we stayed in Levis and took the ferry across the river) was beautiful. The Chateau Frontenac, a gigantic hotel, dominates the skyline.

So fun to run through

The family we had met in Amqui had told us about an art installation in the city. We found it right away, after departing the ferry, and had fun goofing around. It’s not every day you get to interact with the art! The installation actually consists of several pieces around the old city, and we discovered several during our explorations of the area.

my favorite installation

Like so many other places we have visited, Quebec has a long history of military importance and, and was protected by walls, bastions and an imposing cliff-top Citadel. These are all still in evidence today, but unlike many places, the Old City’s defensive walls are still fully intact. This makes the city feel just a little bit different than everywhere else we have been.

The city is divided by an imposing cliff into the Lower and Upper city. The lower is where Samuel de Champlain founded the city. You can stand in the spot where he established the settlement in 1608, where a bust of him commemorates the event (it is a lot farther away from the water’s edge now than it was in de Champlain’s time), and walk through the beautiful Notre-Dames-des-Victoires church in Place Royal (where the children were super quiet and respectful – Yay!)

We explored the streets of Old Quebec,

walked under the walls to stand by the fountain across the street from the beautiful National Assembly of Quebec and sat on the Plains of Abraham.

After seeing so many forts no one was all that keen to go in the fort, but we did walk along a portion of its wall, and the kids and I took the Governor’s Promenade back into the walled city (which is suspended along the river side of the fort - basically on the edge of the cliff), while Bob walked the other side.

The canons along the Terrasse Dufferin provided my monkeys a fun place to play, while I gazed across the St. Lawrence. What is it about a canon that encourages children to climb all over them?

The kids were thoroughly entertained by a street performer’s variety show, in front of the Statue of Samuel de Champlain (by the Chateau Frontenac). Morgan especially loves the Quebecois humor, which is full of gags and situational silliness (he loves watching Just for Laughs Gags on TV, which is produced in Quebec).

Joan d'Arc 

On my bucket list was a carriage ride around the old City, and so (with a little encouragement from Lily) we did. The guided tour was a great addition to our walking, as it took us past several areas that we hadn't managed to get to on foot, and provided an opportunity to learn more about the history, through statues, and landmarks. At the end of our ride, Lily thanked the horse by feeding it a couple of the carrots she had in our snack bag. Pretty sure the horse appreciated the treat, although Lily has pretty nervous having that big mouth envelop her hand! (sorry, no horsey pics)

After the carriage ride, we walked back down through the city (we started our tour near the gates) and then down the cliff (via staircase this time, rather than narrow winding street) to catch our ferry back to Levis. We had walked and walked, traversing the same streets over and over (the old city isn't that big, and there are only a few gates in the walls to go through), and yet, every time we found something new to see. As evening fell the city felt even more alive than during the daytime, but time was up and we had to go. The sun set while we were making our way down, and thunderclouds had rolled in.

The last image I have of the city is from the ferry, the buildings lit up for night, with lightning in the background.  It was a fitting departure. Goodbye Quebec! Perhaps someday I’ll get back to spend more time exploring.