Nick and I decided to take a long weekend this summer to head up to Quebec City. We didn't have much time to travel, but we also wanted to feel like we were far away. Simplest answer: go to Quebec City, where they speak French AND have put a lot of effort into modeling the city off of Europe. If you are dying for a European vacation, but need to stay in North America, I'm convinced this is as good as it gets.
We didn't do a ton of sight seeing on our trip. One of the great appeals of the city was the food, greatly French inspired, from duck and rabbit to crepes, and of course Quebec's signature poutine. During the day we wandered aimlessly, finding places to stop for a glass of wine with a cheese platter or sitting on benches to people watch. It was one of the most relaxing, food-centered vacations I've ever taken.
At the center of the tourist section Quebec City is Chateau Frontenac. It's a gorgeous, castle inspired hotel that looms large enough to be seen from just about anywhere you are in this section of the city. An expansive boardwalk runs along the back of the building, providing beautiful views of the Saint Lawrence River and the perfect viewing point for the fireworks that the city has every week during the summer.
This is where we found the most aggressively Canadian tourist activity: eating maple syrup rolled on ice on a stick by men in flannel with stuffed coyotes and wolves behind them. It had to be done at least one. The maple syrup is as you'd expect: sweet and sticky, the purest flavor of the great north.
Old Quebec, nestled just underneath Chateau Frontenac, is one of the primary draws of this city. Filled with gorgeous old stone buildings, European style cafe and wine bars, and adorable little shops, the cobblestone streets would fool you into believing you'd stepped back in time if it weren't for all the tourists with cameras around you.
We really lucked out in this trip. Without even meaning to, we scheduled our trip for the weekend of Fetes de la Nouvelle France, a festival that celebrates the colonial heritage of the city. People dress up in all sorts of costumes, some authentic, and wander through Old Quebec as if the ghosts of Quebec past came to walk the streets again. There are booths everywhere selling colonial style wares, offering information, and teaching about what the culture was like when the city was founded.
Quebec City still has the old wall standing around the original boundaries of the city. It's the only remaining fortification wall in North America north of Mexico, and on a sunny day it is the perfect place for a picnic.
A little bit outside of the city are the Montmorency Falls. You can enter at the top of the falls and walk down a scenic flight of stairs to see it from many different heights, but be warned. Unless you want to pay to be taken back to the top, you'll have to climb back up all 487 stairs. This seems to be a popular place for working out as there were many men literally running circles around us as they climbed up and down the stairs multiple times, but by the time I'd gotten back to the top, I felt the height acutely.
The last day we were in Quebec City, we went to the Isle d'Orleans, a quiet little farming island in the middle of the Saint Lawrence River. The island is filled with vineyards, berry farms, cheese shops, and wide open spaces. It's a welcome breath of fresh air after a weekend of cobblestone streets.
One of the vineyards we went to was the Isle de Bacchus, named for the Roman god of wine. The vineyard was one of the first on the island and stands in one of the oldest standing buildings on the island. The owner is friendly and loves to talk about the history of the island, especially if it means he gets to pick on neighboring city Montreal. Wine tastings are in the old, atmospheric basement of the home. Our favorite wines from the island were those that included black currant. It's one of the island's signature flavors.
Besides the wine tastings, the island was simply breathtaking to explore. With rolling hills, lush fields, and the river framing the land on both sides, it was the perfect way to end our trip to Quebec City.
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