A Quebec Odyssey With Joey: Becoming Immersed in Canadian History and French Culture

After days of bantering with my soon-to-be 16-year-old grandson over a fun birthday gift, we hit the jackpot.

"What about a passport?" I asked.

"Hmmm," he contemplated, before agreeing it was a great idea as he spewed a jet stream of exotic and far off destinations.

"I'm thinking closer, say Canada — Windsor or Toronto," I say, "just to try it out."

"What about Québec? Neither of us have ever been," he said, breaking into an excited laugh. And our summer vacation was in the making before I had time to realize I had just set a new precedent in my gift-giving budget.

Montmorency Falls outside Québec City, taken from the top of a very, very long set of stairs set into the cliffside. Grendelkhan, Wikimedia Commons

"Okay, I'll work on the air and land accommodations; you research what to see and do," I complied, catching his enthusiasm.

Multigenerational travel is the term used when two family members (one over 60 and the other under than 18) take a vacation together. Oh, and they don't live in the same household either. This type of travel isn't the same as being a part of a couple or even going solo, but discovering options both an energetic teen and a boomer-aged grandparent enjoy wasn’t as daunting as it seemed and Québec bestowed a perfect backdrop for my world traveler wanabee of a grandson, Joey. The province is European in style and as French as you can get on this continent.

The trip's overview: three nights in Québec City and three more in Montreal, roundtrip flights to and from Montreal and the VIA rail between our two destinations.

Both cities are so pedestrian friendly, we decided to either walk or take public transportation (no rental car). Some of our even minor decisions created new experiences for both of us, adding a sense of adventure to our vacation.

Before we departed, my grandson learned that Québec City, known as the cradle of French civilization in North America, dates back to 1608 when Samuel de Champlain set claim to the land along the St. Lawrence River. The city, shaped by some six military scrimmages, touts the distinction as the first urban area in North America to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.

I knew we'd be doing some plaque reading and museum hopping to become immersed in Canadian history. And that we would integrate a moderate dose of regional art as well. Like me, or perhaps, from me, he's gained an enthusiastic appreciation for art and music so I knew we'd make an easy team.

Once we reached Québec City, it was but a short walk to our B&B within the 400-year-old walled city. There are no shortages of overnight accommodations (at least 16,800 rooms according to press information) from the famous and, supposedly, most photographed hotel, Fairmont's Le Château Frontenac (with rates beginning in the mid-$300s) to small B&Bs sans elevators but including breakfast. In between are lovely small hotels, such as the Hotel Champlain with rates more moderately priced in the low-$200s per night.

We chose Castel d'Amérique Française, a B&B recommended on Tripadvisor, not only because of its reasonable price ($150 Canadian) and great location, but because the innkeeper sounded personable, accommodating and so French when I inquired by phone. She thought it was lovely that I was bringing my grandson and found us a room with a queen and double bed situated in large ornately decorated room with a balcony overlooking the city. My grandson never before stayed in a B&B and the provided breakfast, while not extravagant, made for an easy start of the day for both of us. Plus it gave us the chance to meet and chat with friendly fellow travelers all nuances not found at hotel chains.

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A Quebec Odyssey With Joey: Becoming Immersed in Canadian History and French Culture

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