Images
|
|
|
|
|
Tours in Quebec City |
The following excursions are all located east of Quebec City, along Highway 138 (Highway 362, which runs along the coast east of Baie-St-Paul, offers a slower but incredibly scenic alternative). Twice-daily Intercar coaches (tel: (418) 627 9108 or 1 888 861 4592; website: www.intercar.qc.ca) stop at Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré, Baie-St-Paul and Tadoussac. A car is necessary to visit the Canyon-Ste-Anne and Ile d'Orléans. Many bus-tour companies include these destinations in their itineraries (see Tours of the City).
For a Half Day
Côte de Beaupré: The different attractions east of Quebec City in the Beaupré Coast region (website: www.cotedebeaupre.com) can be visited individually in as little as a couple of hours or combined to fill a whole day. Nearest the city, the Montmorency Falls is a waterfall half again as tall as Niagara Falls, although with less water. A cable car leads from the car park to the centre d'interprétation and a bridge over the falls.
Further east, the enormous Basilique de Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré (tel: (418) 827 3781; website: www.ssadb.qc.ca) has been drawing Catholic pilgrims for centuries; the cathedral is part of a complex including a museum and smaller chapels that mark the start of the Way of the Cross processional route up the hillside.
Some 6km (4 miles) further on, three bridges are suspended across the Canyon Ste-Anne (tel: (418) 827 4057; website: www.canyonste-anne.qc.ca), offering dramatic views of the 74m (243ft) waterfall located there.
Ile d'Orléans: The rustic countryside of Ile d'Orléans is visible from Quebec City's Old Town and is accessible by the bridge 20km (12 miles) north east of the city, off Highway 440. Many locals escape here for fresh produce from roadside market stalls and the many excellent restaurants in the island's inns. It is a pleasant place for visitors to drive around; the tourist office (tel: (418) 828 9411 or 1 866 941 9411; website: www.iledorleans.com), located just across the bridge, can provide helpful advice.
For a Whole Day
Charlevoix: Around 60km (37 miles) east of Quebec City, the terrain changes dramatically as the Laurentian mountain chain meets the St Lawrence River. Amidst the forest-covered mountains are a couple of scenic provincial parks (tel: (418) 890 6527 or 1 800 665 6527; website: www.sepaq.com): caribou can be spotted in the Parc des Grands-Jardins, while the Parc des Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie has mighty ravines. Artists have found the scenery stimulating and their output is visible at the many galleries in the coastal town of Baie St-Paul, home to numerous restaurants and country inns. Information on the region is available from Tourisme Charlevoix (tel: (418) 665 4454 or 1 800 667 2276; website: www.tourisme-charlevoix.com).
Whale-watching: The Saguenay-St Lawrence Marine Park (tel: (418) 235 4703; website: www.pc.gc.ca/saguenay) begins at the eastern end of Charlevoix and is an excellent place for spotting whales. From Quebec City, Croisières AML (tel: (418) 692 2634 or 1 800 563 4643; website: www.croisieresaml.com) offers a coach-and-cruise trip, as does Croisières Dufour (tel: (418) 692 0222 or 1 800 463 5250; website: www.dufour.ca). By car, it is a three-hour drive (plus ferry ride) each way to the pretty town of Tadoussac, where numerous companies offer whale-watching trips.
For a Half Day
Côte de Beaupré: The different attractions east of Quebec City in the Beaupré Coast region (website: www.cotedebeaupre.com) can be visited individually in as little as a couple of hours or combined to fill a whole day. Nearest the city, the Montmorency Falls is a waterfall half again as tall as Niagara Falls, although with less water. A cable car leads from the car park to the centre d'interprétation and a bridge over the falls.
Further east, the enormous Basilique de Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré (tel: (418) 827 3781; website: www.ssadb.qc.ca) has been drawing Catholic pilgrims for centuries; the cathedral is part of a complex including a museum and smaller chapels that mark the start of the Way of the Cross processional route up the hillside.
Some 6km (4 miles) further on, three bridges are suspended across the Canyon Ste-Anne (tel: (418) 827 4057; website: www.canyonste-anne.qc.ca), offering dramatic views of the 74m (243ft) waterfall located there.
Ile d'Orléans: The rustic countryside of Ile d'Orléans is visible from Quebec City's Old Town and is accessible by the bridge 20km (12 miles) north east of the city, off Highway 440. Many locals escape here for fresh produce from roadside market stalls and the many excellent restaurants in the island's inns. It is a pleasant place for visitors to drive around; the tourist office (tel: (418) 828 9411 or 1 866 941 9411; website: www.iledorleans.com), located just across the bridge, can provide helpful advice.
For a Whole Day
Charlevoix: Around 60km (37 miles) east of Quebec City, the terrain changes dramatically as the Laurentian mountain chain meets the St Lawrence River. Amidst the forest-covered mountains are a couple of scenic provincial parks (tel: (418) 890 6527 or 1 800 665 6527; website: www.sepaq.com): caribou can be spotted in the Parc des Grands-Jardins, while the Parc des Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Rivière-Malbaie has mighty ravines. Artists have found the scenery stimulating and their output is visible at the many galleries in the coastal town of Baie St-Paul, home to numerous restaurants and country inns. Information on the region is available from Tourisme Charlevoix (tel: (418) 665 4454 or 1 800 667 2276; website: www.tourisme-charlevoix.com).
Whale-watching: The Saguenay-St Lawrence Marine Park (tel: (418) 235 4703; website: www.pc.gc.ca/saguenay) begins at the eastern end of Charlevoix and is an excellent place for spotting whales. From Quebec City, Croisières AML (tel: (418) 692 2634 or 1 800 563 4643; website: www.croisieresaml.com) offers a coach-and-cruise trip, as does Croisières Dufour (tel: (418) 692 0222 or 1 800 463 5250; website: www.dufour.ca). By car, it is a three-hour drive (plus ferry ride) each way to the pretty town of Tadoussac, where numerous companies offer whale-watching trips.
