Fontaine de Tourny de Québec, Ville de Québec, Province de Québec, Canada
Finding a guided tour in any new locale is the easiest way to get acclimated and learn about the destination. It's extremely easy in Quêbec City, where the one-stop shop for tours and information is the Centre Infotouriste de Québec. It’s conveniently located within a few minutes of wherever you are in the Old City. Because we saved by not renting a car, we opted for a customized tour that included interesting attractions my grandson read about beyond the walled city.
He suggested visiting the First Nations living history site Wendake about 15 minutes away. We took a tour within the tour with a local resident taking us through the historic village and longhouse of the Huron-Wendat tribe. Then our guide resumed, driving us to the town’s modern hotel where huge fireplaces and animal skins slung over the backs of sofas and chairs decorated the lobby. For those not on a schedule, there's hiking trails, fishing and canoeing but after this stop we were off to Parc de la Chute-Montmorency (Montmorency Falls Park), for a cable car ride to walking paths leading to the top of the 272-foot waterfall. It's taller than Niagara Falls by five feet but the scenic walking bridge across these falls and the cable car ride gave it a new dimension.
Interestingly, both of these sites and others are easily accessible by renting bicycles in Quebec City. There are self-guided and guided bike tours, too. Next time, maybe we’ll try it, unless we venture back during winter when the frozen ice formations at the base of the falls become known as Sugarloaf Hill and visitors don snowshoes to hike the nearby trails. We didn’t visit Valcartier Vacation Village waterpark but learned it has more than 35 slides, which are frozen by mid-December to transform into toboggan runs. This news, plus descriptions of the acclaimed ice hotel and myriad winter festivals sound like as much fun as a summer visit to my grandson. He quickly put it on his short list of places to return.
One more stop before heading back into the city took us across the motor bridge to the Ile D'Orleans, an agricultural hub and a bucolic part of Quêbec. And this is where my grandson discovered the much talked about French-Canadian dish called "poutine."
At Cassis Monna & filles, our first French lunch on a terrace overlooking the black currant fields set our expectations pretty high. The poutine served here consisted of a big bowl of French fries layered with roasted duck, fresh cheese curds and gravy. Joey twitched his eyebrow slightly at the more sophisticated addition of duck, but in true teenage spirit finished a hefty portion.
He washed it down with a refreshing glass of black currant juice while I enjoyed delicious homemade cassis sangria, warm French cheese served with black currant jam and duck confit on a baguette. The poutine and sandwich jambon et fromage (ham and cheese on a French baguette) would become his daily staples.
Back in town we drove past the Parliament Building where Quebec’s provincial legislature, the National Assembly, meets. The beautiful Tourney Fountain graces the foreground along with several monuments all worth a tour if time permits. Another point of interest, especially to history buffs, is the Plains of Abraham. Once a battlefield for 8,000 British troops during the Battle of Quêbec, now it’s more than 100 acres of green parkland overlooking the city. Our guide pointed out that just beyond the park is Musêe National des Beaux-Arts of Quebec, home to exhibits by prominent Canadian artists. Overlooking the river just beyond Plains of Abraham is the Citadel.
We caught an introduction during our drive by tour, but returned the next morning for a lively waking tour of the active army garrison. We watched the changing of the guard reminiscent of Great Britain's, and learned a little of the history of this strategic fortification. The flat roofs, planted with greenery and grass, intrigued us as such a clever camouflage today as it was centuries ago.
As part of our evening walk, Joey chose the Fortifications of Quêbec National Historic Site. Originally used for defense, now the paths along the wall overlook the old town, providing beautiful panoramic views especially at dusk when the sky turns deep blue and lights amplify the busy streets below.
Luckily our tour guide mentioned several more small museums, dining spots, shopping streets, as well as how the funiculaire leads to the busy streets of the Lower City. That's how we found a tiny street called rue du Trêsor, lined with inexpensive local art, mostly watercolor reproductions of Old City sites. A few strolls up and down the open market and we selected some great souvenirs. Joey and I are both past the tee shirt phase and agreed upon only buying things unique to Quêbec. Our small watercolor painting and a linen kitchen towel painted by a local artist were perfect and packable.
Outdoor cafes and street music added to the lively bustle of the Old City flavor and only crepes would do for dessert. But the piece de resistance happened at nightfall over the St. Lawrence River. We walked the promenade in front of Chateau Frontenac along with a growing crowd awaiting the magical hour when fireworks began. But we never imagined the symphonic light show in store. Nor could we imagine that such an extravagant event would repeat twice weekly for the month of August. That was an activity worth talking about and perfect for a grandmother/grandson duo.
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