Ahh Quebec City...how charming! After 6 days in Montreal, we packed up and drove 3 hours northeast to the capital of the Province of Quebec. Situated on a cliff at a point where the St. Lawrence River narrows, it's a beautiful area, surrounded by hills covered in trees. The Old Town is the oldest part of the city, and really does feel like you've been transported to a provincial French town. Perched at the highest point in the city is The Citadel, the fort constructed by the English to protect the city against the Americans, who repeatedly tried to take the city. The Province's motto is Je me souvien, which means "I remember", referring to those attempts to conquer the city...at least that's what our guide at The Citadelle told us :-)
Enough of the history lesson, on with the photos!
Fountain outside Quebec Parliament
View of Historic, walled old city of Quebec, including Le Chateau Frontenac, the Price Building and the St. Lawrence River.
The Citadel, the historic fortress build by the English to defend the city from the invading Americans.
Quebec Parliament
Historic Old Town of Quebec City, within the city wall
Historic Old Town of Quebec City, within the city wall, Price Building in background
Historic Old Town of Quebec City, within the city wall
Alley Art Gallery in Historic Old Town of Quebec City, within the city wall
Virginia Creeper festoons a wall!
Quebec City Palais, adjacent to their train station
Historic Old Town of Quebec City, within the city wall
Historic Old Town of Quebec City, within the city wall, Le Chateau de Frontenac in background.
Notre-Dame de Québec Cathedral Interior
Notre-Dame de Québec Cathedral exterior
Notre-Dame de Québec Cathedral interior vaulting
Night falls on the Old Town, with the Price Building being brilliantly illuminated.
Le Chateau de Frontenac celebrates the blue hour in style.
Dear Scott, What a wonderful tour you have given me of Quebec. The town looks both fascinating and beautiful. And, the cathedral is particularly splendid. By day or by night this looks to be a perfect place to spend one's leisure time.
ReplyDeleteGreat tour Scott! I love the oak leaves in the Art Alley photo, so perfect they look as if they're stenciled on the cobblestones.
ReplyDeleteThese are awesome photos, Scott! I want to go!
ReplyDeleteFantastic pictures!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful city, Scott. You must have had a wonderful time.
ReplyDeleteEdith: It really is beautiful...you should visit if you get a chance :-)
ReplyDeleteTom: Thanks...yeah, fall is in full swing out east, it was beautiful!
Krissy: Take me with you!
Andrew: Thanks!
Grace: It was a great time...thanks!
I stopped by for your Bloom Day post, but these photos of Canada are far more interesting to me (not that your flowers are not). I particularly like the church and cathederal photos. Though I am not religious, I love sacred architecture. I really like the ceiling of Notre-Dame and the one from Montreal that was so blue. My wife (a French teacher) and I vacationed in Quebec about 15 years ago and stayed in an old convent, now an inn. What it lacked in amenities was made up for in charm. She had a very hard time understanding the Quebecois, to the point of frustration, but she ran into a Parisienne at the farmers market who said she had been there 7 years and still did not know half of what she was told.
ReplyDeleteIt was wonderful to see such gorgeous pictures of Quebec City and Montreal. I remember the first time I visited, I was amazed, it was exactly what I had pictured France to be like in my mind. And when I got to Paris, I found out that it was.
ReplyDeleteLes: Thanks :-) I'm sort of the same, not the best church-goer, but I LOVE religious architecture...it's so grand and amazing! I've heard that about people not understanding the crazy Quebecois, although they get VERY unhappy when you bring it up!
ReplyDeleteDeborah: Totally...it's so strange to find yourself in what feels like a real European village, in the middle of Canada!
Keep on writing, great job!
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