Passion for Québec and Elsewhere

Pour la version française de cet article, cliquez sur Un weekend à Québec en décembre.

First day

What a treat to be able to spend two days in Quebec City in early December. I plan to make beautiful discoveries and visit some landmarks always pleasant to see again.

The town of Old Quebec is surrounded by a wall called the Fortifications, it is approximately 4 kilometers long, the St-Jean’s door and the St-Louis’s door allow you to enter the old town built on Cap Diamant, overlooking the majestic St-Lawrence River.

My WOW vote goes to the Maison de la Littérature* (House of Literature), a former church converted into a library.

While walking towards the Cap Diamant, I glimpsed some sculptures when I rounded a corner, a little further there was the Basilica Cathedral Notre-Dame de Québec, with the seminary just behind it, then the famous downhill, côte de la Montagne, with the sign of the former restaurant Le Vendôme where I used to go to for dinner with my parents when I was a child.

I walked by the staircase leading to the Petit-Champlain street lined with small boutiques and restaurants. For your information, the Cidrerie et les Vergers Pedneault* (Pedneault cidermill and orchards) from Isle-aux-Coudres have a place of business a little further down that street. I had to stop on my way back to buy some sour cherry jam and pear vinegar. But for now, I am still walking down this very steep hill and I stopped along the way to admire the Mural of Quebecers upon which appears several historical figures having shaped, in their own way, the history of this beautiful city.

At the bottom of the hill, I find myself in the lower town of Old Quebec. A few hotels, the museum Musée de la Civilisation, the train station Gare du Palais, the Old Port, and the Quartier Petit-Champlain are some of the attractions and tourist services which could pique your interest.

For the less athletic, the Old Quebec Funicular located on Petit-Champlain street is an excellent option to go back to the Upper Town of Old Quebec. It costs $4 per person (cash only). In a few seconds you will be arriving on Dufferin Terrace a few steps away from Le Château Frontenac. I decided upon a small afternoon snack at the Sam Bistro at Le Château Frontenac prior to continuing my journey through the meandering streets of Old Quebec. A tasty French onion soup and a crab cake will allow me to wait until dinner which is scheduled much later in the evening.

In the evening I met with an Italian friend of mine who was retained by the Società Dante di Québec (Dante Society of Quebec) to host a conference in Italian on the Puglia region at Laval University located in Sainte-Foy, approximately 15 minutes from Old Quebec. Since I am preparing a study trip in Italy for next spring, I enjoy every occasion to learn a little more about the country and to keep practicing my Italian. I was charmed by the Atrium of the University’s Desjardins Pavilion, a multi-level circular space.

My friend and I ended the evening at the microbrewery, Les 3 Brasseurs with a good amber beer and a burger with fries. If you plan to have a late dinner while in Quebec, I recommend that you check the opening hours of the restaurants as many are closing the kitchen by 8 PM.

Second day

My Italian friend and I stayed at Hotel Universel Sainte-Foy located across from the campus of Laval University. I appreciated the very nice tropical atrium livened up by the chirping of the birds and a distinct space with a whirlpool, sauna, cold bath and a pool. An enjoyable moment of relaxation before my second day of exploration.

The stop for bus 807 is located just across the street from the hotel. It will take you directly to Place d’Youville a few steps away from the skating rink, the Capitole Theater, and the entrance of the old town. The service is frequent, every 15-20 minutes. You can pay for your passage in cash, it is $3,75 or you can buy a bus pass at a convenience store (dépanneur) or at a pharmacy. The bus pass is more economical as you can purchase a predetermined number of passages or select a day pass or an unlimited weekend pass.

Two suggestions if you travel by train to Quebec City with regards to which train station to select and what to do with your suitcase. In my case, I had arrived the day before at Sainte-Foy train station which was closer to the hotel and I left the following day from Gare du Palais in Old Quebec in order to enjoy every single minute of my afternoon in the old town.

Now, what to do with my suitcase for the rest of the day? Three options to consider. You can head for the train station after leaving your hotel to put your luggage in consignment for a few hours or if you travel aboard a VIA Renaissance car, then the ticket office agent could register your luggage ahead of time and you retrieve it once you reach your final destination, in my case, it was Montreal.

The third option that I have not tested as of yet but it was recommended by another blogger is to find a Bounce luggage storage area near you (there are several places worldwide), you can leave your suitcase or travel bag for $8 per day per bag in a secure location. Just make sure you check the opening hours in order to avoid a surprise when you are ready to retrieve your bag or suitcase. It is possible to leave your things for a few days, then the price will be adjusted depending on the duration of the consignment. You need to install the app on your phone to make your reservation and to pay online via the application ahead of time.

Back to my visit, to occupy my afternoon, I joined a group of fellow travelers for a guided tour of Le Château Frontenac organized by Cicerone Tours. A guide in a period costume welcomed the group in the nearby kiosk on the Dufferin Terrace. She talked about the history of the hotel, its exterior, and the winter activities taking place in the early days. Then we walked in the hotel for the rest of the tour. We visited the lobby, the bar, and the restaurant, all located on the main level.

We continued the tour on the second floor by visiting a few reception halls and a corridor with several pictures of defining moments as well as personalities who stayed at Le Château Frontenac. My historical highlight was the Pink room where the head of states, Mackenzie King, Roosevelt and Churchill met on two occasions to plan D Day, the landing of the allies in Normandy during World War II. If you have studied history, they refer to these meetings as the Quebec Conferences. For the second conference, the wives were invited to join them in Quebec City, even Roosevelt’s dog came on this trip, see the picture of Eleanor Roosevelt speaking to the dog. Another defining moment happened in winter 1926 when part of Le Château Frontenac was consumed in a fire. Please note the firetruck in those years, a water barrel pulled by two horses. How can you extinguish a fire of that magnitude with only one barrel of water in a freezing weather? But the rest of the story is quite impressive. Following the fire, the burnt section of the hotel was rebuilt in 4 months with close to 2 000 people working night and day to finish on time for the summer season.

Time to head back outside, to winter wonderland and the dancing snowflakes, to stroll along the Old Quebec German Christmas Market set up in five different areas. Hush! Do not spill the beans! I bought Christmas gifts for Ushenna my Old English Sheepdog and for Domino aka Minou (Pussy Cat). There was an array of regional products, handmade jewellery, personal care products, clothing, accessories and many other things. It is also possible to sample some food and enjoy a hot drink with or without alcohol! They even have a giant Advent Calendar.

The afternoon was drawing to a close and my feet were sore. A few buildings caught my attention, City Hall, the restaurant Chez Livernois and the Pub St-Patrick. I stopped by Hortus Bistro for a refreshment before heading to the train station. I toasted my two days in Quebec with a glass of Prosecco. It is a quaint corner bistro with large stone walls. I was tired and did not think of snapping a picture of the place, but I found one on its website.

The train station was only a few minutes away by foot, I had access to the VIP lounge prior to boarding, it is always enjoyable to travel in business class. The return was smooth, with an excellent service and a delicious hot meal. I splurged on the business class ticket, this little luxury for the round-trip with VIA Rail Canada was the icing on the cake for a fabulous weekend!

What a difference to visit Quebec City under the snowflakes. I recommend this getaway, as there are so many places to explore in that beautiful fortified city.

Share your comments and suggestions with me. I wish you lovely discoveries!

* Website is in French only

All the pictures were taken by myself, except for the one at Hortus Bistro.

The hotel and the bus pass was graciously paid for by Società Dante di Québec.