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Tours in Quebec City |
Vieux-Québec/Haute-Ville (Old Quebec's Upper Town)
The first thing most visitors head for when they visit Quebec City is the Old Town's Haute-Ville (Upper Town), where the towering Château Frontenac is located. This hotel was built in 1893, although the tower that gives it its distinctive appearance was added in the 1920s. Tours are available by reservation (tel: (418) 691 2166; website: www.tourschateau.ca). It sits between Place d'Armes (a central square with the narrow lanes leading off it filled with street artists and an artist's market) and the Terrasse Dufferin - a wide wooden boardwalk offering a terrific view of Lévis, on the opposite shore. The Dufferin Terrace is filled with street entertainers and visitors milling around or promenading past the cannons and kiosks that predate the Château Frontenac.
Nearby, the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville contains the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) but is dominated by the Basilique-Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Québec, the city's main Catholic cathedral. This imposing edifice has suffered numerous disasters over three-and-a-half centuries.
Basilique-Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Québec
20 rue de Buade
Tel: (418) 694 0665.
Website: www.patrimoine-religieux.com
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1730, Sat-Sun 0800-1800 (May-Oct); Mon-Fri 0800-1600, Sat-Sun 0800-1800 (Oct-Apr).
Free admission (cathedral and tours); charge (crypt).
Vieux-Québec/Basse-Ville (Old Quebec's Lower Town)
The oldest part of Old Quebec, Lower Town is clustered on the narrow streets between the ramparts of Haute-Ville and the Old Port, linked to the Upper Town by the funicular, the escaliers casse-cou (breakneck stairs) and the steep Côte de la Montagne. At its centre, Place Royale has been faithfully restored to its former glory, the 17th- and 18th-century houses surrounding the one-time market square now in pristine condition. The Centre d'interprétation de Place-Royale displays period artefacts and has panels that illustrate the area's history. The historic Maison Chevalier recreates domestic scenes in the 17th century. Between the two, the Quartier Petit Champlain is a lively and crowded area of shops and restaurants along a romantic cobblestone street.
Centre d'interprétation de Place-Royale
27 rue Notre-Dame
Tel: (418) 646 3167 or 1 866 710 8031.
Website: www.mcq.org
Opening hours: Daily 0930-1700 (summer); Tues-Sun 1000-1700 (winter).
Admission charge; free on Tues (Nov-May) and Sat 1000-1200 (Jan-Feb).
Maison Chevalier
66 rue du Marché-Champlain
Tel: (418) 643 2158.
Website: www.mcq.org
Opening hours: Daily 0930-1700 (late Jun-early Sep); Tues-Sun 1000-1700 (May-late Jun, early Sep-mid Oct and mid-late Dec); Sat and Sun 1000-1700 (mid Oct-Apr).
Free admission.
Fortifications de Québec (Quebec Fortifications)
One of the city's most unique features is the 4.6km (2.9-mile) rampart encircling the Old Town, making it the only walled city north of Mexico. It is possible for one to walk along the top of the fortifications, which offer sweeping views of the city and the St Lawrence River. Near the Citadel, at Porte St-Louis (one of the four surviving city gates) is the Centre d'interprétation des Fortifications-de-Québec, which includes displays on the city's history and a restored powder magazine. It is the departure point for 90-minute guided tours (from June to mid-October) by costumed Parks Canada staff and is also the best place for self-guided walkers to set off from.
Continuing clockwise, the walls adjoin the Parc de l'Artillerie (Artillery Park), which was built by the French to defend the city from attack, before becoming the garrison for British officers until 1871, when it was turned into a munitions factory. Today it comprises an interpretation centre featuring the 1808 model of Quebec City inside the foundry, the 1712 Dauphine Redoubt, which housed French soldiers and now replicates the 19th-century British officers' mess, and the 1818 British Officers' Quarters. Further along, cannons are ranged along the wall, overlooking the St Lawrence River and the opposite shore. Beyond where the fortifications join the Terrasse-Dufferin, it is possible for walkers to continue along a boardwalk on the cliff below the walls that surround the Citadel.
Centre d'interprétation des Fortifications-de-Québec
100 rue St-Louis
Tel: (418) 648 7016 or 1 888 773 8888.
Website: www.pc.gc.ca/fortifications
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700 (early May-mid Oct); open other days upon reservation.
Admission charge (guided tour extra).
