Ooh La La! Québec City, Canada Magnifique!

Québec City, in the Canadian province of the same name, has been on our "bucket list" for quite a few years.  Since we planned to spend some time in Maine this trip, we were determined to finally drive about 200 more miles to reach the fabled city of Québec! So on Saturday, June 14th, we left the campground in Phippsburg, ME and drove up I-95 to the turnoff for U.S Highway 201 and the town of Skowhegan where we got fuel and groceries.  Then it's 85 miles to the border with only a few small towns along the way.  Lots of timber harvesting and many moose crossing warnings, but, of course, we saw none!

We stopped for lunch at a rest stop at The Forks right next to the fast moving waters of the Kennebec River when we spotted yellow rafts full of people moving downstream!  We went outside and got photographs of large groups of rafts--sometimes 8 or 10 rafts strong and yellow, pink and black in color! Several young men showed up on the bridge and  dove or jumped into the river to great applause from the rafters!  The grand finale was 3 guys jumping at the same time!  The water must have been very cold and the current strong but they all made it back to the river bank downstream.  A free show for lunchtime!   Then we were off again.

Passports in hand, we arrived at the U.S.-Canadian border a few miles north of Jackman, the last Maine town.  This has to be the loneliest border post with no other northbound traffic except a semi that was quickly cleared.  After the usual round of questions, we were sent to the secondary inspection area and our RV was thoroughly searched for about 15 minutes with no explanation.  The 2 Canadian agents found nothing, of course, and we were on our way again, still scratching our heads about the search motivation.

We stopped in the town of St. George at the Information Centre and got a map of the Québec area and a campground directory and some excellent advice to stay across from Québec City and take the ferry over when visiting. When we arrived in the city of Lévis(Lay-V in French not the jeans!), we stopped at their Information Centre and the pleasant girl there suggested 2 campgrounds that were close to the ferry and offered to call to see if they had space.  Fort de la Martinière Lévis had a site available and agreed to hold it for a half hour until we arrived.

The owner was very nice and kept apologizing for his English but gave us a wonderful full hookup spot for $40 per night Canadian with a great view of the St. Lawrence River and the island, Ile de
Orléans, between the mainland and Québec City.  The exchange rate at that time was $1.00 U.S.=$1.02 Canadian.  We relaxed and had dinner in the rig and early bedtime so we'd be ready to head to Québec City in the morning.





Sunday morning we drove to the Ferry and Suzanne, the lady in charge of the parking area showed us a perfect parking space for the rig and promised to watch it while we were in the city.  We walked over to the Ferry office and upstairs there were many people and families queued up to buy their tickets for the next ferry.  It was already getting hot and it seemed everyone in town was going to
Québec today!!  We bought 4  tickets--one for each of us going each direction.  The gate opened and we walked aboard for the smooth 10 minute trip over.

The ferry is a great place to get panoramic photographs of old Québec City and the huge iconic Chateau Frontenac Hotel.


The girl in the Info Centre had told us that something special was happening this weekend with "Rendezvous Naval" with a Canadian and U.S.warship available for tours on the waterfront adjacent to the ferry landing. We arrived and walked toward the ships but the lines were huge to go aboard either of the 2 ships. The Canadian warship, HMCS Athabaskan (DDG-282) was a guided missile destroyer and the U.S. ship was the USS Oak Hill (LSD-51) a landing ship dock that is a newer version of one of the ships Lin was on in the U.S. Navy.

We took a few photographs and walked around the port area to a large amphitheatre area where we heard a military band playing.  A military cadet graduation ceremony was taking place with all the brass inspecting the troops and a marching band, many flags and much pageantry!

"Buskers" were strolling around as well

Québec City was founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain as a fur trading post. Québec City was called New France and is well known as the cradle of French civilization in North America. It is the provincial capital and home to the provincial legislative building called the National Assembly.  It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Population is about 670,000 with 95% being French-speaking, although English is widely spoken in the tourist and service businesses.  The city is language and culture is pure French!  Signage is in French everywhere.  Québec City is known as one of the safest places in North America, plus it has clean air and many parks and green spaces. It also has the lowest cost of living of all the world's major cities! Close to 5 million tourists visit each year including over 1 million non-Canadian visitors from 75 different countries!
Every visitor will fondly recall the Québec merchants' happy calls of "bonjour" as you pass!

Vieux Quebec as seen from above

Québec is a walled city, the only such city in America north of Mexico!  These monumental fortifications that are 4.6 KM in length were built by the French to repulse English attacks that began in 1690 and then improved by the English after they finally captured Québec in 1759.
So, there is a lower (Basse Ville--outside the walls) and upper (Haute Ville--inside the walls) part of Old Québec (Vieux Québec.)  This first day, we walked to the lower Old Town Québec area and strolled around the old buildings from the 1600s and 1700s that have been beautifully restored and are in use as restaurants, galleries and shops.

The Old Customs House

They kept up with World Cup Soccer in Brazil!

This is where we had our pizza!

We came to the busy Place Royale, the oldest part of the City with its stone buildings and low doorways and formerly its trade hub.  There is a beautiful old church right on this very European square called Eglise Notre Dame des Victoires (Our Lady of the Victories) from 1688 but rebuilt in 1763 after the English Siege of Québec.  Beyond the church's rich interior decoration, there is a model of  the Breze, a 17th century sailing ship hanging from the ceiling.

A short distance from Place Royale is a gigantic five story high mural painted in trompe l'oeil style on the side of an old stone house depicting major historical characters and events in Québec's history.  Fortunately the city has supplied a board identifying the characters portrayed on the mural!  It is a wonderful piece of art!

The other attraction of Place Royale for us was an attractive outdoor pizza restaurant in one corner of the square.  So you say Pizza in New France???? Sure sounded good to us and our tired feet!  And the pizza was gourmet quality (as was the bill!)  

