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{{pagebanner|Quebec- |
{{pagebanner|Southeastern Quebec-banner.jpg|caption=Waterside of Saint Lawrence River near Kamouraska in Southeastern Quebec}} |
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[[Image: |
[[Image:Le château Frontenac Vieux-Québec, ville de Québec, Québec.jpg|thumbnail|325px|Château Frontenac in Québec City]] |
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''For the city bearing the same name see [[Quebec City]].'' |
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'''[http://www.quebecregion.com Quebec City]''' ([[French phrasebook|French]]: ''Québec'') is the capital of the [[Canada|Canadian]] province of [[Quebec]]. Located at a commanding position on cliffs overlooking the St. Lawrence Seaway, Quebec City's Old Town is a [[UNESCO World Heritage Site]] and the only city in North America (outside Mexico and the Caribbean) with its original city walls. Quebec is a city of about 700,000 residents. |
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'''[http://www.bonjourquebec.com/ Quebec]''' (French: ''Québec'') is a province in [[Canada]], the largest in size and second only to [[Ontario]] in population. French is the first language of a majority of Quebecois and the official language of the province. Quebec is situated east of [[Ontario]]; to the west of [[Newfoundland and Labrador]], [[New Brunswick]], [[Nova Scotia]] and [[Prince Edward Island]]; to the south of the territory of [[Nunavut]], and has borders with the U.S. States of [[New York (state)|New York]], [[Vermont]], [[New Hampshire]] and [[Maine]] to its south. The provincial capital of Quebec is [[Quebec City]], the province's largest city is [[Montreal]], the second largest city in Canada. |
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==Understand== |
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Quebec City is the capital city of the province of Quebec (though it is referred to as the National Capital in the province). Much of the business here is of the administrative and bureaucratic nature, which would normally make a city quite dull. Fortunately, the city has a remarkable history, as the fortress '''capital of New France''' since the 16th century. Although the town's day-to-day life leaves things a little yawny at times, the vibrant historical centre makes for an incredible visit. |
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Québec is unique among North American tourist destinations. Its French heritage sets the province apart from its English-speaking neighbours, and unlike most of Canada, Quebec's cultural ties are closer to [[Western Europe]] than to the United States. It is also one of the only historical areas in [[North America]] to have fully preserved its Francophone culture. Its European feel and its history, culture and warmth have made Québec a favourite tourist destination both nationally and internationally. |
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Quebec was first settled by Europeans in 1608 in an "abitation" led by Samuel de Champlain and celebrated its 400th anniversary in 2008. The generally accepted dates of Champlain's arrival in the city are July 3rd and 4th and were marked with major celebrations. The area was also inhabited by Native peoples for many centuries before the arrival of the Europeans, and their ongoing presence has been notable since then. |
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==Regions== |
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Founded by the French to make a claim in the New World, the name Quebec originally referred to just the city. It is an aboriginal word for "where the river narrows" as the St. Lawrence River dramatically closes in just east of the city. It is situated on 200 foot high cliffs with stunning views of the surrounding Laurentian mountains and the St. Lawrence River. Under French rule (1608-1759), the major industries were the fur and lumber trades. The French lost the city and the whole colony of New France to the British in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham in 1759. Much of the French nobility returned to France which resulted in British ruling over the remaining French population. Fortunately, the rulers of the colony allowed the French to retain their language and religion leaving much of the culture intact. The 1840s saw an influx of Irish immigrants during the Potato Famine. Due to cholera and typhus outbreaks, ships were quarantined at Grosse Ile to the east of the city past l'Ile d'Orleans. The bodies of those who perished on the journey and while in quarantine are buried there. The city remained under British rule until 1867 when Lower Canada (Quebec) joined Upper Canada (Ontario), New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to form the Dominion of Canada. |
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{{Regionlist |
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French is the official language of the province of Quebec though in the tourist areas of Quebec City English is widely spoken as a second language by almost all of the staff. It is also not unusual to find Spanish, German and Japanese spoken in many establishments in Vieux Quebec. Outside of the tourist areas, some knowledge of French is advisable and perhaps necessary, depending on how rural the area is you are visiting. It should be noted that while older locals will struggle when attempting to sustain a discussion in English, most people under 35 should be able to speak conversational English. Less than a third of the overall population is bilingual French/English. |
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| regionmap=Quebec regions.png |
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| regionmaptext=Regions of Québec |
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| regionmapsize=450px |
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| region1name=[[Outaouais]] |
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In French, both the city and the province are referred to as "''Québec''". Which is meant is determined by context and by the convention of referring to the province with the masculine article ("''le Québec or au Québec''") and to the city without any article at all ("''à Québec''"). This may lead to confusion when following provincial road signs as the City of Quebec, (Ville de Québec) is referred to only as Québec in official signage. |
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| region1color=#b5d29f |
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| region1items= |
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| region1description= The Québec side of the Ottawa River with mountains, forests and plenty of outdoors activities. [[Gatineau]], as part of the National Capital Region, has many fine museums. |
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| region2name=[[Southwestern Quebec|Montreal and Southwestern Quebec]] |
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===Orientation=== |
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| region2color=#d09440 |
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Orienting yourself in Quebec is fairly easy. Many sights of interest are in the '''Old Town''' (''Vieux-Québec''), which constitutes the walled city on top of the hill. Many surrounding neighbourhoods, either in '''Haute-Ville''' ("Upper Town") or in '''Basse-Ville''' ("Lower Town"), are of great interest : Saint-Roch, Saint-Jean-Baptiste, Montcalm, Vieux-Port and Limoilou. '''Haute-Ville''' and '''Basse-Ville''' are connected by many staircases, all of which are unique, such as the aptly-named '''Escalier Casse-Cou''' ("Breakneck Stairs") and the more easily climbable "Funiculaire". |
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| region2items=[[Montréal]], [[Montérégie]], [[Eastern Townships]], [[Laurentides]], [[Lanaudière]] |
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| region2description= The culturally rich and lively city of [[Montréal]] plus its suburbs. South of the St. Lawrence River, there are small towns, farmland, lakes and hills. Parts of the area were settled by Loyalists from the American Revolution giving the area a bit of a New England feel. The mountains north of the river are Montréal's playground. |
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| region3name=[[Central Quebec|Quebec City and Central Quebec]] |
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The city spreads westward from the St. Lawrence River, for the most part extending from the original old city. The true downtown core of Quebec City is located just west of the old city. Across the river from Quebec City is the town of [[Lévis]]. Frequent ferry service connects the two sides of the river. |
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| region3color=#71b37b |
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| region3items=[[Quebec Region]], [[Centre-du-Québec]], [[Chaudière-Appalaches]], [[Mauricie]], [[Charlevoix]] |
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| region3description= This is the heartland of Québec. [[Quebec City]] is the capital of the province with a European feel and charming Old Town. To the southwest is the prime agricultural region of the province. |
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| region4name= [[Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean]] |
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===Climate=== |
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| region4color=#8c7c50 |
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{{Climate |
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| region4items= |
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| units = Metric |
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| region4description= A very distinctive region of Québec with its own culture, accent and geography. The region is highlighted by one of the few fjords on the east coast of Canada. |
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| janhigh = -8 |
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| febhigh = -6 |
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| marhigh = 0 |
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| aprhigh = 8 |
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| mayhigh = 17 |
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| junhigh = 22 |
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| julhigh = 25 |
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| aughigh = 23 |
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| sephigh = 18 |
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| octhigh = 11 |
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| novhigh = 3 |
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| dechigh = -5 |
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| janlow = -18 |
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| feblow = -16 |
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| marlow = -9 |
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| aprlow = -1 |
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| maylow = 5 |
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| junlow = 11 |
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| jullow = 13 |
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| auglow = 12 |
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| seplow = 7 |
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| octlow = 2 |
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| novlow = -4 |
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| declow = -13 |
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| janprecip = 90 |
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| febprecip = 71 |
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| marprecip = 90 |
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| aprprecip = 81 |
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| mayprecip = 106 |
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| junprecip = 114 |
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| julprecip = 128 |
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| augprecip = 117 |
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| sepprecip = 126 |
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| octprecip = 102 |
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| novprecip = 102 |
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| decprecip = 104 |
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| description = See the Quebec City 7 day forecast at [http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/city/pages/qc-133_metric_e.html Environment Canada] |
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}} |
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| region5name=[[Southeastern Quebec]] |
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===Visitor information=== |
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| region5color=#d56d76 |
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* {{listing |
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| region5items=[[Gaspé Peninsula]], [[Bas-Saint-Laurent]], [[Îles-de-la-Madeleine]] |
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| name=Centre Infotouriste de Québec | url=http://www.bonjourquebec.com | email= |
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| region5description= The rugged coastal region of Québec east of Québec City and south of the St. Lawrence River with small towns and villages hugging the coast. The Gaspé is considered particularly scenic. |
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| address=12 rue Ste-Anne | lat= | long= | directions=across from the Château Frontenac |
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| phone=+1 514 873-2015 | tollfree=+1-877-266-5687 | fax= |
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| region6name=[[Northeastern Quebec]] |
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| hours=21 Jun-31 Aug: 8:30AM-7PM daily. 1 Sep-20 Jun: 9AM-5PM daily | price= |
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| region6color=#5a91b5 |
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| hoursextra=closed 25 Dec and 1 Jan |
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| region6items=[[Duplessis]], [[Manicouagan]] |
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| content= |
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| region6description=The rugged coastal region northeast of the Saguenay River on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River. |
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| region7name=[[Northern Quebec]] |
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| region7color=#8a84a3 |
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| region7items=[[Abitibi|Abitibi-Témiscamingue]], [[Baie-James]], [[Nunavik]] |