Parc de l'Artillerie
2 rue D'Auteuil
Tel: (418) 648 4205 or 1 888 773 8888.
Website: www.pc.gc.ca/artillery
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700 (Apr-mid Oct); open other days upon reservation.
Admission charge (guided tour extra).
La Citadelle de Québec (Quebec Citadel)
The Citadel, dating from 1820, is one of Quebec City's most distinctive features and a legacy of the British occupation. On the heights of Cap Diamant, the star-shaped fortress was built to withstand a repeat attack on the city from across the Plains of Abraham to the southwest. Today, visitors are given a compulsory one-hour guided tour of the site, which includes the Governor General's residence, the powder magazine and a former prison that now houses a small museum. In the summer, the daily Changing of the Guard takes place at 1000, with the Regimental Band and the Citadel's mascot (‘Batisse', the regimental goat) joining the garrison personnel. The pomp continues on selected evenings, when the Royal 22nd Regiment performs The Retreat as part of the flag-lowering ceremonies.
Cap Diamant
Tel: (418) 694 2815.
Website: www.lacitadelle.qc.ca
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1600 (Apr); daily 0900-1700 (May-Jun); daily 0900-1800 (Jul-Aug); daily 0900-1600 (Sep); daily 1000-1500 (Oct); daily 1330 only (Nov-Mar).
Admission charge (guided tour included).
Parc des Champs-de-Bataille Nationaux (National Battlefields Park)
The National Battlefields Park, occupying the 108-hectare (267-acre) Plains of Abraham, situated to the southwest of the Citadel, is the site of the decisive battle of 1759, which saw the British, under General Wolfe, defeat Montcalm's French forces. Today, it is a wide green space popular for summer concerts and as a place to stroll. For those with a taste for history, the Discovery Pavilion (in the same building as the tourist office) has a large diorama of the site and the Canada Odyssey historical multimedia exhibition. Midway through the park, Martello Tower No 1 has costumed guides who explain the role of these defensive structures (during summer only). Abraham's Bus connects the sites, with the driver providing commentary as it winds through the park during summer days and autumn weekends.
Discovery Pavilion of the Plains of Abraham
835 avenue Wilfrid-Laurier
Tel: (418) 648 4071.
Website: www.ccbn-nbc.gc.ca
Opening hours: Daily 0830-1730 (end Jun-early Sep); Mon-Fri 0830-1700, Sat 0900-1700, Sun 1000-1700 (early Sep-late Jun); Canada Odyssey from 1000.
Free admission (Discovery Pavilion); charge (Canada Odyssey and Martello Tower).
Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec (Quebec National Museum of Fine Arts)
The most important collection of paintings and sculpture by Québécois artists is held by the Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec. A selection of works are displayed in three chronological exhibitions - the earliest dates from the beginnings of Québécois art and is largely influenced by religion, the second covers the European-influenced modernist period up to 1945, and the third showcases figurative and abstract art from the mid-20th century. These are supplemented by travelling shows and permanent exhibitions that focus on painter Jean-Paul Lemieux and abstract painter and sculptor Jean-Paul Riopelle, as well as the new Brousseau collection of Inuit art. The museum's site at the southwest end of the Plains of Abraham is dotted with sculptures.
Parc des Champs-de-Bataille
Tel: (418) 643 2150 or 1 866 220 2150.
Website: www.mnba.qc.ca
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1800 (Jun-mid Sep); Tues-Sun 1000-1700 (mid Sep-May); Wed until 2100 (year-round).
Free admission (permanent collection); admission charge (temporary exhibitions; free on Wed in winter).
Musée de la Civilisation (Museum of Civilisation)
One of the city's strongest museums, the Museum of Civilisation, situated in Lower Town, hosts excellent temporary shows in addition to its two permanent exhibitions. One of these focuses on life in the province of Quebec throughout the centuries of European inhabitation, with displays of artefacts, photos and recreations of historic and domestic scenes. The other is a tribute to the First Nations peoples who live in the province, with videotaped oral histories, birch bark canoes, teepees and many smaller artefacts.
85 rue Dalhousie
Tel: (418) 643 2158 or 1 866 710 8031.
Website: www.mcq.org
Opening hours: Daily 0930-1830 (summer); Tues-Sun 1000-1700 (winter).
Admission charge; free on Tues (Nov-May) and Sat 1000-1200 (Jan-Feb).
