Bonjour Quebec City!

Only two days in Quebec and we’ve learned to speak French!!! Well, not really, but we have learned to point a lot. Actually, we were kind of prepared to not like Quebec City. We had heard the usual about the unfriendliness of the folks here and the fact that they would only speak French, but we found all that to be untrue. Most of the people we met in Quebec City were very friendly and those that could speak English did so when they found out we were from the States. They were extremely helpful and we were very pleased with our visit.

On its 400th anniversary, “the cradle of the French presence in North America” opened its door to the world. Artists, performances and magical encounters take center stage in this once-in-a-lifetime get-together. The City of Quebec was founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain and is also known as the cradle of French Civilization in North America. It is the capital of Quebec and seat of the National Assembly. Quebec City has a population of 638,000 of which 95% are French speaking. It is the largest province in Canada and one of the safest regions in North America.

We stayed at Au Sous-Bois campground, about 15 miles outside the city. We were able to drive our truck to the Aquarium, about 7 miles away and then catch a bus into town. The bus cost $2.00 per person and was good for as many rides as you wished during the day. We got off at the Ferry and began exploring Old Quebec City.

It was very beautiful and reminded me of what I thought you would see in Paris. Many small cobblestone streets with shops and outdoor cafes on both sides and lots of flowers.

After walking around for a while, we decided to have an Italian Buffet at one of the outdoor cafes. The food was very good and fortified us for the walking which we would be doing for the rest of the day. The celebrated hotel, Chateau Frontenac, is one of the most photographed spots in old Quebec City.

On top of the Museum of Civilization is a rooftop garden aptly named the Visionaries Garden. It is a garden for everyone that reflects the cycle of life: it is born, blooms, and shares its riches before returning to the earth. Vegetables, herbs and flowers are in abundance along this tiered garden high up above the buildings. It also includes a “talking well”. From the depths of the well, children speak to us about their lives, their fears and their hopes while pictures float at the bottom depicting day and night time images.

Located along side the Louise Basin is Espace 400 which is the official headquarters of the 400th anniversary celebrations. Here the grain silos are located which will act as the backdrop for the astonishing Image Mill, the largest outdoor architectural projection ever created. The grain silos are used as an enormous screen on which to project striking images from the history of Quebec. This project took three years to develop and two months to set up. Though it was cold and windy, George and I were amazed at the technology for this light and sound show, and glad that we braved the weather to experience it.


Right next to Espace 400 is the Ephemeral Gardens. Eleven avant-garde gardens were created by artists and architects from Quebec, Canada, the First Nations, the United States, France, and the United Kingdom using minerals, plants, sounds and smells.

Located on Cap Diamant, the Citadelle constitutes the eastern flank of Quebec’s fortifications and is known as the Gibraltar of America. Construction of the Citadelle began in 1820 and lasted more than 30 years. It is star shaped and is an active military base. It has a changing of the guard but since we had just seen the one at the Legislative building in Ottawa, we didn’t stay for this one. Looking down from the Citadel you can see the broad boardwalk that flows through the lower town.

All in all, we were very pleased with our visit to Quebec City. The bus service was excellent and the city was very quaint and different from anything we had seen previously. It is well worth a visit. George especially enjoyed lounging around with Mr. Moose.

We are now heading to the Gaspe peninsula in Quebec and will be there for at least a week. From there, we will be entering New Brunswick. We’re not sure what to expect once again on this adventure as we will be hugging the coastline, but at the first opportunity, we’ll update the blog so you can share our trip with us. Til then, stay healthy and happy