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| region7description=The sparsely inhabited north and northwestern region of the province, with logging and mining towns and hydro electric projects, as well as Inuit and other Native communities. |
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}} |
}} |
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==Cities== |
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[[Image:ChateauFrontenac.jpg|250px|thumb|Château Frontenac]] |
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The three largest cities in Québec are [[Montréal]], [[Québec City]] and [[Gatineau]]. |
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*[[Quebec City]] - Capital city of Québec and cultural centre. |
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*[[Gaspé]] - Small city on the ruggedly beautiful Atlantic peninsula of the same name. |
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*[[Gatineau]] - All the advantages of a big city without the inconveniences. Just outside [[Ottawa]]. |
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*[[Magog]] - Popular vacation town on Memphrémagog Lake, base for exploring the [[Eastern Townships]] |
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*[[Montréal]] - Québec's largest city, cultural and financial centre. |
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*[[Mont-Tremblant]] - Skiing, camping, and hiking at this mountain resort town. |
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*[[Saguenay]] - Gateway to the North. From here, head west to gather blueberries around Lac St. Jean or east to see the whales from Tadoussac. |
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*[[Sherbrooke]] - Largest city in the [[Eastern Townships]]. |
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*[[Trois-Rivières]] - Located halfway between Montréal and Québec City on the St. Lawrence River. |
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==Other destinations== |
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* [[Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré]] - Large, elaborate church east of Québec City, near Montmorency Falls and the pastoral [[Île d'Orléans]] |
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* [[Sept-Îles]] - Departure point for the railway to [[Labrador City]] and the ferry to [[Anticosti]] |
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==Understand== |
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* Québec was a French colony for more than two centuries, between the arrival of Jacques Cartier in 1534 and Governor Vaudreuil’s capitulation to the English in 1760. |
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* It is the only province in Canada where French is the sole official language, and it is one of the rare former French colonies in North America where French is still spoken. |
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* Québec is Canada’s second most populous province. It has 8 million inhabitants, including 6.4 million (approx. 80%) whose mother tongue is French. |
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* French is the mother tongue of 82% of Quebecers, and English is the mother tongue of 10% of the population. The remaining 8% is divided among some 30 languages such as, in order of importance, Italian, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Greek. However, it is very easy to travel in Québec speaking only English, especially in Montréal, and to a lesser extent, Québec City. In fact, over 40% of the population is bilingual. In major cities like Montréal, this percentage is as high as 64%, and 16% of the population speaks a third language. |
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* The majority of the population lives in the vicinity of the St. Lawrence River, in the southern portion of the province. The population is largely urbanized; close to 50% of Quebecers live in the metropolitan area of Montréal. |
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===Climate=== |
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There are four distinct seasons in Québec, offering a wonderful view of the nature and variety of activities. |
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* Summer (June to September): Summers in Québec are hot but the season offers many festivals and outdoor activities. |
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* Fall (September to end of October): The leaves change colour in Québec, creating breathtakingly colourful landscapes. |
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* Winter (November to end of March): Québec’s extremely low temperatures and abundance of snowfall makes skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing, snowmobiling and dogsledding possible. In December, Québec’s vast outdoors turns into a snow-covered white dreamland. March and April mark the maple syrup festivities in the sugar shacks, as the maple trees awaken from the winter cold and prepare for the forthcoming springtime. |
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* Spring (April and May): While April may still be relatively cold at times and another large snowfall can occur, April feels like winter is at, long last, over. As May approaches, nature awakens, trees start to bloom and the air warms, welcoming everybody to a magnificent, colourful outdoor scenery. |
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==Talk== |
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See also [[French phrasebook]] |
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Canada is officially bilingual on the federal level, meaning that most federal government official documents, signs, and tourist information will be presented in both French and English. Staff at retail shops, restaurants and tourist attractions will often speak English, especially in Montréal. Smaller establishments, especially outside Montréal, may not offer services in English but try their best to accommodate travellers. About 8% of the province's residents speak English as a mother tongue, and an additional 31% consider that they can get by speaking it. All offices of the federal government are required by law to provide services in both French and English. |
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The official language of Québec, however, is '''French'''. Provincial government signs (highway signs, government buildings, hospitals, etc.) are generally posted in French only. Services at provincial government offices are also often available in French only. Tourist information is offered in English and other languages. The visibility of commercial signs and billboards in English and other languages is restricted by law (except for English-language media and cultural venues such as theatres, cinemas and bookstores). Most businesses will not have signs in English except in tourist areas and localities with a large English-speaking population. Language is a very sensitive subject politically, particularly in Montréal. If you cannot read a sign in a store or restaurant, most sales people will be sympathetic and help you find your way. Most restaurants in tourist areas will supply English menus if asked. |
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82% of Québec’s population is francophone, but English is also commonly spoken, particularly in the province’s major cities such as [[Montréal]] where the percentage is 24%. For French-speaking people from elsewhere, the French spoken in Québec is often difficult to understand. Books have been published on Québec expressions, and these may be worth consulting if you are planning to stay in Québec for any length of time. |
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Isolated from France for centuries, and unaffected by that country's 19th-century language standardization, Québec has developed its own "accent" of French similar to the one in France in the 16th century, a kind of time capsule. The continental variety—called "international French" or ''français international'' here—is well-understood, and something closely approximating it is spoken by broadcasters and many businesspeople. While Quebecers usually understand European French, European tourists may feel lost until they grow accustomed to the local accent(s). |
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There are a few main differences between Québécois French and continental French-from-France. One is that in Quebec it's relatively common to ''tutoyer'' (use the familiar ''tu'' second-person pronoun instead of ''vous'' when saying ''you'') for all, regardless of age or status (though there are common exceptions to this in the workplace and the classroom). In France, it would be considered impolite. The unrelated interrogative particle ''-tu'' is used to form yes-or-no questions, as in ''On y va-tu?'' "Shall we go?" Finally, there are a number of vocabulary words that differ, particularly in very informal contexts (for example, ''un char'' for a car, rather than ''une voiture''), and some common expressions (''C'est beau'' [literally ''It's nice''] for "OK" or "fine"). Overall, however, pronunciation marks the most significant difference between Québec and European French. |
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Probably the most puzzling difference in Québec's French is that one will often '''''sacrer''''' (blaspheme or swear) rather than using scatological or sexual curse words. Terms like ''baptême'' (baptism) or ''viarge'' (deformation of ''vierge'', virgin) have become slangy and taboo over the centuries in this once fervently Catholic culture. ''Hostie de tabarnac!'' ("communion wafer of the tabernacle!") or just ''tabarnak!'' is one of the most obscene things to say, and more polite versions like ''tabarnouche'' or ''tabarouette'' are equivalent to "darn" or "fudge!" |
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Although ''sacre'' may seem funny, be assured that Quebeckers, particularly the older generation, do take it seriously. Don't ''sacre'' any time you don't really mean it! But be sure that younger Quebeckers may be fond of teaching you a little ''sacrage'' lesson if you ask them. |
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English-speaking Quebeckers are generally bilingual and reside mostly in the Montréal area, where 25% of the population speaks English at home. Aside from the occasional borrowing of local French terms ("dépanneur" as opposed to corner store or convenience store), their English differs little from standard Canadian English, including the occasional "eh" at the end of the sentence; accents are influenced heavily by ethnicity, with distinct Irish, Italian, Jewish, and Greek inflections heard in Montréal neighbourhoods. Conversations between anglophones and francophones often slip unconsciously between English and French as a mutual show of respect. This can be confusing if you're not bilingual, and a look of puzzlement will generally signal a switch back to a language everyone can understand. |
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Although English-speakers will usually greet strangers in French, it is considered pretentious and overzealous for a native English-speaker to continue a conversation in French with other English speakers (though two francophones will easily converse together in English when in a room of anglophones). Local English-speakers may also refer to street names by their English names as oppose to the posted French names, but this is getting rarer (for example, Mountain Street for rue de la Montagne, Pine Avenue for avenue des Pins). |
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Some French-language radio stations, including those with "classic rock" formats, play up to 50% English-language music but announce everything in French. |
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There is one daily English-language broadsheet newspaper (''la Gazette'') in Montréal and a few English-language radio stations, which play very little French-language music (typically 5%, with no French-language announcements). |
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==Get in== |
==Get in== |
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[[File:Aéroport Montréal-Trudeau 2010.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Montreal's Trudeau International Airport]] |
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===By plane=== |
===By plane=== |
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There are flights to Québec from major cities in North America, Europe and Asia. Montréal is a 70-minute flight from New York and is less than 6 hours and 45 minutes by air from London or Paris. |
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Québec has two major international airports: [[Montréal]]'s Trudeau International Airport, which has direct flights to most major Canadian and U.S. cities as well as selected European destinations (including daily flights to Paris, London and Frankfurt), is located in the suburb of [[Montreal/West Island|Dorval]], about 30 minutes from downtown. [[Quebec City]]'s Jean Lesage Airport is much smaller but also serves several Canadian and US destinations (including Toronto, New York (Newark), Chicago and Detroit), as well as Paris (Air France and Air Transat). Jean Lesage Airport is located in L'Ancienne-Lorette, about 25 minutes drive west of downtown Québec City. Gatineau only has a tiny local airport as most of its intercity traffic is routed through nearby [[Ottawa]]. |
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'''[http://www.aeroportdequebec.com Jean Lesage International Airport]''' ({{IATA|YQB}}). About 20 min from downtown Quebec, it offers regular flights with Air Canada, Air Inuit, Air Transat, American, Canjet, Delta, Porter, Sunwing, United, and WestJet (http://www.aeroportdequebec.com/en/flights/destinations-from-quebec-city/) |
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Please note that there is no public transit or hotel shuttles to the airport, except an RTC public bus 78 [http://www.rtcquebec.ca/DesktopModules/HoraireTrajet/Controls/PDF/GH_REG_78_20120818.pdf Printed schedule] that goes to and from the airport only a few times a day ($3). The taxi fare from Old Quebec to the airport is a flat fee of $34.25 to downtown. |
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===By train=== |
===By train=== |
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From the US, the '''[http://www.amtrak.com Amtrak]''' "Adirondack" runs from [[New York City]] once a day, with stops connecting to bus routes serving upstate [[New York (state)|New York]]. The trip is a scenic 6 hours along the Hudson River, but be prepared for delays at the border that can tack on 2–3 hours to the trip. |
