Québec City,
Canada
Visiting Québec City in late November requires comfort with disrupted plans. When our (tiny, twin propeller!) plane couldn’t land in the snowstorm outside, we were rerouted for the night to a regional airport in Bagotville, 130 miles north of Québec City.
When we finally made it to Québec City, an ordinarily 2 hour journey from New York City turned into 30, we stepped into a deep history just over the threshold of the border.
This transformation seems to require a true pilgramage – our return flight was also cancelled. I hope you have better luck with flights!
When we finally made it to Québec City, an ordinarily 2 hour journey from New York City turned into 30, we stepped into a deep history just over the threshold of the border.
This transformation seems to require a true pilgramage – our return flight was also cancelled. I hope you have better luck with flights!
Do
There are a few libraries in former churches, where you can browse French-language books under soaring arches:
Maison de la litterature
Walk the Governor’s Promenade along the ridge between the upper and lower parts of the city. It starts at the top of the funicular at Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, and ends at the Plains of Abraham, which was a winter wonderland of pillowy snow
Near the Plains of Abraham, you can tour La Citadelle de Québec, and spend hours at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec. It’s a sprawling complex of four buildings housing comtemporary, modern, and historic art
Despite the bitter cold, the city is best taken in by foot – explore the Old City, with its thick stone buildings and wafting scents of warming fires. Go ice skating at the gate to the old city at a public rink (you can rent skates). Just know that the average skater has a fairly high proficiency, so you’ll be surrounded by people effortlessly spinning and gliding
Inside the old city, stroll through the Christmas Market, and explore little shops like the Boutique Le Sachem, which specializes in indigenous products
Saint-Roche is a young neighborhood with great shopping and bars. Maelstrøm Saint-Roch is a coffeeshop by day and bar by night, and is especially cozy
There are a few libraries in former churches, where you can browse French-language books under soaring arches:
Maison de la litterature
Library Claire-Martin
Walk the Governor’s Promenade along the ridge between the upper and lower parts of the city. It starts at the top of the funicular at Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, and ends at the Plains of Abraham, which was a winter wonderland of pillowy snow
Near the Plains of Abraham, you can tour La Citadelle de Québec, and spend hours at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec. It’s a sprawling complex of four buildings housing comtemporary, modern, and historic art
Despite the bitter cold, the city is best taken in by foot – explore the Old City, with its thick stone buildings and wafting scents of warming fires. Go ice skating at the gate to the old city at a public rink (you can rent skates). Just know that the average skater has a fairly high proficiency, so you’ll be surrounded by people effortlessly spinning and gliding
Inside the old city, stroll through the Christmas Market, and explore little shops like the Boutique Le Sachem, which specializes in indigenous products
Saint-Roche is a young neighborhood with great shopping and bars. Maelstrøm Saint-Roch is a coffeeshop by day and bar by night, and is especially cozy
Eat
Dom
A vegan restaurant where everything was full of flavor
Fairmont Le Château Frontenac
We ate breakfast in this storied hotel, overlooking the lower part of the city. There’s a buffet, but we ordered à la carte
Épicerie J.A. Moisan ︎
The oldest grocery store in North America (founded in 1871). They have great prepared food, but I also loved exploring their spices, condiments, and many maple syrup treats
Chez Boulay-bistro boréal
Nordic cuisine using local, seasonal ingredients
Les Cafés du Soleil
A coffee shop where we hid out from the cold winds from the water, with a delicious grilled cheese and a wide tea selection
Casse-Croute Chez Gaston
Poutine of course!
Saveurs du Monde
Moroccan food, counter service
Dom
A vegan restaurant where everything was full of flavor
Cantook Micro Torréfaction
A coffee shop near our Airbnb that we stopped in each morningFairmont Le Château Frontenac
We ate breakfast in this storied hotel, overlooking the lower part of the city. There’s a buffet, but we ordered à la carte
Épicerie J.A. Moisan ︎
The oldest grocery store in North America (founded in 1871). They have great prepared food, but I also loved exploring their spices, condiments, and many maple syrup treats
Chez Boulay-bistro boréal
Nordic cuisine using local, seasonal ingredients
Les Cafés du Soleil
A coffee shop where we hid out from the cold winds from the water, with a delicious grilled cheese and a wide tea selection
Casse-Croute Chez Gaston
Poutine of course!
Saveurs du Monde
Moroccan food, counter service
Signe Schloss 2019 — Brooklyn, New York