The main attraction of walking the historic narrow winding streets of Basse Ville was people watching and the many signs and devices for attracting people into the various businesses.  Here are a few photographic examples.

By 4PM, we were tired and walked back to the ferry and headed back to our camp.  We re-read our tourist guides and marked out places to see on Monday in the Haute Ville via the celebrated Funicular of Old Québec as we were certainly not going to walk up the 170 steep stairs called the "Breakneck Staircase!"

So Monday morning we were back on the ferry, then walked up to the 1879 Funiculaire du Vieux Québec , which rapidly ascends the cliff like an glass-walled elevator but at a 45 degree angle!  It costs $4.50 per person one way but it's worth it for the view and saving your shoe leather!

Now we were in Haute Ville, which is dominated by the massive Le Chateau Frontenac Hotel appearing as a castle with its multitude of turrets, beautiful copper roofs and spectacular setting!  We walked through the lobby areas and were very impressed with the 19th century grandeur and opulent decorations.

Outside the hotel the wooden boardwalk of the Dufferin Terrace offers a world class promenade with views of the Basse Ville, the harbor and  St. Lawrence River and the countryside. 

A large monument to Samuel de Champlain, the city's founder, is on the Dufferin Terrace.

Cannons at the ready to defend the City

And buses ready for the tourists

A fleet of handsome horse drawn carriages queues up at Place d'Armes close to the hotel to offer tours of the upper city.

A walk to the Citadel, La Citadelle de Québec , still an active military post, was enjoyable. Unfortunately our visit to the Citadel came about a week before the post starts holding the traditional "Changing of the Guard" ceremony at 10 AM. 

The entrance to the Citadel is at Porte St. Louis (St. Louis Gate).  

The walls of the Citadel

A lot of very loud children's voices yelling responses to commands with drumming attracted us further into the Citadel where a summer camp for children was in progress with 4 groups of "red coated English" and "blue coated French" "soldiers" of both sexes drilling for mock combat.  The actual combat consisted of each side's leader challenging the opposing leader and then a ritual of advances and retreats, all of which was very loud and energetic. 

The costumed adult leaders (officers) were all excellent in their role and in their leadership of the kids and it appeared that battles were won mostly by which group could yell the loudest!

 We visited several old churches including the Notre Dame de Québec Basilica Cathedral, built on the same location since 1647 but bombarded, burnt and rebuilt over time.  The current church was rebuilt in 1923 and is huge inside and stunningly beautiful. Four governors of New France and a number of Québec bishops are buried within the cathedral. The stained glass windows are masterpieces, 3 incredible Casavant organs are visible and the sanctuary light was a gift from Louis XIV!

Ceiling in the Basilica

The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity completed in 1804 was the first Anglican Church built outside the British Isles.  King George III supplied the funds to build the church. The church was designed by 2 British Army engineers inspired by London's St. Martin's in the Field church.  There is a box in the balcony for the royal family when visiting Québec !   There are a vast number of interesting commemorative plaques on the side walls of the church with many related to war heroes as well as clerics.

Another very imposing building complex is the Hotel du Parlement (Parliament Buildings or National Assembly buildings) completed in 1886 in Second Empire style.  There are 26 bronze statues of notable Québec leaders in niches on the front of the building.

The architecture is stunning and we're told that when the building is lighted at night, it is very impressive.  The large Tourny Fountain in front of Parliament was a gift from a local mercantile family for the city's 400th anniversary!   Free guided Parliament tours are offered but unfortunately, the next one was 1-1/2 hours away and we couldn't wait.  Because of time constraints, we also were unable to visit any of the city's dozens of museums.  Next time!!

Nearby is the beautiful Joan of Arc Garden in a very nice residential area featuring an equestrian bronze statue of Joan of Arc in everlasting tribute to the heroes of 1759-1760. The flowers make this garden a showplace.  Another thing we enjoyed in Québec is the bronze historic markers telling the former owners or businesses that occupied the premises.  Maryke's French was good enough to understand most of this history.

Hotel de Ville - City Hall

Restaurant in another neat old building

Aux Anciens Canadiens--the oldest house in Quebec City--1675

The Laval University--founded in 1663

These pillars were adorned with a mosaic of live plants

Our final third day in Québec found us driving our RV over the bridge that crosses the St. Lawrence into Québec City then heading east about 20 minutes to the village of St. Anne de Beaupré to see the 350 year old shrine of the same name dedicated to St. Anne, the grandmother of Jesus, Mary's mother. 

 This Catholic pilgrimage site is visited by over one million persons a year.  For many years, people with ailments or other disabilities have come here to pray to St. Anne and many documented healing miracles have occurred.

Two pillars are full with crutches and canes

The first church was built here in 1658 and the current main basilica was opened in 1923.  It is one of the largest churches in North America with many old paintings, beautiful mosaic images, incredible stained glass windows and many side altars. There is an exact replica of Michaelangelo's Pieta in the church and a huge exquisite statue of St. Anne near the main altar.

Statue of St.Anne

Copy of Michaelangelo's Pieta

The chapel in the basement

There is an exact replica of Michaelangelo's Piètain the church and a huge exquisite statue of St. Anne near the main altar.  This shrine has a special meaning in the Hines family.  In 1940 Lin's parents drove to St. Anne de  Beaupré after losing a child to pray for another child after several years of trying to conceive.  In 1941, Lin was born!   Visiting here, regardless of your religious faith, is a wonderful experience!

We loved our visit to Québec City and highly recommend seeing this great city!  2 days in the city really isn't enough to really see it and when we return someday we'll plan on at least 4 days.  There is so much more to see than what we've shown and constant events happen throughout the summer season.    Au revoir!