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A passenger train station is found at the port of Quebec, 450 rue de la Gare du Palais. The [http://www.viarail.ca/ Quebec VIA Rail] station is a picturesque building, emulating the architectural style of the famed Chateau-Frontenac overlooking the station. The Quebec-[[Windsor (Ontario)|Windsor]] [[Windsor-Quebec corridor|corridor]] trains run regularly (3-5/day), with stopovers at [[Montreal]] ($34-102 w tax, +3h15) and [[Toronto]]. |
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'''[http://www.viarail.ca VIA Rail Canada]''', the federal passenger railway, operates numerous trains daily from both Toronto and Ottawa to Montréal, with multiple connections to Québec City. They also run a daily train from [[Halifax (Nova Scotia)|Halifax]], [[Nova Scotia]], stopping in [[Moncton]], [[New Brunswick]] into Montréal. A more scenic route follows the [[Gaspe Peninsula]]. Significant discounts are available to youths and to university students carrying as ISIC Card (International Student Identity Card). |
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Tshiuetin Rail Transportation operates two trains weekly which pass through Emeril, [[Labrador]] on their route to Sept-Îles, Qué. from Schefferville, Qué. |
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==Get around== |
==Get around== |
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{{Mapframe|46.80852|-71.21441|zoom=12}} |
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===On foot=== |
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[[Image:Funiculaire Sign Quebec City Quebec Canada.jpg|thumb|240px|The Funiculaire, Quebec City's diagonal, counterweight railway]] |
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Walking is a great way to get around the Old Town, as the compact layout makes distances short. You will see beautiful old buildings and little vistas around every corner. You will get exercise. Do be careful of uneven cobblestones and narrow streets, though. |
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Québec has a [http://www.bonjourquebec.com/ca-en/sedeplacerauquebec0.html vast road and air network] that makes it easy to travel between cities. |
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''Côte de la Montagne'' is a steep, winding street that connects Upper Town and Lower Town. If you get tired, use the '''Funiculaire''' to go between the upper and lower parts of the Old Town. $2 per person will get you from near the base of the Breakneck Stairs (''l'Escalier Casse-Cou'') back up to the front of the Chateau Frontenac. It is well worth it if you have small children or large packages. |
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===By plane=== |
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Many intersections are set up with separate traffic signals and cycles for cars and for pedestrians. At one point in the cycle, all traffic lights turn red and all pedestrian signals turn white, meaning that you can cross the intersection in any direction. Yet when the traffic light is green and the pedestrian signal is red, you may find cars turning in front of you. Some intersections have a pedestrian button to activate the signals, and you will never get a pedestrian cycle unless you push that button. |
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Using air transportation to travel between the different cities in Québec (Gatineau-Québec City, Montréal-Québec City, Montréal-Bagotville) is possible but usually too expensive to be worthwhile. Air travel is indispensable for getting around northern Québec (except for the Baie-James region, which is served by a paved highway), because there are no highways or railways serving these remote areas. |
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===By public transit=== |
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===By train=== |
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The '''[http://www.rtcquebec.ca RTC]''' (''Réseau de transport de la Capitale''), Quebec's public transportation system, is a system of buses and express shuttles that cover the whole city. Tickets cost $3.25 each, which will earn you the right to ride one direction with a transfer valid for two hours.You can get a pre-paid card loaded with up to 12 trips (in bunches of 2) from licensed stores. Daily passes (2 for 1 on weekends) and monthly passes are also sold the same stores. Free for children below the age of 6. Drivers do not carry money and cannot change bills so do carry exact change - to buy your ticket you place the money in a cash drop box at the entry of the bus. Google Transit can be used to find the best itinerary. |
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Via Rail [http://www.viarail.ca] offers train service along the St. Lawrence river, up the Saguenay and in the Gaspé Peninsula. VIA is Québec's only intercity passenger train carrier, while '''[http://www.amt.qc.ca AMT]''' runs Montréal's suburban commuter trains. Trains run infrequently (compared to Europe). There are no high-speed trains in Québec. Buses are usually cheaper, with more daily connections. |
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Four of the bus lines are frequent-service lines called Metrobus. They are served by recognizable green and grey articulated buses. 800 and 801 both start in Ste-Foy, head toward the Old Town, and end in Beauport and Charlesbourg respectively. 802 starts at Beauport to Belvedere, through Limoilou and Saint-Sauveur. 803 runs along Lebourgneuf blvd and connects with the Galeries de la Capitale terminus. They can run as often as one every three minutes during rush hour. |
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[http://www.tshiuetin.net/index_an.html Tshiuetin Rail Transportation] runs a passenger train twice weekly on the QNS&L line between Sept-Îles and Schefferville. This isolated network, not connected to the rest of the North American rail system, briefly crosses out-of-province to serve Emeril, Labrador. |
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The Ecolobus, a short electric bus, was deemed inefficient and removed from service in January 2015. |
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As of 2015, two scenic tourist trains remain temporarily out of service: |
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The '''[http://www.stlevis.ca STLévis]''', Lévis's public transit, operates within the south shore of Quebec. There is also a shuttle from St-Augustin to Quebec. These different transit companies all pass through Quebec City, which explains the different colours of buses around town. |
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* Hull-Wakefield steam train, due to a track washout in 2011 which remains unrepaired. The historic rolling stock will likely be moved to some other departure and terminus, perhaps Montebello. |
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* Orford Express, a Magog-Sherbrooke dinner train, missed the 2014 and 2015 seasons due to fire damage to one of the panorama cars during renovation but will return in 2016. |
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===By |
===By bus=== |
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From Quebec to [[Lévis]], the ferry costs $7 for a car (including driver) and $3 for pedestrians and cyclists, and takes approx 15 minutes, all year round. There are departures every 20 minutes at peak hours, 30 minutes off peak. It gives the best view in town. |
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The main way to travel between cities is by bus. The bus network is very well developed, particularly for connections between Québec City-Montréal, Ottawa-Montréal and Toronto-Montréal. [[Montreal]]'s main bus station is located at 505 De Maisonneuve East. Buying tickets and making seat reservations is a good idea, particularly for Friday evening or holiday travel, but same day ticket purchase is also possible. |
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==See== |
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Within cities, public transit tends to be good by North American standards, though showing the signs of funding cuts in recent years. |
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[[Image:Quebec city lower town 2010.JPG|300px|right|thumb|Winter in the lower town]] |
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===By boat=== |
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Quebec City's main sight is the '''Old Town''', the upper part of which is surrounded by a stone wall built by both French and British armies. It is now a tourist district with many small boutiques and hundreds of historical and photographic points of interest. Some of the buildings are original structures, while others are built in the same style and architecture as former buildings. |
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Numerous cruises are available on the St. Lawrence River, one of the world’s biggest waterways [http://www.bonjourquebec.com/ca-en/stlaurentflots0.html]. |
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===Haute-Ville=== |
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* {{see |
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| name=Chateau Frontenac | alt= | url=http://www.fairmont.com/frontenac | email= |
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| address= | lat=46.81198 | long=-71.20495 | directions= |
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| phone= | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours= | price= |
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| content=Quebec City icon. Claimed to be the most photographed hotel in North America. Stay the night if you can (see ''Sleep'') and pop in for a martini if you can't (see ''Drink''). |
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}} |
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* {{see |
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| name=Dufferin Terrace | alt=Terrasse Dufferin | url= | email= |
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| address= | lat=46.81065 | long=-71.20424 | directions= |
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| phone= | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours= | price= |
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| content=Boardwalk situated alongside (east of) the Chateau Frontenac, and offers a grand view of the St. Lawrence River. |
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}} |
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* {{see |
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| name=Musée national des Beaux-arts du Québec | alt= | url=http://www.mnba.qc.ca | email= |
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| address= | lat=46.79935 | long=-71.22428 | directions= |
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| phone= | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours= | price=Permanent exhibits are free of charge while admission to the temporary exhibits is $15 for adults |
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| content=Located on the Battlefields park, the mission of this art museum is to promote and preserve Québec art of all periods and to ensure a place for international art through temporary exhibitions. You can also visit the old prison of Quebec City, which is now one of the two main pavilions of the Museum. An annex designed by renowned architectural firm OMA is currently being built. |
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}} |
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* {{see |
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| name=Musée de l'Amérique française | alt= | url=http://www.mcq.org/en/maf | email= |
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| address= | lat=46.81414 | long=-71.20656 | directions= |
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| phone= | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours= | price=$8 |
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| content= |
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}} |
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* {{see |
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| name=The Citadel | alt=La Citadelle | url=http://www.lacitadelle.qc.ca | email= |
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| address= | lat=46.80723 | long=-71.20739 | directions= |
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| phone= | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours= | price= |
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| content=This fortification at the juncture of the Old City wall and Grande Allée holds a changing of the guard ceremony mornings at 10AM complete with traditional bearskin hats, weather permitting. |
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}} |
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* {{see |
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| name=Plains of Abraham Battlefield Park | url=http://www.ccbn-nbc.gc.ca/_en | email= |
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| address= | lat= | long= | directions=Outside the Old City walls |
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| phone=+1 418 649-6157 | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours= | price= |
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| content=Site of the 1759 battle that saw the British conquer Quebec, now used for public events, sports, and leisure activities. |
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}} |
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* {{see |
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| name=Observatoire de la Capitale | alt= | url=http://www.observatoirecapitale.org | email= |
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| address= | lat=46.80812 | long=-71.21761 | directions=Outside the Old City walls |
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| phone= | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours= | price=Admission is $10 |
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| content=One of the tallest buildings in Quebec, offering a panoramic view of the whole city. |
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}} |
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West of Montréal, a ferry crossing connects Hudson to Oka across the Ottawa (Outaouais) River. |
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===Basse-Ville=== |
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[[Image:BasseVille Square.JPG|thumb|240px|Place-Royale]] |
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From the centre of Québec-Lévis downriver to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, the river widens and ferries become necessary as there are no bridges; a ferry crossing is also necessary to reach [[Tadoussac]] from Saint-Siméon on the north shore and to reach the [[Magdalen Islands]], which politically are part of Québec despite their proximity to [[Prince Edward Island]]. Coastal ferries are also needed to reach a few small, isolated communities east of Kegasha. |
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* {{see |
