A Spring Afternoon in Quebec City

Recently my daughter took part in the Coupe Dodge in Quebec City (provincials for men’s and women’s amateur ice hockey leagues in Quebec). It’s a huge event and she was super excited, mostly because she is a call-up (she is a year younger than the other girls), so it was a bigger honor.  Quebec City is a beautiful place and since we have 2-3 away hockey tournaments already this season, we were determined to do some family activity this time.

Each morning she played a game of hockey and then had the rest of the day free. Thanks to her inspiring teachers who have been teaching her how Canada and the Unites States were created, she was excited to explore historic Quebec City and the big Castle.

This led me to figure out what we can explore in an afternoon in Quebec City, that wouldn’t take too much energy or cost too much.  Also, since it’s early April Spring (what others would call our 2nd Winter) we had to factor weather too.

Here is what we found.

Visit Le Château Frontenac

Feel free to wander around the castle and view historical artifacts going back 400 years displayed in specially designed cases. Said to be the most photographed hotel in the world, it’s fun to wander around the 12 km of hallways or stop by the recently renovated lobby to say hi to Daphnie, the Chateau’s Ambassador Dog. Note: The Ambassador is usually there 9-5, but I would suggest checking to make sure she is there before your visit.

Check out my post about the bees of Château Frontenac.

To learn more about this legendary castle, a guided tour is also available.

If you have time take a self-guided tour of Le Château Frontenac

Download the FREE App to take a virtual tour of Fairmont Le Château Frontenac. You will hear fascinating stories of the hotel as the property is today and throughout the hotel’s history.

Grab a bite at Bistro Le Sam

Located right in the hotel, Bistro Le Sam offers an amazing gastronomical experience. When we were they they were offering a very special hot chocolate, that scored major points for presentation. The mug had a layer of whipped cream, with a chocolate shaped as the Chateau, then they poured hot milk over top of it. It tasted great and the kids will always remember the experience.

Protip: Sam’s offers valet at Le Château Frontenac, so we parked valet, had lunch, explored and then picked up our car!

Note: If you only want to grab a coffee there is Starbucks in the main floor of the hotel.

Walk Along Dufferin Terrace

While you are at Le Le Château Frontenac take a stroll along the 200-year old wooden promenade that surrounds the Château and connects the historic battlefields to Old Quebec City. It offers a great view of the St.Lawrence River and amazing backdrop for photos. My kids were more impressed with the Russian canons captured by the British army during the Crimean War. Sadly, they LOVED the encased windows showing the original fort structure, but the tours are only available in summer can fall.

Explore Old Quebec

The district of Petit-Champlain encompasses the most photo-ready cobble stone streets and colorful town houses, that makes you feel like you are back in times of the settlers. There is a wide variety of cafés, bistros, shops and theatre/art that you can get lost there for the day. My kids fell in love with a La Chasse Galerie, they had learned about the fur trade in Canada and loved looking at all the furs. I fell in love with all the 1/2 addresses. We spent time just looking for how many we could find.

 

Note: We were there during the week, but on weekends make sure you try some Tire/Maple Taffy (cooked maple syrup poured on snow). My daughter settled for having some maple water instead!

Get a Birds Eye view taking the Funnicular

When finished in Old Quebec and ready to head back up to Haute-Ville (Upper Town) we took the Funnicular. Only $3 per person my kids loved the idea of taking an elevator without a building. Note: it is also very easy to walk back up, but you can’t beat the view.

Check out some Public Art

Quebec City has many public artworks. If you wander anywhere in the tourist region you will find beautiful installations. Many are only for a particular time or season. See this list for some permanent artworks you can find when exploring Quebec City.

Things we didn’t do, but would recommend

Visit the Citadelle de Québec

The Citadelle de Québec is a fortress with a 300-year-old history. An active garrison of the Royal 22^e Régiment, the Citadelle is a National Historic Site with impressive architecture and amazing views of the St.Lawrenece River. For our afternoon, it was cold and windy, so we opted not to take a tour, but next time we won’t let weather stop us.

Montmorency Falls

If the weather is co-operating, I would suggest a quick drive to Montmorency Falls. A quick 15-minute drive from the City, the 270-foot tall waterfall (83 meters) on the Montmorency River provides a cascade nearly 100 feet taller than Niagara Falls!

Anything we missed for a day in Quebec City? Let us know in the comments below.