The first thing most visitors head for when they visit Quebec City is the Old Town's Haute-Ville (Upper Town), where the towering Château Frontenac is located. This hotel was built in 1893, although the tower that gives it its distinctive appearance was added in the 1920s. Tours are available by reservation (tel: (418) 691 2166; website: www.tourschateau.ca). It sits between Place d'Armes (a central square with the narrow lanes leading off it filled with street artists and an artist's market) and the Terrasse Dufferin - a wide wooden boardwalk offering a terrific view of Lévis, on the opposite shore. The Dufferin Terrace is filled with street entertainers and visitors milling around or promenading past the cannons and kiosks that predate the Château Frontenac.
Nearby, the Place de l'Hôtel de Ville contains the Hôtel de Ville (City Hall) but is dominated by the Basilique-Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Québec, the city's main Catholic cathedral. This imposing edifice has suffered numerous disasters over three-and-a-half centuries.
Basilique-Cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-Québec
20 rue de Buade
Tel: (418) 694 0665.
Website: www.patrimoine-religieux.com
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1730, Sat-Sun 0800-1800 (May-Oct); Mon-Fri 0800-1600, Sat-Sun 0800-1800 (Oct-Apr).
Free admission (cathedral and tours); charge (crypt).
Vieux-Québec/Basse-Ville (Old Quebec's Lower Town)
The oldest part of Old Quebec, Lower Town is clustered on the narrow streets between the ramparts of Haute-Ville and the Old Port, linked to the Upper Town by the funicular, the escaliers casse-cou (breakneck stairs) and the steep Côte de la Montagne. At its centre, Place Royale has been faithfully restored to its former glory, the 17th- and 18th-century houses surrounding the one-time market square now in pristine condition. The Centre d'interprétation de Place-Royale displays period artefacts and has panels that illustrate the area's history. The historic Maison Chevalier recreates domestic scenes in the 17th century. Between the two, the Quartier Petit Champlain is a lively and crowded area of shops and restaurants along a romantic cobblestone street.
Centre d'interprétation de Place-Royale
27 rue Notre-Dame
Tel: (418) 646 3167 or 1 866 710 8031.
Website: www.mcq.org
Opening hours: Daily 0930-1700 (summer); Tues-Sun 1000-1700 (winter).
Admission charge; free on Tues (Nov-May) and Sat 1000-1200 (Jan-Feb).
Maison Chevalier
66 rue du Marché-Champlain
Tel: (418) 643 2158.
Website: www.mcq.org
Opening hours: Daily 0930-1700 (late Jun-early Sep); Tues-Sun 1000-1700 (May-late Jun, early Sep-mid Oct and mid-late Dec); Sat and Sun 1000-1700 (mid Oct-Apr).
Free admission.
Fortifications de Québec (Quebec Fortifications)
One of the city's most unique features is the 4.6km (2.9-mile) rampart encircling the Old Town, making it the only walled city north of Mexico. It is possible for one to walk along the top of the fortifications, which offer sweeping views of the city and the St Lawrence River. Near the Citadel, at Porte St-Louis (one of the four surviving city gates) is the Centre d'interprétation des Fortifications-de-Québec, which includes displays on the city's history and a restored powder magazine. It is the departure point for 90-minute guided tours (from June to mid-October) by costumed Parks Canada staff and is also the best place for self-guided walkers to set off from.
Continuing clockwise, the walls adjoin the Parc de l'Artillerie (Artillery Park), which was built by the French to defend the city from attack, before becoming the garrison for British officers until 1871, when it was turned into a munitions factory. Today it comprises an interpretation centre featuring the 1808 model of Quebec City inside the foundry, the 1712 Dauphine Redoubt, which housed French soldiers and now replicates the 19th-century British officers' mess, and the 1818 British Officers' Quarters. Further along, cannons are ranged along the wall, overlooking the St Lawrence River and the opposite shore. Beyond where the fortifications join the Terrasse-Dufferin, it is possible for walkers to continue along a boardwalk on the cliff below the walls that surround the Citadel.
Centre d'interprétation des Fortifications-de-Québec
100 rue St-Louis
Tel: (418) 648 7016 or 1 888 773 8888.
Website: www.pc.gc.ca/fortifications
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700 (early May-mid Oct); open other days upon reservation.
Admission charge (guided tour extra).