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| name=Place-Royale | alt= | url=http://www.mcq.org/en/cipr/index.html | email= |
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| address= | lat=46.81316 | long=-71.20277 | directions= |
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| phone= | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours= | price= |
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| content=The spot where Samuel de Champlain landed in 1608 and founded the first French settlement in North America, now converted into a postcard-pretty public square. Do not miss the huge '''mural''' covering the entire side of a nearby building; the figure with a hat standing at the base of the 'street' is Champlain. |
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}} |
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* {{see |
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| name=Musée de la civilisation | alt=Museum of Civilization | url=http://www.mcq.org/english/index.html | email= |
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| address=85 rue Dalhousie | lat=46.81511 | long=-71.20249 | directions= |
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| phone=+1 418 643-2158 | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours=Tu-Su 10AM-5PM | price=$13 |
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| content=Museum devoted to the world's peoples, with a well-done if still somewhat dull permanent exhibit on the history of Quebec. |
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}} |
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== |
==See== |
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* {{see |
* {{see |
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| name= |
| name=Provincial Parks | alt= | url=http://www.sepaq.com | email= |
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| address=1215 Grande Allée | lat= | long= | directions= |
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| phone=+1 418-528-0773 | tollfree= | fax=+1 418-528-0833 |
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| hours= | price= |
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| content=Residence of past lieutenant-governors from 1870-1966 and spread over 24 hectares, this garden features heritage buildings, wooded areas and gardens. |
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}} |
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==Do== |
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* {{do |
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| name=Horse-drawn carriages | url= | email= |
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| address= | lat= | long= | directions= |
| address= | lat= | long= | directions= |
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| phone= | tollfree= | fax= |
| phone= | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours= | price= |
| hours= | price= |
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| content=Quebec has 22 provincial parks (known as ''National'' parks in French and in official English documentation). They vary from smallish, easily accessible preserves to massive tracts of remote near-wildnerness and everything in between. |
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| content=A one-hour tour of the Old City. |
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}} |
}} |
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* {{ |
* {{see |
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| name= |
| name=Jardins de Metis | alt=Reford Gardens | url=http://www.jardinsmetis.com/english/ | email= |
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| address= | lat= | long= | directions= |
| address=200, route 132, Grand-Métis | lat= | long= | directions=located on route 132 mid-way between Rimouski and Matane |
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| phone= | tollfree= | fax= |
| phone=+1 418-775-2222 | tollfree= | fax=+1 418-775-6201 |
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| hours= | price=$ |
| hours=See Website for hours | price=$16 Adults, $8 Young Adult |
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| content=An internationally renowned centre for garden art and design. |
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| content=Beautiful views of the Chateau Frontenac and the Lower Old Town, and the other side of the river. Quite cheap and only one ticket is required for round trip if you stay aboard. (However, don't tell that to the ticket agent; some will insist on charging you the round trip fare.) |
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}} |
}} |
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*{{see |
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| name=Montmorency Falls | url= | email= |
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* {{do |
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| name=AML Cruises | url=http://www.croisieresaml.com/regions.html?S=1&RegionLink=QUE&L=En | email= |
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| address= | lat= | long= | directions= |
| address= | lat= | long= | directions= |
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| phone= | tollfree= | fax= |
| phone= | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours= | price= |
| hours= | price= |
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| content=A beautiful natural waterfall right outside Québec City, taller than Niagara Falls. |
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| content=Offers short '''three-hour cruises on the St-Lawrence river''' leaving from the docks nearby the ferry. One of the cruises leaves as the sun is setting and comes back when the sun is down for a stunning view of Quebec city by night. |
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}} |
}} |
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===Sites and attractions=== |
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* {{do |
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Québec has a number of sites and attractions. |
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| name=Choco-musee Erico | url=http://www.chocomusee.com/chacc_en.html | email= |
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| address= | lat= | long= | directions= |
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| phone= | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours= | price=Free admission |
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| content=A small museum of chocolate, talks about the history and making of chocolate. |
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}} |
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* '''Gardens''': the [[Montréal]] Botanical Garden, the Insectarium, Reford Gardens and the international garden festival in [[Gaspésie]] are among Québec’s garden attractions. |
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* {{do |
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| name=Ice Hotel | alt= | url=http://www.icehotel-canada.com | email= |
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| address= | lat= | long= | directions=Thirty minutes west of Quebec at Station Touristique Duchesnay on Lac St-Joseph, MetroBus 801 |
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| phone= | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours= | price= |
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| content=One of only two ice hotels in the world, from January to early April the Ice Hotel is a must-see. $17.50 will get you full tour during the day, after 8PM access to the guest rooms is restricted to guests only. The best time to go here is just before dark so you can see the hotel in natural lighting and then artificially lit. Each room is themed and decorated with exquisite ice sculptures. Rooms start at $299/night. Includes an ice bar where you can get a drink served in an ice glass. For the romantics, there is a wedding chapel complete with snow pews. |
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}} |
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* '''Museums''': Québec has over 400 museums. |
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* {{do |
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| name=Governeur's Walk | url= | email= |
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* '''Religious heritage''': St. Joseph’s Oratory, the Basilique Notre-Dame-de-Québec. |
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| address= | lat= | long= | directions= |
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| phone= | tollfree= | fax= |
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* '''Historical sites''': the fortifications of [[Québec City]], Old [[Montréal]]. There is a limited historic district in [[Trois-Rivières]], portions of which were lost to fire in the early 1900's. |
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| hours= | price= |
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| content=Scenic walk starting at the top of the Funiculare, continuing along the wall over looking the old city. The many staircases lead to overlooks offering scenic views of the St. Lawrence. The walk ends at the gazebo on the Plains of Abraham. |
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}} |
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==Buy== |
==Buy== |
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[[ |
[[File:Quebec city lower town 2010.JPG|thumb|250px|right|Shopping in the Petit Champlain district of Old Québec in Québec City]] |
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* Prices are marked without tax (unless otherwise indicated). At the cash register, a 5% goods and services tax (GST – federal tax) and a 9.5% provincial sales tax (QST), i.e. 14.975%, will be added to the marked price. Certain items are not taxed at the same rate. This is the case with foods such as muffins or pastries, which are best bought in quantities of six or more (when sold individually, they are considered a prepared meal for immediate consumption and taxed). Fuel prices are in litres and displayed with all taxes included; fuel taxes are higher in Montréal and Québec City (by about a dime a litre) and lower at the provincial border. It's best to fill up before entering the province and certainly before even thinking of venturing onto Montréal island. |
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Quebec City's Old Town, especially Basse-Ville, is riddled with shops for tourists. Watch for leather goods and various handmade crafts made by Canada's First Nations Peoples. |
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* Since April 2007, tourists can no longer obtain reimbursement of the QST. |
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* {{buy |
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| name=Marché du Vieux-Port | url= | email= |
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| address=160 Quai Saint-André | lat= | long= | directions= |
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| phone= | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours=Open daily 8AM-8PM | price= |
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| content=Farmers' market just north of Basse-Ville, offering cheap and tasty local produce. |
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}} |
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* Tipping: Like elsewhere in North America, servers in restaurants and bars earn only a modest salary. This is why tipping is systematic when ordering in bars or restaurants (tipping does not apply to fast food or take-out food). A tip should be about 15% of the pre-tax price. Tips also apply to taxis, drinking establishments, restaurants and hair salons. |
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* {{buy |
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| name=Place Laurier, Place de la Cité, Place Ste-Foy | url= | email= |
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| address=2700 boulevard Laurier | lat= | long= | directions=located in the Ste-Foy district, to the west of the downtown |
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| phone= | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours= | price= |
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| content=Three large shopping malls right next to each other. Place Laurier boasts being the largest shopping mall in eastern Canada. |
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}} |
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* Alcohol and tobacco: Alcoholic drinks and cigarettes are subject to specific taxes. Wines and spirits are particularly expensive: up to three times the European price for French wine, for instance (and 50% more when ordering a bottle of wine in a restaurant, hence the appeal of the “bring your own wine” formula). It is advisable to buy local wines, which are very comparable to French wines and less expensive. This enables you to support local products, which need it given the small market. Cigarettes cost between $7 and $9.50 a pack (a pack contains 25 cigarettes). Canadian cigarettes have quite a different taste than U.S. or French brands. Keep in mind, though, that since May 31, 2006, smoking is prohibited in all public places in Québec, including bars, restaurants and theatres. |
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* {{buy |
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| name=Galeries de la Capitale | url= | email= |
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| address=5401, boulevard des Galeries | lat= | long= | directions=Located in the Lebourgneuf neighborhood of Les Rivieres borough |
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| phone= | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours= | price= |
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| content=Large shopping mall towards the north of the city which boasts 280 stores and 35 restaurants. Also contains an IMAX theater and an indoor amusement park which includes a Ferris wheel, a roller coaster and a skating rink for hockey games. |
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}} |
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* {{buy |
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| name=La Vie Sportive | alt= | url=http://www.viesportive.com | email=contact@viesportive.com |
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| address=600 rue Bouvier | lat= | long= | directions= |
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| phone=+1 418-623-8368 | tollfree=+1-888-347-7678 | fax= |
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| hours=09:30-17:30 | price= |
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| lastedit=2015-08-27 |
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| content=Technical clothing and sport equipment store since 35 years. |
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}} |
