Our First Day Exploring Old Québec City
After five busy days exploring Montreal, it was time to pack our bags and continue our Canadian adventure. This time we were heading to Québec City, and rather than fly or rent a car, Scott and I decided to take the VIA Rail train from Montreal. We had booked our tickets well ahead of time and splurged on VIA Rail’s Business Class, which is their premium service and includes larger seats, priority boarding and meal and beverage service. Our tickets were about $237 each, so it was certainly more expensive than traveling in Economy, but for a relaxing three hour trip it was a fun way to travel.
Getting through the Montreal train station was surprisingly easy compared to my experience in Paris back in June! The station offered a few restaurants and even a McDonalds.
We were a bit delayed, but before we knew it, we were settled into our seats and on our way. Since we left in the morning, breakfast was served onboard and we had two selections to choose from.
I really did not know what to expect when it came to food on a train, but breakfast was actually quite tasty. Meals and beverages are included with VIA Rail Business Class, and breakfast service includes a meal selection, fresh fruit and hot beverages, so we were able to sit back, enjoy breakfast and watch the scenery go by.
Arriving in Quebec City
About three hours later we arrived in Québec City and navigating the train station was pretty easy. We literally hopped off the train and 100′ later we were catching an Uber.
Our hotel was less than a ten minute drive from the train station. We stayed at Monsieur Jean Hôtel Particulier, which is a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World, and this hotel was right up my alley. The best way I can describe it is quirky luxury with a little Alice in Wonderland mixed in. There were unexpected details everywhere and it definitely did not feel like your typical hotel.
Our room was fantastic and I will include plenty of photos because it is hard to describe all of the details. We had a king size bed, a huge bathroom with a double sink vanity and even a built in kitchenette stocked with dishes, glasses and everything you would need if you wanted to eat in the room. It felt more like a little apartment than a hotel room and something about the overall experience reminded me of my stay at Chub Cay in the Bahamas. That was another property where the accommodations themselves became part of the trip rather than simply being a place to sleep.
We didn’t have the best view, but we didn’t plan on spending too much time in our room. One thing about this hotel, is the hallways are all blue. It was a wild experience.
Grabbing Lunch in Quebec
Since we arrived around lunchtime and our room was not far from everything we wanted to explore, we dropped off our things and immediately headed back out. Our first stop was Pub St. Patrick right across the street, and once again we started our time in a new city with great food. I swear one of the best parts about this entire Canadian trip was that we just kept stumbling upon restaurants where the food was fantastic. Maria and Ben shared a burger with poutine and Scott and I shared wings and some crispy fries!
After lunch we started walking along Rue Saint Jean, checking out the shops, restaurants and beautiful old buildings along the way. One of the first things that struck us about Québec City was how different it felt from Montreal. Montreal certainly has plenty of history, especially in Old Montreal, but walking through Old Québec truly feels like you have somehow landed in Europe!
The Four Walls of Quebec City
Eventually we reached the massive stone walls surrounding Old Québec. I knew Québec City was fortified, but I did not realize just how much of the original defensive system still existed. The fortifications stretch about 4.6 kilometers around Upper Town and were developed over several centuries, beginning after Samuel de Champlain founded Québec in 1608. The French built and expanded the original defenses, and after the British took control of Québec in 1759 they continued strengthening them, eventually adding the Citadel. Today, Québec is the only city north of Mexico that still retains such an extensive historic fortified city wall, and Old Québec became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. I will tell you that Quebec city is MUCH hillier than Montreal, so prepare to climb when you visit!
What I also found interesting is that we can thank Lord Dufferin for much of what we see today. By the late 1800s, parts of the fortifications were actually being considered for demolition as the city modernized, but Dufferin fought to preserve them. As you walk around today, it is hard to imagine anyone ever wanting to tear them down because the walls are such a huge part of what makes Québec City so unique.
From the walls we continued walking toward Dufferin Terrace and along the way we passed by so many old quaint homes. I can only imagine what they look like inside.
Dufferin Terrace
As we arrived to Dufferin Terrace we got our first real glimpse of the magnificent Château Frontenac. There are certain landmarks that you have seen so many times in photographs that when you finally see them in person, you immediately recognize them, and Château Frontenac is definitely one of those.
Across the street you will find the US Embassy. We wouldn’t have known this, if it wasn’t for the super friendly policeman who pointed a few things out for us!
Dufferin Terrace runs along the top of Cap Diamant overlooking the St. Lawrence River, and the history underneath your feet goes back more than 400 years. Samuel de Champlain built Fort Saint Louis on this site in 1620, and for many years the area was associated with the residences of Québec’s French and later British governors. The first public promenade opened in 1838, and Lord Dufferin later expanded it to approximately 430 meters. The terrace officially reopened under his name in 1879 and has remained one of the most popular gathering places in Québec City ever since.
One thing we noticed immediately was the giant wooden toboggan slide sitting alongside the terrace. Obviously it was not operating while we were there, but during the winter it becomes one of the city’s classic attractions. The slide dates back to 1884, which means people were racing down Dufferin Terrace on toboggans even before Château Frontenac opened. Today riders can reach speeds of up to about 43 miles per hour, which sounds both incredibly fun and slightly terrifying.
And then there is Château Frontenac. Even if you have never been to Québec City, chances are you have seen photos of this hotel because it completely dominates the skyline of Old Québec. The first wing opened in 1893 and was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway as part of a series of grand railway hotels designed to encourage luxury train travel across Canada. New York architect Bruce Price designed the original building, and several major additions over the following decades eventually created the castle like hotel you see today.
The Château has also played host to some incredible moments in history. King George VI and Queen Elizabeth stayed there in 1939, and during World War II, Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King met there during the Québec Conferences in 1943 and 1944. Standing outside looking up at it, you definitely get the feeling that this is much more than simply a beautiful hotel.
Happy Hour and Dinner in Quebec City
There was so much more we wanted to explore, but we could see some pretty ugly weather heading our way and decided we probably should not push our luck. We quickly ducked into Conti for cocktails and waited for the rain to pass. Sometimes those unplanned stops end up being part of the fun, especially when you can sit down with a cocktail and watch a storm roll through Old Québec.
Once the rain finally let up, we walked back to Monsieur Jean and relaxed for a bit before dinner. As I did in Montreal, I had made all of our dinner reservations ahead of time because I did not want to leave our evenings to chance, especially with so many restaurants I wanted to try.
Dinner that night was at D’Orsay Pub, and once again we had a fantastic meal. Our dinner started with two soups, French Onion and a Potato Bacon Soup.
Then the four of us enjoyed some classics including Bangers and Mash, Blood Pudding, Fish n Chips and then I can’t remember what I ate. I think it might have been sliders of some sort!
And dinner wouldn’t be complete without Ben and Scott enjoying dessert!
After dinner we tried to grab a nightcap at the Chateau but you have to make reservations. So instead, we enjoyed a walk around the park and finished our evening at 1640. Bistro 1640 is hard to miss with its bright red roof and prime location on Rue Sainte Anne, directly across from Château Frontenac. It has a lively bistro and bar atmosphere, a great patio for people watching, and serves French and Canadian inspired dishes along with wine and cocktails.
We had already seen quite a bit in just a few hours, but we had barely scratched the surface. Tune in next week as we continue exploring Old Québec, tour the Citadel and see more of what is hidden inside those historic walls. We will also venture outside the walls for dinner the following night, so there is still plenty more of our Québec City adventure to come!
As always, thank you for following our journey! Please be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel (see video below) and follow us on social @BoatingJourney. Cheers, Scott and Ally