Parc de l'Artillerie
2 rue D'Auteuil
Tel: (418) 648 4205 or 1 888 773 8888.
Website: www.pc.gc.ca/artillery
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1700 (Apr-mid Oct); open other days upon reservation.
Admission charge (guided tour extra).
La Citadelle de Québec (Quebec Citadel)
The Citadel, dating from 1820, is one of Quebec City's most distinctive features and a legacy of the British occupation. On the heights of Cap Diamant, the star-shaped fortress was built to withstand a repeat attack on the city from across the Plains of Abraham to the southwest. Today, visitors are given a compulsory one-hour guided tour of the site, which includes the Governor General's residence, the powder magazine and a former prison that now houses a small museum. In the summer, the daily Changing of the Guard takes place at 1000, with the Regimental Band and the Citadel's mascot (‘Batisse', the regimental goat) joining the garrison personnel. The pomp continues on selected evenings, when the Royal 22nd Regiment performs The Retreat as part of the flag-lowering ceremonies.
Cap Diamant
Tel: (418) 694 2815.
Website: www.lacitadelle.qc.ca
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1600 (Apr); daily 0900-1700 (May-Jun); daily 0900-1800 (Jul-Aug); daily 0900-1600 (Sep); daily 1000-1500 (Oct); daily 1330 only (Nov-Mar).
Admission charge (guided tour included).
Parc des Champs-de-Bataille Nationaux (National Battlefields Park)
The National Battlefields Park, occupying the 108-hectare (267-acre) Plains of Abraham, situated to the southwest of the Citadel, is the site of the decisive battle of 1759, which saw the British, under General Wolfe, defeat Montcalm's French forces. Today, it is a wide green space popular for summer concerts and as a place to stroll. For those with a taste for history, the Discovery Pavilion (in the same building as the tourist office) has a large diorama of the site and the Canada Odyssey historical multimedia exhibition. Midway through the park, Martello Tower No 1 has costumed guides who explain the role of these defensive structures (during summer only). Abraham's Bus connects the sites, with the driver providing commentary as it winds through the park during summer days and autumn weekends.
Discovery Pavilion of the Plains of Abraham
835 avenue Wilfrid-Laurier
Tel: (418) 648 4071.
Website: www.ccbn-nbc.gc.ca
Opening hours: Daily 0830-1730 (end Jun-early Sep); Mon-Fri 0830-1700, Sat 0900-1700, Sun 1000-1700 (early Sep-late Jun); Canada Odyssey from 1000.
Free admission (Discovery Pavilion); charge (Canada Odyssey and Martello Tower).
Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec (Quebec National Museum of Fine Arts)
The most important collection of paintings and sculpture by Québécois artists is held by the Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec. A selection of works are displayed in three chronological exhibitions - the earliest dates from the beginnings of Québécois art and is largely influenced by religion, the second covers the European-influenced modernist period up to 1945, and the third showcases figurative and abstract art from the mid-20th century. These are supplemented by travelling shows and permanent exhibitions that focus on painter Jean-Paul Lemieux and abstract painter and sculptor Jean-Paul Riopelle, as well as the new Brousseau collection of Inuit art. The museum's site at the southwest end of the Plains of Abraham is dotted with sculptures.
Parc des Champs-de-Bataille
Tel: (418) 643 2150 or 1 866 220 2150.
Website: www.mnba.qc.ca
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1800 (Jun-mid Sep); Tues-Sun 1000-1700 (mid Sep-May); Wed until 2100 (year-round).
Free admission (permanent collection); admission charge (temporary exhibitions; free on Wed in winter).
Musée de la Civilisation (Museum of Civilisation)
One of the city's strongest museums, the Museum of Civilisation, situated in Lower Town, hosts excellent temporary shows in addition to its two permanent exhibitions. One of these focuses on life in the province of Quebec throughout the centuries of European inhabitation, with displays of artefacts, photos and recreations of historic and domestic scenes. The other is a tribute to the First Nations peoples who live in the province, with videotaped oral histories, birch bark canoes, teepees and many smaller artefacts.
85 rue Dalhousie
Tel: (418) 643 2158 or 1 866 710 8031.
Website: www.mcq.org
Opening hours: Daily 0930-1830 (summer); Tues-Sun 1000-1700 (winter).
Admission charge; free on Tues (Nov-May) and Sat 1000-1200 (Jan-Feb).