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==Eat== |
==Eat== |
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[[Image:Gastronomie de Montréal, Québec.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Québec cuisine]] |
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All restaurants in the Old City will post menus out front in French and in English. Look for the ''table d'hote'' specials for a full course fixed price meal. On the cheaper (but very satisfying) side, have a traditional ''tourtière québecoise'' (meat pie), or a ''poutine'' (fries, gravy, and cheese curds). |
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* Québec’s cuisine derives its rich flavour from a blend of influences. It has a solid French culinary base and is enriched by the contribution of the Amerindian peoples and the different cultural communities that have made the province their home. This blend of culinary cultures is what makes Québec cuisine what it is today. Many quality regional products are also used in its cuisine. Terroir products that grace Québec tables include ice cider, micro-brewed beer, wine and over 100 different varieties of cheese. |
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*Another unique feature of Québec is the '''sugar shack''' (cabane à sucre), a family culinary tradition of eating maple products to the rhythms of Québec folklore. You can go as a group at the beginning of spring, during March and April. Most sugar bushes also sell maple products on site (maple butter, taffy and syrup) at very attractive prices. If this formula interests you, be sure to reserve in advance, and—in true tradition—go in as large a group as possible. It’s customary for several families to go together, but there’s no obligation to do so, particularly seeing as people rarely travel in groups of 50! Certain sugar bushes are open year round. |
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The café culture is very much a part of Quebec City as in most of Europe. It should be very easy to find a quaint cafe around Marche Champlain, and around the Chateau. Food is fairly expensive in Quebec, and even a simpler café or bar may be costly. |
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* Other Québec culinary specialities include: shepherd’s pie, poutine, sugar pie, pouding chômeur (a sponge cake with a maple syrup sauce), maple syrup, baked beans, tourtière (a meat pie), cretons (a pork spread with onions and spices), etc. |
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Most Quebec City delicatessens and markets offer a large variety of Quebec cheese from farms in the surrounding countryside. Specialty of the region include brie or camembert style cheeses made with raw milk (lait cru), which endows the cheese with superior flavors and textures not usually found in North American cheeses of the same type. |
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* '''Maple syrup''' (French: ''sirop d'érable'') is the sticky, drippy giant on Quebec's culinary landscape. Boiled down from sap of the maple tree in sugar shacks (''cabanes à sucre'') around the province, it's got a more tangy flavor than the corn-based pancake syrup you may be used to. Different types of candies are obtained by pushing the boiling process further and are popular gifts during springtime. Also don't miss taffy-on-the-snow (''tire sur neige''). In Quebec, the syrup is used for more than just pancakes, though. You can find it as a glaze for pork and beef, mixed in with baked beans (''fèves au lard''), or in desserts like ''pouding chômeur'' ("welfare cake") or ''tarte au sucre'' (sugar pie). It's also made into loose sugar and candies. Syrup is on sale practically anywhere you want to go, but if you really want to take some home, stop into a farmer's market or a grocery store rather than a tourist shop. You can get the same high-quality syrup as at the souvenir stand for about half the price. |
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*{{eat |
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| name=Le Patriarche | url=http://www.lepatriarche.com | email= |
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| address=17, Saint-Stanislas, Québec G1R 4G7 | lat= | long= | directions= |
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| phone=+1 418 692-5488 | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours= | price= |
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| content=Set in a decor inspired by its old stone walls. Imbued with a unique architectural cachet, this 1827 heritage home-turned-restaurant has been serving discerning gourmets since 1965. |
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}} |
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[[Image:Food Poutine Closeup.JPG|thumb|250px|right|A mouth-wateringly delicious-looking plate of ''poutine'']] |
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=== Haute-Ville === |
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* {{eat |
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| name=Aux Anciens Canadiens | url=http://www.auxancienscanadiens.qc.ca/ | email= |
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| address=34 rue Saint-Louis | lat= | long= | directions= |
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| phone=+1 418-692-1627 | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours= | price= |
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| content=Specializes in Quebecois cooking, including dishes that feature caribou, buffalo, or wapiti. The ''table d'hote'' (the local term for ''prix-fixe''), served until 17h45, is quite a good deal at $19.95. Reservations recommended. |
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}} |
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* No visit to Quebec is complete without at least one plate of '''''poutine'''''. This unique dish is a plate of French fries, drowned in gravy, and topped with chewy white cheddar cheese curds . There are variations on the theme—adding chicken, beef, vegetables or sausage, or replacing the gravy with tomato meat sauce (''poutine italienne''). Poutine can be found in practically any fast-food chain restaurant in Quebec, but higher-quality fare can be found at more specialized poutine shops. Local restaurant chains are your best bet. One great spot for trying out poutine is Ashton (in the Québec City area), where, in January only, you will get a discount based on the outdoor temperature (the colder it is outside, the cheaper the poutine!). The origin of poutine is still under debate, but it was first served in Drummondville in 1964, at the Roy Jucep restaurant owned by Mr. Roy. Since then, the surrounding areas have been trying to lay claim to its creation. |
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* {{eat |
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| name=Casse-Crepe Breton | url=http://cassecrepebreton.com/ | email= |
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| address=1136 rue Saint-Jean | lat= | long= | directions= |
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| phone=+1 418-692-0438 | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours=8AM-6PM | price= |
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| content=Inexpensive crepes, starting at about $5. Usually a long line to enter, due to the fact that the restaurant is rather small. Come early. |
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}} |
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* Befitting the province's sub-arctic climate, Québécois cuisine favors rich, hot foods with more calories than you want to know about. '''Tourtière du Lac-Saint-Jean''' for instance is a deep-dish pie, typically from the [[Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean]] region, made of various meats (usually beef and pork, often including game, cut into small cubes) and diced potatoes, baked together in a flakey pastry shell. |
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* {{eat |
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| name=Cafe-Boulangerie Paillard | url=http://www.paillard.ca/ | email= |
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| address=1097 rue Saint-Jean | lat= | long= | directions= |
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| phone=+1 418-692-1221 | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours=7:30AM-7PM | price= |
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| content=Good selection of Viennese pastries and gelato. Locals line up to buy inexpensive soups, sandwiches, and pizza. |
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}} |
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==Sleep== |
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* {{eat |
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Quebec offers the usual range of North American accommodations including hostels, chain motels, and high-end resort hotels. Particular to Quebec are '''''Auberge''''', literally "Inn" but range from faux-lodge style motels to '''''Gites''''', B&B style guest houses with sometimes only a single room for rent. |
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| name=Le Continental | url= | email= |
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| address=26 rue Saint-Louis | lat= | long= | directions=one block west of the Chateau Frontenac |
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| phone=+1 418-694-9995 | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours= | price= |
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| content=Warm, cozy environment. Fantastic food--shrimp scampi that melts in your mouth, filet mignon cooked at table side, and other delectable dishes. Expensive but well worth it. |
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}} |
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==Stay safe== |
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* {{eat |
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Quebec is generally a safe place, with the exception of a few "bad" neighbourhoods of Montreal and Quebec City. Visitors should use common sense when travelling, as they would anywhere else, and keep cars locked so that they do not fall prey to theft. |
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| name=Le Petit Coin Latin | url= | email= |
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| address=8 1/2 rue Sainte-Ursule | lat= | long= | directions= |
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| phone=+1 418-692-2022 | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours= | price= |
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| content=Quiet but pleasant atmosphere, nice made-in-quebec music, friendly staff. Serves good quality breakfast for $6.25 starting at 8AM. Serves good [[w:Raclette|Raclette dish]]. |
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}} |
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== Respect == |
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* {{eat |
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* It is considered respectful to refer to Quebec citizens as Quebecer (m. Québécois, f. Québécoise) and not French-Canadian. Most citizens of Quebec who are not separatists still feel more Québécois than Canadian, but at the same time Québec is not France so many prefer to identify as "francophone" (which indicates only French language) instead of "français" (which is ambiguous, as it can infer French as a national citizenship). |
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| name=Le Saint-Amour | url=http://saint-amour.com/index.php?lang=en | email= |
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| address=48 rue Sainte-Ursule | lat= | long= | directions= |
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| phone=+1 418-694-0667 | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours= | price= |
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| content=Expensive. The environment is a mish-mash of styles that do not seem to work together. The wait staff is friendly and knowledgeable. The French food is well-prepared but probably the most expensive restaurant in Quebec City and you should be aware of this fact. On the other hand, this restaurant is a must for stars visiting Quebec City, Paul McCartney had dinner at the St-Amour in 2008 the night before his concert. |
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}} |
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* Generally, expressing yourself in French is considered by Quebecers as a sign of respect and is much appreciated. People working in the tourism industry often speak several languages. Many young people (especially in the Montreal area and the federal capital region) are perfectly bilingual and will speak in English if they see you struggling. Don't be afraid to ask for a French lesson; most locals will be happy to teach you a couple of words. |
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* {{eat |
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| name=Les Frères de la Côte | url=http://www.lesfreresdelacoteqc.com/en/index.php | email= |
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| address=1190 rue Saint-Jean | lat= | long= | directions= |
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| phone=+1-418-692-5445 | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours= | price=$30 |
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| content=Filled with more locals than tourists, this small eatery serves up a good selection of European dishes including their trademark ''moules'' (mussels). |
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}} |
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* Québec’s language is key to the province’s cultural identity, and its inhabitants battled for several centuries to preserve it against the odds. Quebecers have heard it all when it comes to making fun of their linguistic particularities, so it’s best to avoid this. In Québec, "French from France" isn’t "real French" so much as merely associated with a foreign accent. Quebecers view it as an insult to be told they speak "franglais" (French mixed with English), "joual" (a local backwater slang dialect) or some other language which is not "comprehensible" French, "proper" French or "bon français". |
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* {{eat |
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| name=Moine Échanson | url=http://www.lemoineechanson.com/ | email= |
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| address=585 rue Saint-Jean | lat= | long= | directions=Outside the Old City walls, about 4 blocks west of the St-Jean Gate |
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| phone=+1-418-524-7832 | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours= | price=$15 |
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| priceextra=entrée |
