Quebec City is the capital of the province of Quebec, Canada. It is one of the oldest European settlements in North America. Quebec is full of gorgeous architecture and history.
Knowing the history of a city makes it so much more exciting so here's a little tidbit.
The city was founded by the French explorer Samuel de Champlain in 1608. There were a string of French colonies along the St. Lawrence River, creating a region named "le Canada". The British and French had co-existed in North America, but the threat of French expansion into the Ohio Valley caused the British to attempt to eradicate New France. In the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759, the city was permanently lost by the French. In 1763, France formally ceded its claims to le Canada, and Quebec City's French-speaking Catholic population came under the rule of Protestant Britain. The Quebec Act, passed in 1774, allowed 'les Canadiens', today, also referred to as the Quebecois to have religious and linguistic freedoms, to openly practice their Catholicism and use their French.
The 10 must see attractions while visiting Quebec.
Vieux Quebec
16 Rue du Petit Champlain, Quebec, QC G1K 4H4, Canada
Vieux Quebec is the crown jewel of French Canada and there's no other place like it in North America. Narrow cobbled streets are lined with 17th- and 18th-century houses and a grand 17th-century plaza. Vieux Quebec is like exploring an old European city. Place Royale is known as the heart of Vieux Quebec. This spot is the birthplace of French Civilization in North America and one of the oldest European settlements. You can also walk on the wall around the city, it's a very cool way to experience Vieux Quebec.
The Church of Notre-Dame-des-Victoires
32 Rue Sous le Fort, Quebec, QC G1K 4G7, Canada
The beautiful church started construction in 1687 and completed in 1723. This small, Roman Catholic church commemorates the French victories over the British and is built on the site of the city’s first settlement. The Church Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, or Our Lady of Victories, is one of the oldest stone churches in Canada and stands directly on the spot where Quebec began.
Ramparts of Quebec City
2 Rue d'Auteuil, Quebec, QC G1R 5C2, Canada
The Ramparts of Quebec City are the only remaining fortified city walls in North America north of Mexico. The British began refortifying the existing walls, after they took Quebec City from the French in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759. At the heart of the Fortifications lies the Citadel, a star-shaped fort located at the highest point, Cape Diamond. The British decided to construct the Citadel in 1820 after the War of 1812 with America. While the Citadel was originally occupied by British troops, it remains an active garrison today and is home to the Royal 22nd Regiment of the Canadian Forces.
Plains of Abraham Battlefields Park
835 Wilfrid-Laurier Ave, Quebec City, QC G1R 2L3, Canada
The plains are named after Abraham Martin (1589–1664), a fisherman that moved to Quebec in 1635 with his wife and he received 32 acres of land divided between the lower town and the town of New France. In 1759, this area was the scene of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, part of the French and Indian War, which was itself part of the Seven Years' War. The British soldiers under climbed the steep cliff under the city in darkness, surprising and defeating the French, through a single deadly volley of musket fire, causing the battle to be over within 30 minutes. On March 17, 1908, the National Battlefields Commission was sanctioned to highlight and preserve this site to honor the memory of both French and British soldiers.
La Citadel de Quebec
1 Cote de la Citadelle, Quebec, QC G1R 3R2, Canada
La Citadelle de Quebec is an active military installation and official residence of both the Canadian monarch and the Governor General of Canada. It is the largest British fortress in North America and is an integral part of the Québec fortifications. It's located on Cape Diamond, the city's highest point and its walls encloses 300 years of history from the of New France period until today.
Chateau Frontenac
1 Rue des Carrieres, Quebec, QC G1R 4P5, Canada
The Chateau Frontenac is a grand hotel which is operated as Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac. It was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1980. Prior to the building of the hotel, the site was occupied by the Chateau Haldimand, residence of the British colonial governors of Lower Canada and Quebec. The hotel is generally recognized as the most photographed hotel in the world, largely for its prominence in the skyline of Quebec City. The Chateau was built near the historic Citadelle of Quebec, the construction of which Frontenac had begun at the end of the 17th century.
Quebec Bridge
1675 Avenue des Hotels, Quebec, QC G1W 4S3, Canada
The Quebec Bridge is the longest cantilever bridge in the world. A cantilever bridge design is similar a continuous beam anchored at both ends to pillars. There have been two collapses of the center of the bridge during construction which cost over 80 workers their lives. The bridge construction completed in August 1919. Almost 12 years to the day after the first tragic collapse, the Prince of Wales opened the memorial to the men lost in the Quebec Bridge Collapse.
Notre-Dame de Quebec Church
16 Rue De Buade, Quebec, QC G1R 4A1, Canada
Built on the site of the first chapel constructed by Champlain in 1633, Notre-Dame de Quebec Church was erected in 1647 but was ravaged by bombardments and fire so it has been reconstructed several times. The cathedral was raised to the rank of minor basilica on the occasion of the bicentennial anniversary of the Quebec Diocese in 1874 and to primatial church in 1956. In 1923, a crypt was built and completed in 1952 and now former bishops, archbishops and cardinals of the Quebec diocese and four former governors of New France are buried in the crypt. Basilique Notre-Dame has one of the Holy Doors in North America.
Marche du Vieux Port
160 Quai Saint-Andre, Quebec, QC G1K 3Y2, Canada
The Marche du Vieux Port is a huge, year-round market featuring some of the best of Quebec's farmers, seafood and food artisans. Local produce is available as is regional specialties like fine cheeses, fresh seafood, maple syrup and apple cider.
Montmorency Falls
5300 Boulevard Sainte-Anne, Quebec, QC G1C 1S1, Canada
Montmorency Falls was named by Samuel de Champlain, in 1613, in honor of the Duke of Montmorency, Viceroy of New France and Brittany. Montmorency Falls is taller than Niagara Falls, though not nearly so vast, it is a a breathtaking sight to experience before leaving. There are several ways to see the falls; from the grounds of the Parc de la Chute-Montmorency and look up, or take the cable car to the top and watch the falls surge below, or walk out across a bridge that spans the falls themselves to look down and feel the power of the falls.
Click below for boots on the ground YouTube Video.
