Discovering Quebec City
After a few days in Montreal, we took a train 3 hours father north to Quebec City to see why people say it’s the closest you’ll come to Europe without leaving the continent.
We stayed just outside “The Wall.” This has nothing to do with the old Pink Floyd album–and a lot to do with Quebec City being the only city in the U.S. or Canada with fortified walls still intact from the 1600s.
There’s a big iconic hotel on the waterfront called “The Frontenac” that is somehow the most photographed hotel in the world. Random. We debated spending $800 per night to stay there—but in the end, we are glad we didn’t fall for the hype. There are other hotels inside the wall, and ours was just outside the perimeter and half the price.
The main road in Quebec City is cobblestone and full of shops and restaurants. It gets a little crowded in the summer—and like Old Montreal—feels a little overrun by tourists.
We took a double-decker bus ride to get a lay of the land. Speaking of land, there’s a huge park called the Plains of Abraham that is a mile-and-a-half long and half a mile wide. It’s named after Abraham Martin, a 17th century pilot.
We rented bikes and rode on a path half an hour north to Montmorency Falls, which are taller than Niagara Falls. You can spend $30 and get a cable car ride to the top—or you can tough it out and walk 463 steps on your own. We chose to walk—but admit we stopped at every landing. Some other brave souls zip-lined in front of the falls!
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After a few days inside the walls, we made a point to venture out and have meals among Quebecers. A couple of our Uber drivers didn’t speak English, but everyone we dealt with in the service industry was bilingual. It was interesting how they greet with a neutral “Hello” and wait to see which way you’re going to take it.
We had some good meals, met some nice people and were glad to see another part of the world. The good news is—the weather can be nice in the summer, but the big crowds come with it.
Ray Collins is a Sarasota-based travel writer who still knows a few words from his years of studying French in school. A few. www.raycollinsmedia.com/articles