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| content=Outside the purlieu of the mechanized tourist cafeterias of the Old Town, this warm restaurant produces high-quality food and drink in small, manageable doses. They have a short but provocative nightly menu, and the food is produced by hand with the loving attention of chefs who care about their craft. Great cellar of organic wines that will surprise you with their depth. |
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}} |
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* There is a substantial English-speaking minority (about half a million people) concentrated mostly in Montréal's western suburbs or in border communities (such as the Outaouais region, near Ontario; also the Eastern Townships, near Vermont). If you say something in broken French and get a response in flawless English (as a first language), you might be speaking to a fellow anglophone... at that point, stay in English or you will feel rather silly. |
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* {{eat |
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| name=Pizzeria La Primavera | url= | email= |
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| address=73 rue Saint-Louis | lat= | long= | directions= |
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| phone=+1 418-694-0030 | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours= | price= |
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| content=Pizzas baked in a wood-fired oven. Expensive and small portions. Surcharge of $3.25 per pizza to cut them into two. 10% service charge added to the bill. |
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}} |
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* Like in several Canadian provinces, it is officially prohibited to smoke inside public buildings, including restaurants, bars and theatres. It is also forbidden to smoke within a nine-metre (30-foot) perimeter of the doors to public buildings (there is often a visible line delineating this perimeter in front of hospitals, CLSCs, etc.) and it is forbidden to smoke anywhere on school property. |
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* {{eat |
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| name=Samurai Restaurant Japonais | url= | email= |
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| address=780 rue Saint-Jean | lat= | long= | directions=Outside the Old City walls, about 2 blocks west of the St-Jean Gate and one block north of the Convention Centre |
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| phone=+1 418-522-3989 | tollfree= | fax= |
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| hours= | price= |
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| content=Good Japanese food in a small comfortable setting. Midi-Express (lunch) starting at $9.95 is a good deal and includes soup or salad, main course, and coffee or dessert. NOW CLOSED :( |
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}} |
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===Touchy subjects=== |
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* {{eat |
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* The issue of '''sovereignty''' is an ''extremely'' complicated and emotional issue, on which Québécois are almost evenly divided. Québéc francophone media give equal coverage to both sides, something which would be unthinkable in another province or in media serving linguistic minorities. Even those who aren't ''souverainistes'' speak of Quebec as a nation with national parks, national assembly and national capital which can be confusing as both levels of government use terms like "parc national" or "région de la capitale nationale" with different meaning. To further complicate matters, there are innocuous local translations for the word "national(e)" that do not contemplate a sovereign nation-state, such as the Canadian Parliament's acknowledgment of a Québécois nation. The discussion of Québécois politics is therefore best left to Québécois. |
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| name=L'Astral | url=http://www.loewshotels.com/en/restaurants/l-astral | email= |
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| address=1225 Cours du General-De Montcalm | lat= | long= | directions=Sitated just outside of the city walls on Grande Allée Est, which runs alongside the Parliament Building. |
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* Although Quebec is part of Canada, you'll see few maple leaf flags, and the Quebec media outlets don't emphasize connections with the ''ROC'' ("Rest of Canada"). Some Quebecers consider the display of the Canadian flag to be an inflammatory symbol of Canadian "dominance"; others see displays of the Quebec flag as overzealous ethnic nationalism. Phrases like ''here in Canada'' or ''as a Canadian'' may make your conversational partner ill at ease. Depending of the region, very few people will celebrate Canada Day (July 1) but Quebec's National (la Saint-Jean Baptiste on June 24) is probably the most important party throughout the province. (Ottawa-Gatineau may be an exception, as the "Outaouais" portion of the federal capital region celebrates both days.) In fact, the holiday of the first of July is traditionally used by most Quebecers for moving to their new apartment or house. |
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| phone=+1 418-780-3602 | tollfree= | fax=+1 418-647-4710 |
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| hours= | price= |
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| content=Located at the top of the Concorde Hotel this revolving restaurant offers unrivaled 360° views over the city and French style cuisine. Also known for its Sunday brunch. |
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}} |
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* Note also that '''Quebec is not France'''. Calling Quebecers "french fries", or jokes with French stereotypes (impoliteness, poor hygiene, eating frogs' legs, and especially "surrendering") will bring puzzled stares, or at best show that you have no idea which continent you're on. It is as illogical as applying British stereotypes to Americans just because of the historical and linguistic ties. Comparing Québécois culture and language unfavourably to France's is best avoided. Although Quebec and France have many ties, the Québécois typically regard themselves as a distinct culture quite separate from the country that "abandoned" them three centuries ago. |
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=== Basse-Ville === |
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* {{eat |
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==Connect== |
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| name=Cochon Dingue | url=http://www.cochondingue.com/ | email= |
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Most hotels and hostels offer Internet access and many have on-site computers for guests to use. Montreal has a free WiFi program called Île Sans Fil (''Wireless Island''), look for the sticker in café and restaurant windows. Wi-fi is also available in some coffee shops and public libraries. |
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| address=46 blvd Champlain | lat= | long= | directions=Basse-Ville |
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| phone= | tollfree= | fax= |
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Québec's main telephone area codes are +1-418 (Québec City and east), +1-819 (western Québec, Outaouais, Trois-Rivières, Eastern Townships), +1-514 (Montréal Island) and +1-450 (Laval and the southwestern corner of the province). Additional area codes have been overlaid onto all of these regions, breaking seven-digit dialling throughout the province. |
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| hours= | price= |
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| content=Touristy, but in a good way — the "Crazy Pig" is cavernous but usually packed, with hefty portions from a frequently-changing menu. Lunch specials are good value at $10-15, including starter and coffee. |
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Postal codes for Québec begin with G (Québec City and eastern Québec), H (Montréal and Laval) and J (western Québec). H0H 0H0 is reserved for seasonal use. |
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}} |
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{{usableregion}} |
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{{geo|53.7500|-71.9833}} |
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{{isPartOf|Canada}} |
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{{related|French phrasebook}} |
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[[Commons:Category:Quebec]] |
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[[WikiPedia:Quebec]] |
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[[Dmoz:Regional/North America/Canada/Quebec/]] |
Revision as of 07:01, 9 December 2015
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/89/Le_ch%C3%A2teau_Frontenac_Vieux-Qu%C3%A9bec%2C_ville_de_Qu%C3%A9bec%2C_Qu%C3%A9bec.jpg/325px-Le_ch%C3%A2teau_Frontenac_Vieux-Qu%C3%A9bec%2C_ville_de_Qu%C3%A9bec%2C_Qu%C3%A9bec.jpg)
For the city bearing the same name see Quebec City.
Quebec (French: Québec) is a province in Canada, the largest in size and second only to Ontario in population. French is the first language of a majority of Quebecois and the official language of the province. Quebec is situated east of Ontario; to the west of Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island; to the south of the territory of Nunavut, and has borders with the U.S. States of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine to its south. The provincial capital of Quebec is Quebec City, the province's largest city is Montreal, the second largest city in Canada.
Québec is unique among North American tourist destinations. Its French heritage sets the province apart from its English-speaking neighbours, and unlike most of Canada, Quebec's cultural ties are closer to Western Europe than to the United States. It is also one of the only historical areas in North America to have fully preserved its Francophone culture. Its European feel and its history, culture and warmth have made Québec a favourite tourist destination both nationally and internationally.
Regions
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7b/Quebec_regions.png/450px-Quebec_regions.png)
Outaouais The Québec side of the Ottawa River with mountains, forests and plenty of outdoors activities. Gatineau, as part of the National Capital Region, has many fine museums. |
Montreal and Southwestern Quebec (Montréal, Montérégie, Eastern Townships, Laurentides, Lanaudière) The culturally rich and lively city of Montréal plus its suburbs. South of the St. Lawrence River, there are small towns, farmland, lakes and hills. Parts of the area were settled by Loyalists from the American Revolution giving the area a bit of a New England feel. The mountains north of the river are Montréal's playground. |
Quebec City and Central Quebec (Quebec Region, Centre-du-Québec, Chaudière-Appalaches, Mauricie, Charlevoix) This is the heartland of Québec. Quebec City is the capital of the province with a European feel and charming Old Town. To the southwest is the prime agricultural region of the province. |
Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean A very distinctive region of Québec with its own culture, accent and geography. The region is highlighted by one of the few fjords on the east coast of Canada. |
Southeastern Quebec (Gaspé Peninsula, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Îles-de-la-Madeleine) The rugged coastal region of Québec east of Québec City and south of the St. Lawrence River with small towns and villages hugging the coast. The Gaspé is considered particularly scenic. |
Northeastern Quebec (Duplessis, Manicouagan) The rugged coastal region northeast of the Saguenay River on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River. |
Northern Quebec (Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Baie-James, Nunavik) The sparsely inhabited north and northwestern region of the province, with logging and mining towns and hydro electric projects, as well as Inuit and other Native communities. |
Cities
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b4/ChateauFrontenac.jpg/250px-ChateauFrontenac.jpg)
The three largest cities in Québec are Montréal, Québec City and Gatineau.
- Quebec City - Capital city of Québec and cultural centre.
- Gaspé - Small city on the ruggedly beautiful Atlantic peninsula of the same name.
- Gatineau - All the advantages of a big city without the inconveniences. Just outside Ottawa.
- Magog - Popular vacation town on Memphrémagog Lake, base for exploring the Eastern Townships
- Montréal - Québec's largest city, cultural and financial centre.
- Mont-Tremblant - Skiing, camping, and hiking at this mountain resort town.
- Saguenay - Gateway to the North. From here, head west to gather blueberries around Lac St. Jean or east to see the whales from Tadoussac.
- Sherbrooke - Largest city in the Eastern Townships.
- Trois-Rivières - Located halfway between Montréal and Québec City on the St. Lawrence River.
Other destinations
- Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré - Large, elaborate church east of Québec City, near Montmorency Falls and the pastoral Île d'Orléans
- Sept-Îles - Departure point for the railway to Labrador City and the ferry to Anticosti
Understand
- Québec was a French colony for more than two centuries, between the arrival of Jacques Cartier in 1534 and Governor Vaudreuil’s capitulation to the English in 1760.
- It is the only province in Canada where French is the sole official language, and it is one of the rare former French colonies in North America where French is still spoken.
- Québec is Canada’s second most populous province. It has 8 million inhabitants, including 6.4 million (approx. 80%) whose mother tongue is French.
- French is the mother tongue of 82% of Quebecers, and English is the mother tongue of 10% of the population. The remaining 8% is divided among some 30 languages such as, in order of importance, Italian, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Greek. However, it is very easy to travel in Québec speaking only English, especially in Montréal, and to a lesser extent, Québec City. In fact, over 40% of the population is bilingual. In major cities like Montréal, this percentage is as high as 64%, and 16% of the population speaks a third language.
- The majority of the population lives in the vicinity of the St. Lawrence River, in the southern portion of the province. The population is largely urbanized; close to 50% of Quebecers live in the metropolitan area of Montréal.
Climate
There are four distinct seasons in Québec, offering a wonderful view of the nature and variety of activities.
- Summer (June to September): Summers in Québec are hot but the season offers many festivals and outdoor activities.
