Quebec City – fascinating rain or shine

Quebec City – fascinating rain or shine
day or night

The many reasons this walled city is a worthy UNESCO World Heritage site are immediately apparent.  From our dock in the inner harbor behind a tidal lock we had a premier view of the city-scape that has won recognition for this unique and historic Canadian city. 

Back in the 1970s clever leaders began to revive the historic center of this town and today we can enjoy the results of the extensive preservation. A walk in the upper and lower old town areas is a stroll into previous centuries.  As we learned on our walking tour, the core has preserved buildings from the three major periods of Quebec – the French, the British, and the early Confederation periods. Geography was important in the selection of this site for an early settlement by Samuel de Champlain in 1608 – the site is at the narrowest portion of the St Lawrence River and blessed with a cliff offering protection and a strategic vantage point.  Initially the commercial town was on the lower level and the government, military and church occupied and controlled the upper level.  But today it is clear that merchants as well as governors eventually occupied the heights.  Many of the winding streets inside the ramparts are still paved with cobble stones.  Only a few modifications have been made to the walls as concessions to modern vehicles and desire for a view.  Our guide told us that the credit for realizing the potential of these massive structures and the character of this old city go to Mr. Dufferin who had visited Carcassonne in France.  He envisioned one day that this city would also reap the benefits of preserving its massive architecture. We walked the promenade named after him with fondness for his memory and gratitude for his foresight.

One of our favorite stories is the match making skills of the Ursine Sisters who came in the early 1600s to educate girls.  They also served as match makers for the French girls called the King’s daughters because the King paid their dowry.  These gals came to marry the many eligible male inhabitants.  The nuns were so successful that 70% of Quebecers trace their ancestry to the 600+ matches they made.

Although the UNESCO team probably enjoyed numerous meals in Quebec City, the many outstanding restaurants were not a factor in their award.  We, on the other hand, managed to sample as many of the eateries as we could stuff into our stay.  On the rainy days we ate inside – stumbling on the oldest café in the city where we enjoyed lunch and dried off.  Other delightful meals were taken outdoor cafes which dot both the upper and lower city sidewalks. We also frequented the market adjacent to the harbor.  Their local treats and delicacies made for excellent snacks between meals.

All the eating was balanced by the walking, and it is somewhat justified by the steep climbs which are part of Quebec’s charm. Several times a day we either climbed stairs or steep streets from our dock in the lower city to the sites above.  

Then to cap off our visit we toured the Citadel on the highest point of the city. This fort built by the British reminded us of the one we visited in Kingston ON last year.  Both were built after the War of 1812 as protection against a possible American invasion.  Earlier fortifications on the site did not make it impregnable. Although we Americans failed twice in our attempts to conquer this territory, the British managed to defeat the French in the famous battle on the Plains of Abraham in 23 minutes. Thus French speaking Quebec has been a part of the British tradition ever since.  This mixture has some interesting side notes like the monument to the battle that commemorates BOTH the winning and losing commanders.  Also the changing of the guard ceremony at the Citadel is modeled after the one at Buckingham Palace with the same striking uniforms…only here the entire performance is conducted with French commands. Since Canada is a bilingual country, they kindly also explained the proceedings in English as well.  Our guided tour was also in English by the lively Frank the Tank who marched us around the grounds while leaping from wall to cannon.  He showed us the highest point on Cap Diamont and the spectacular views over the Plains of Abraham, the St Lawrence River, and the city below. We also passed the base commander’s house where one member of the tour lived as a child when his father served in this job. The several museums we visited are dedicated to fort’s past and the Royal 22^nd Regiment – the active military force stationed here.

Such a rich (on many levels) environment is difficult to leave – we feel fortunate that even with a few rainy days we had almost a week to enjoy all the delights of Quebec City.