- Fall (September to end of October): The leaves change colour in Québec, creating breathtakingly colourful landscapes.
- Winter (November to end of March): Québec’s extremely low temperatures and abundance of snowfall makes skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing, snowmobiling and dogsledding possible. In December, Québec’s vast outdoors turns into a snow-covered white dreamland. March and April mark the maple syrup festivities in the sugar shacks, as the maple trees awaken from the winter cold and prepare for the forthcoming springtime.
- Spring (April and May): While April may still be relatively cold at times and another large snowfall can occur, April feels like winter is at, long last, over. As May approaches, nature awakens, trees start to bloom and the air warms, welcoming everybody to a magnificent, colourful outdoor scenery.
Talk
See also French phrasebook
Canada is officially bilingual on the federal level, meaning that most federal government official documents, signs, and tourist information will be presented in both French and English. Staff at retail shops, restaurants and tourist attractions will often speak English, especially in Montréal. Smaller establishments, especially outside Montréal, may not offer services in English but try their best to accommodate travellers. About 8% of the province's residents speak English as a mother tongue, and an additional 31% consider that they can get by speaking it. All offices of the federal government are required by law to provide services in both French and English.
The official language of Québec, however, is French. Provincial government signs (highway signs, government buildings, hospitals, etc.) are generally posted in French only. Services at provincial government offices are also often available in French only. Tourist information is offered in English and other languages. The visibility of commercial signs and billboards in English and other languages is restricted by law (except for English-language media and cultural venues such as theatres, cinemas and bookstores). Most businesses will not have signs in English except in tourist areas and localities with a large English-speaking population. Language is a very sensitive subject politically, particularly in Montréal. If you cannot read a sign in a store or restaurant, most sales people will be sympathetic and help you find your way. Most restaurants in tourist areas will supply English menus if asked.
82% of Québec’s population is francophone, but English is also commonly spoken, particularly in the province’s major cities such as Montréal where the percentage is 24%. For French-speaking people from elsewhere, the French spoken in Québec is often difficult to understand. Books have been published on Québec expressions, and these may be worth consulting if you are planning to stay in Québec for any length of time.
Isolated from France for centuries, and unaffected by that country's 19th-century language standardization, Québec has developed its own "accent" of French similar to the one in France in the 16th century, a kind of time capsule. The continental variety—called "international French" or français international here—is well-understood, and something closely approximating it is spoken by broadcasters and many businesspeople. While Quebecers usually understand European French, European tourists may feel lost until they grow accustomed to the local accent(s).
There are a few main differences between Québécois French and continental French-from-France. One is that in Quebec it's relatively common to tutoyer (use the familiar tu second-person pronoun instead of vous when saying you) for all, regardless of age or status (though there are common exceptions to this in the workplace and the classroom). In France, it would be considered impolite. The unrelated interrogative particle -tu is used to form yes-or-no questions, as in On y va-tu? "Shall we go?" Finally, there are a number of vocabulary words that differ, particularly in very informal contexts (for example, un char for a car, rather than une voiture), and some common expressions (C'est beau [literally It's nice] for "OK" or "fine"). Overall, however, pronunciation marks the most significant difference between Québec and European French.
Probably the most puzzling difference in Québec's French is that one will often sacrer (blaspheme or swear) rather than using scatological or sexual curse words. Terms like baptême (baptism) or viarge (deformation of vierge, virgin) have become slangy and taboo over the centuries in this once fervently Catholic culture. Hostie de tabarnac! ("communion wafer of the tabernacle!") or just tabarnak! is one of the most obscene things to say, and more polite versions like tabarnouche or tabarouette are equivalent to "darn" or "fudge!"
Although sacre may seem funny, be assured that Quebeckers, particularly the older generation, do take it seriously. Don't sacre any time you don't really mean it! But be sure that younger Quebeckers may be fond of teaching you a little sacrage lesson if you ask them.
English-speaking Quebeckers are generally bilingual and reside mostly in the Montréal area, where 25% of the population speaks English at home. Aside from the occasional borrowing of local French terms ("dépanneur" as opposed to corner store or convenience store), their English differs little from standard Canadian English, including the occasional "eh" at the end of the sentence; accents are influenced heavily by ethnicity, with distinct Irish, Italian, Jewish, and Greek inflections heard in Montréal neighbourhoods. Conversations between anglophones and francophones often slip unconsciously between English and French as a mutual show of respect. This can be confusing if you're not bilingual, and a look of puzzlement will generally signal a switch back to a language everyone can understand.
Although English-speakers will usually greet strangers in French, it is considered pretentious and overzealous for a native English-speaker to continue a conversation in French with other English speakers (though two francophones will easily converse together in English when in a room of anglophones). Local English-speakers may also refer to street names by their English names as oppose to the posted French names, but this is getting rarer (for example, Mountain Street for rue de la Montagne, Pine Avenue for avenue des Pins).
Some French-language radio stations, including those with "classic rock" formats, play up to 50% English-language music but announce everything in French.
There is one daily English-language broadsheet newspaper (la Gazette) in Montréal and a few English-language radio stations, which play very little French-language music (typically 5%, with no French-language announcements).
Get in
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/91/A%C3%A9roport_Montr%C3%A9al-Trudeau_2010.jpg/250px-A%C3%A9roport_Montr%C3%A9al-Trudeau_2010.jpg)
By plane
There are flights to Québec from major cities in North America, Europe and Asia. Montréal is a 70-minute flight from New York and is less than 6 hours and 45 minutes by air from London or Paris.
Québec has two major international airports: Montréal's Trudeau International Airport, which has direct flights to most major Canadian and U.S. cities as well as selected European destinations (including daily flights to Paris, London and Frankfurt), is located in the suburb of Dorval, about 30 minutes from downtown. Quebec City's Jean Lesage Airport is much smaller but also serves several Canadian and US destinations (including Toronto, New York (Newark), Chicago and Detroit), as well as Paris (Air France and Air Transat). Jean Lesage Airport is located in L'Ancienne-Lorette, about 25 minutes drive west of downtown Québec City. Gatineau only has a tiny local airport as most of its intercity traffic is routed through nearby Ottawa.
By train
From the US, the Amtrak "Adirondack" runs from New York City once a day, with stops connecting to bus routes serving upstate New York. The trip is a scenic 6 hours along the Hudson River, but be prepared for delays at the border that can tack on 2–3 hours to the trip.
VIA Rail Canada, the federal passenger railway, operates numerous trains daily from both Toronto and Ottawa to Montréal, with multiple connections to Québec City. They also run a daily train from Halifax, Nova Scotia, stopping in Moncton, New Brunswick into Montréal. A more scenic route follows the Gaspe Peninsula. Significant discounts are available to youths and to university students carrying as ISIC Card (International Student Identity Card).
Tshiuetin Rail Transportation operates two trains weekly which pass through Emeril, Labrador on their route to Sept-Îles, Qué. from Schefferville, Qué.
Get around
Québec has a vast road and air network that makes it easy to travel between cities.
By plane
Using air transportation to travel between the different cities in Québec (Gatineau-Québec City, Montréal-Québec City, Montréal-Bagotville) is possible but usually too expensive to be worthwhile. Air travel is indispensable for getting around northern Québec (except for the Baie-James region, which is served by a paved highway), because there are no highways or railways serving these remote areas.
By train
Via Rail [1] offers train service along the St. Lawrence river, up the Saguenay and in the Gaspé Peninsula. VIA is Québec's only intercity passenger train carrier, while AMT runs Montréal's suburban commuter trains. Trains run infrequently (compared to Europe). There are no high-speed trains in Québec. Buses are usually cheaper, with more daily connections.
Tshiuetin Rail Transportation runs a passenger train twice weekly on the QNS&L line between Sept-Îles and Schefferville. This isolated network, not connected to the rest of the North American rail system, briefly crosses out-of-province to serve Emeril, Labrador.
As of 2015, two scenic tourist trains remain temporarily out of service:
- Hull-Wakefield steam train, due to a track washout in 2011 which remains unrepaired. The historic rolling stock will likely be moved to some other departure and terminus, perhaps Montebello.
- Orford Express, a Magog-Sherbrooke dinner train, missed the 2014 and 2015 seasons due to fire damage to one of the panorama cars during renovation but will return in 2016.
By bus
The main way to travel between cities is by bus. The bus network is very well developed, particularly for connections between Québec City-Montréal, Ottawa-Montréal and Toronto-Montréal. Montreal's main bus station is located at 505 De Maisonneuve East. Buying tickets and making seat reservations is a good idea, particularly for Friday evening or holiday travel, but same day ticket purchase is also possible.
Within cities, public transit tends to be good by North American standards, though showing the signs of funding cuts in recent years.
By boat
Numerous cruises are available on the St. Lawrence River, one of the world’s biggest waterways [2].
West of Montréal, a ferry crossing connects Hudson to Oka across the Ottawa (Outaouais) River.
From the centre of Québec-Lévis downriver to the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, the river widens and ferries become necessary as there are no bridges; a ferry crossing is also necessary to reach Tadoussac from Saint-Siméon on the north shore and to reach the Magdalen Islands, which politically are part of Québec despite their proximity to Prince Edward Island. Coastal ferries are also needed to reach a few small, isolated communities east of Kegasha.
See
- Provincial Parks. Quebec has 22 provincial parks (known as National parks in French and in official English documentation). They vary from smallish, easily accessible preserves to massive tracts of remote near-wildnerness and everything in between.
- Jardins de Metis (Reford Gardens), 200, route 132, Grand-Métis (located on route 132 mid-way between Rimouski and Matane), ☏ +1 418-775-2222, fax: +1 418-775-6201. See Website for hours. An internationally renowned centre for garden art and design. $16 Adults, $8 Young Adult.
- Montmorency Falls. A beautiful natural waterfall right outside Québec City, taller than Niagara Falls.
Sites and attractions
Québec has a number of sites and attractions.
- Gardens: the Montréal Botanical Garden, the Insectarium, Reford Gardens and the international garden festival in Gaspésie are among Québec’s garden attractions.
- Museums: Québec has over 400 museums.
- Religious heritage: St. Joseph’s Oratory, the Basilique Notre-Dame-de-Québec.
- Historical sites: the fortifications of Québec City, Old Montréal. There is a limited historic district in Trois-Rivières, portions of which were lost to fire in the early 1900's.
Buy
- Prices are marked without tax (unless otherwise indicated). At the cash register, a 5% goods and services tax (GST – federal tax) and a 9.5% provincial sales tax (QST), i.e. 14.975%, will be added to the marked price. Certain items are not taxed at the same rate. This is the case with foods such as muffins or pastries, which are best bought in quantities of six or more (when sold individually, they are considered a prepared meal for immediate consumption and taxed). Fuel prices are in litres and displayed with all taxes included; fuel taxes are higher in Montréal and Québec City (by about a dime a litre) and lower at the provincial border. It's best to fill up before entering the province and certainly before even thinking of venturing onto Montréal island.
- Since April 2007, tourists can no longer obtain reimbursement of the QST.
- Tipping: Like elsewhere in North America, servers in restaurants and bars earn only a modest salary. This is why tipping is systematic when ordering in bars or restaurants (tipping does not apply to fast food or take-out food). A tip should be about 15% of the pre-tax price. Tips also apply to taxis, drinking establishments, restaurants and hair salons.
- Alcohol and tobacco: Alcoholic drinks and cigarettes are subject to specific taxes. Wines and spirits are particularly expensive: up to three times the European price for French wine, for instance (and 50% more when ordering a bottle of wine in a restaurant, hence the appeal of the “bring your own wine” formula). It is advisable to buy local wines, which are very comparable to French wines and less expensive. This enables you to support local products, which need it given the small market. Cigarettes cost between $7 and $9.50 a pack (a pack contains 25 cigarettes). Canadian cigarettes have quite a different taste than U.S. or French brands. Keep in mind, though, that since May 31, 2006, smoking is prohibited in all public places in Québec, including bars, restaurants and theatres.
Eat
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3c/Gastronomie_de_Montr%C3%A9al%2C_Qu%C3%A9bec.jpg/250px-Gastronomie_de_Montr%C3%A9al%2C_Qu%C3%A9bec.jpg)
- Québec’s cuisine derives its rich flavour from a blend of influences. It has a solid French culinary base and is enriched by the contribution of the Amerindian peoples and the different cultural communities that have made the province their home. This blend of culinary cultures is what makes Québec cuisine what it is today. Many quality regional products are also used in its cuisine. Terroir products that grace Québec tables include ice cider, micro-brewed beer, wine and over 100 different varieties of cheese.
- Another unique feature of Québec is the sugar shack (cabane à sucre), a family culinary tradition of eating maple products to the rhythms of Québec folklore. You can go as a group at the beginning of spring, during March and April. Most sugar bushes also sell maple products on site (maple butter, taffy and syrup) at very attractive prices. If this formula interests you, be sure to reserve in advance, and—in true tradition—go in as large a group as possible. It’s customary for several families to go together, but there’s no obligation to do so, particularly seeing as people rarely travel in groups of 50! Certain sugar bushes are open year round.
- Other Québec culinary specialities include: shepherd’s pie, poutine, sugar pie, pouding chômeur (a sponge cake with a maple syrup sauce), maple syrup, baked beans, tourtière (a meat pie), cretons (a pork spread with onions and spices), etc.
- Maple syrup (French: sirop d'érable) is the sticky, drippy giant on Quebec's culinary landscape. Boiled down from sap of the maple tree in sugar shacks (cabanes à sucre) around the province, it's got a more tangy flavor than the corn-based pancake syrup you may be used to. Different types of candies are obtained by pushing the boiling process further and are popular gifts during springtime. Also don't miss taffy-on-the-snow (tire sur neige). In Quebec, the syrup is used for more than just pancakes, though. You can find it as a glaze for pork and beef, mixed in with baked beans (fèves au lard), or in desserts like pouding chômeur ("welfare cake") or tarte au sucre (sugar pie). It's also made into loose sugar and candies. Syrup is on sale practically anywhere you want to go, but if you really want to take some home, stop into a farmer's market or a grocery store rather than a tourist shop. You can get the same high-quality syrup as at the souvenir stand for about half the price.
- No visit to Quebec is complete without at least one plate of poutine. This unique dish is a plate of French fries, drowned in gravy, and topped with chewy white cheddar cheese curds . There are variations on the theme—adding chicken, beef, vegetables or sausage, or replacing the gravy with tomato meat sauce (poutine italienne). Poutine can be found in practically any fast-food chain restaurant in Quebec, but higher-quality fare can be found at more specialized poutine shops. Local restaurant chains are your best bet. One great spot for trying out poutine is Ashton (in the Québec City area), where, in January only, you will get a discount based on the outdoor temperature (the colder it is outside, the cheaper the poutine!). The origin of poutine is still under debate, but it was first served in Drummondville in 1964, at the Roy Jucep restaurant owned by Mr. Roy. Since then, the surrounding areas have been trying to lay claim to its creation.
- Befitting the province's sub-arctic climate, Québécois cuisine favors rich, hot foods with more calories than you want to know about. Tourtière du Lac-Saint-Jean for instance is a deep-dish pie, typically from the Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean region, made of various meats (usually beef and pork, often including game, cut into small cubes) and diced potatoes, baked together in a flakey pastry shell.
Sleep
Quebec offers the usual range of North American accommodations including hostels, chain motels, and high-end resort hotels. Particular to Quebec are Auberge, literally "Inn" but range from faux-lodge style motels to Gites, B&B style guest houses with sometimes only a single room for rent.
Stay safe
Quebec is generally a safe place, with the exception of a few "bad" neighbourhoods of Montreal and Quebec City. Visitors should use common sense when travelling, as they would anywhere else, and keep cars locked so that they do not fall prey to theft.
Respect
- It is considered respectful to refer to Quebec citizens as Quebecer (m. Québécois, f. Québécoise) and not French-Canadian. Most citizens of Quebec who are not separatists still feel more Québécois than Canadian, but at the same time Québec is not France so many prefer to identify as "francophone" (which indicates only French language) instead of "français" (which is ambiguous, as it can infer French as a national citizenship).
- Generally, expressing yourself in French is considered by Quebecers as a sign of respect and is much appreciated. People working in the tourism industry often speak several languages. Many young people (especially in the Montreal area and the federal capital region) are perfectly bilingual and will speak in English if they see you struggling. Don't be afraid to ask for a French lesson; most locals will be happy to teach you a couple of words.
- Québec’s language is key to the province’s cultural identity, and its inhabitants battled for several centuries to preserve it against the odds. Quebecers have heard it all when it comes to making fun of their linguistic particularities, so it’s best to avoid this. In Québec, "French from France" isn’t "real French" so much as merely associated with a foreign accent. Quebecers view it as an insult to be told they speak "franglais" (French mixed with English), "joual" (a local backwater slang dialect) or some other language which is not "comprehensible" French, "proper" French or "bon français".
- There is a substantial English-speaking minority (about half a million people) concentrated mostly in Montréal's western suburbs or in border communities (such as the Outaouais region, near Ontario; also the Eastern Townships, near Vermont). If you say something in broken French and get a response in flawless English (as a first language), you might be speaking to a fellow anglophone... at that point, stay in English or you will feel rather silly.
- Like in several Canadian provinces, it is officially prohibited to smoke inside public buildings, including restaurants, bars and theatres. It is also forbidden to smoke within a nine-metre (30-foot) perimeter of the doors to public buildings (there is often a visible line delineating this perimeter in front of hospitals, CLSCs, etc.) and it is forbidden to smoke anywhere on school property.
Touchy subjects
- The issue of sovereignty is an extremely complicated and emotional issue, on which Québécois are almost evenly divided. Québéc francophone media give equal coverage to both sides, something which would be unthinkable in another province or in media serving linguistic minorities. Even those who aren't souverainistes speak of Quebec as a nation with national parks, national assembly and national capital which can be confusing as both levels of government use terms like "parc national" or "région de la capitale nationale" with different meaning. To further complicate matters, there are innocuous local translations for the word "national(e)" that do not contemplate a sovereign nation-state, such as the Canadian Parliament's acknowledgment of a Québécois nation. The discussion of Québécois politics is therefore best left to Québécois.
- Although Quebec is part of Canada, you'll see few maple leaf flags, and the Quebec media outlets don't emphasize connections with the ROC ("Rest of Canada"). Some Quebecers consider the display of the Canadian flag to be an inflammatory symbol of Canadian "dominance"; others see displays of the Quebec flag as overzealous ethnic nationalism. Phrases like here in Canada or as a Canadian may make your conversational partner ill at ease. Depending of the region, very few people will celebrate Canada Day (July 1) but Quebec's National (la Saint-Jean Baptiste on June 24) is probably the most important party throughout the province. (Ottawa-Gatineau may be an exception, as the "Outaouais" portion of the federal capital region celebrates both days.) In fact, the holiday of the first of July is traditionally used by most Quebecers for moving to their new apartment or house.
- Note also that Quebec is not France. Calling Quebecers "french fries", or jokes with French stereotypes (impoliteness, poor hygiene, eating frogs' legs, and especially "surrendering") will bring puzzled stares, or at best show that you have no idea which continent you're on. It is as illogical as applying British stereotypes to Americans just because of the historical and linguistic ties. Comparing Québécois culture and language unfavourably to France's is best avoided. Although Quebec and France have many ties, the Québécois typically regard themselves as a distinct culture quite separate from the country that "abandoned" them three centuries ago.
Connect
Most hotels and hostels offer Internet access and many have on-site computers for guests to use. Montreal has a free WiFi program called Île Sans Fil (Wireless Island), look for the sticker in café and restaurant windows. Wi-fi is also available in some coffee shops and public libraries.
Québec's main telephone area codes are +1-418 (Québec City and east), +1-819 (western Québec, Outaouais, Trois-Rivières, Eastern Townships), +1-514 (Montréal Island) and +1-450 (Laval and the southwestern corner of the province). Additional area codes have been overlaid onto all of these regions, breaking seven-digit dialling throughout the province.
Postal codes for Québec begin with G (Québec City and eastern Québec), H (Montréal and Laval) and J (western Québec). H0H 0H0 is reserved for seasonal use.