Watching TikToks of tourists being scammed, pickpocketed and worse raise legitimate safety concerns about visiting Paris right now. Reports of street demonstrations, sky-high hotel rates and overcrowding, even since the recent Summer Olympics, also don’t paint The City of Light in the best light.
If these and other cons outweigh the pros of a Paris holiday, at least until the world capital cleans up its act (and, while they’re at it, the dirty Seine River), there’s a place on this side of the Atlantic where those in need of a French fix can put a French twist on their vacation plans.
Cute boutiques along charming cobblestone roads, outdoor cafes perfect for people watching, foodie-friendly French cuisine, exquisitely preserved examples of New France-style architecture — all that and more are waiting to be discovered north of the border.
With French roots dating back to 1534, Quebec City shares characteristics with Paris that make it a desirable alternative, and even some differences that make it more desirable. Clean and safe are two fair descriptions toward the latter.
OK, so Quebec City’s landmarks may not measure up iconically with the Eiffel Tower, Louve Museum, Arc de Triomph, Notre Dame and other symbols of must-see Paree. But the “Paris of the West” offers plenty to see and do for an extended getaway to one of North America’s oldest European settlements.
The birthplace of French North America boasts the world’s most photographed hotel, an impressive factoid considering that Quebec City doesn’t even crack the top 100 list of the world’s most-visited destinations. Dominating the city’s otherwise humble skyline, Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac is Quebec’s equivalent of the Eiffel Tower, iconic and stunning from every angle. Located in the city’s Upper Quarter, perched above the St. Lawrence River, Chateau Frontenac’s castle-like exterior has been in vogue for more than 130 years. Hospitality was spotty on a recent stay, a disappointment for this travel writer who honeymooned there in 1991, but the Frontenac is still a top choice if spending a nightly minimum of US$600 for a standard river view room is doable.
Making the Frontenac a vacation base makes logistical sense, too. Booking one of the hotel’s 610 rooms puts you in the heart of Old Quebec and adjacent to the historic funicular, which turns 145 years old in November. The inclined railway offers a picturesque and unique option when strolling between the upper and lower sections. With Quebec City’s tempting and rich foodie scene, however, ambulatory tourists may want to get their steps in by using the neighboring set of stairs instead.
Speaking of which, the Frontenac (chateau-frontenac.com/en) has one of the city’s finest restaurants in Le Champlain. Chef Gabriel Molleur-Langevin, a Quebec City native, orchestrates a recently introduced eight-course “discovery” menu that is worth the splurge, even at around $300 when factoring in the wine pairing option. His arctic char, halibut, veal and elk are sublime and plated to social media perfection.
More good eats are found at Chez Muffy, located in a maritime warehouse dating from 1822, which itself is within the Auberge Saint-Antoine (saint-antoine.com), a 95-room gem in Quebec City’s lower side. Back up the hill, Le Clan (restaurantleclan.com/en) is event dining, especially when opting for Chef Stephane Modat’s six-course tasting menu. Guided by some of the most knowledgeable servers anywhere, the experience is, as one online reviewer succinctly described it, a wild tour of Quebecois culinary exquisiteness. Inspired by Modat’s love for hunting, fishing and using locally sourced products, the magnificent meal is memorable for myriad reasons, not the least of which is its approach to bringing French originalité to native foods at a decent price; the topmost tasting is around $73, double with the wine pairing.
A perfect Quebec visit may also include a walking tour of the most intact fortified town north of Mexico to get a better understanding of local history, architecture, culture and lifestyle. Tours Accolade (toursaccolade.com/en/) does a nice job of that for a nominal investment of two hours and around $25 per person. The longer and tastier “Epicurean Journey” from Concierge du Terroir (www.conciergerieduterroir.com/en) takes up to four people by luxury SUV to a local farm, microbrewery and winery, with samples and an education offered at each. The flexible, five-hour tour runs $500 for the entire group and includes a pit stop at spectacular Montmorency Falls located just minutes from Old Quebec.
Like with most tourist destinations in the Northern Hemisphere, late spring to early fall is Quebec’s high season. But if a current marketing campaign of Destination Québec cité (quebec-cite.com/en) is successful in convincing nonresidents that Quebec is a year-round draw, then more power and parkas to them. It should be an easier sell with a downturned economy and unrest in certain regions of the globe having more wanderlusters wandering within their own continent these days.
Plus, today’s travelers are looking for new places to explore, and although the heart of the city is anything but new with nearly 500 years of history, this destination is less explored than Montreal some 170 miles to the west. For my money, be it in Canadian or U.S. dollars, give me the cozy feel of Quebec, which at 560,000 in population is one-third the size of Montreal and where more locals answer “oui” to the question, “parlez-vous français?”
Back to Quebec being pushed as a year-round travel destination, as the days grow shorter this time of year, the city’s urban parks prove that one doesn’t need to go to New England to see Mother Nature’s explosion of brilliant yellows, oranges and reds. Fall colors morph into a winter wonderland with Quebec fa-la-la’ing with European-style Christmas markets from late November through New Year’s. More Nordic than French, a hotel built out of ice, supposedly the only one of its kind in North America, will welcome wayward snowbirds from Jan. 4 through mid-March. No diss on the grand Chateau Frontenac, but the 30 chilly chambers of the Hotel de Glace are the ultimate accommodations when in town for the Quebec Winter Carnival. The world’s largest frosty festival for family fun is set for Feb. 7-16.
While the city’s tourism bureau is warming folks to the idea of coming when it’s colder, the Quebec Port Authority is gearing up for the first-ever winter cruises meandering Canada’s St. Lawrence River. In January and February, French cruise ship operator Ponant (us.ponant.com) will deploy its 270-passenger luxury icebreaker, Le Commandant Charcot, on a waterway inaccessible to traditional ships at a time of year when daytime temperatures average in the 20s (Fahrenheit) and overnight lows are barely north of zero. The four 12-night expeditions, two embarking from Quebec, will combine adventuring such as kayaking, ice-fishing and dog sledding with visits to indigenous Innu and Mi’kmaq communities. Odds are favorable to see black bears, caribou and the Northern Lights on these voyages that, according to Port of Quebec CEO Mario Girard, usher in “an exciting new era of cold-weather exploration.”
Early as Quebec’s cruising year will be with four frigid trips in 2025, another 125 itineraries are scheduled between May and October when the average high is a pleasant 68 degrees. The 18 embarking from Quebec will carry the banners of Crystal, Cunard, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and Virgin Voyages. Brands popping in for the day or an overnighter next year include Azamara, Celebrity Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn, Silversea, Viking and Windstar Cruises.
Cruisers who visit Quebec on the front or back end of a voyage spend two days there on average, according to Marie-Andrée Blanchet, director of cruise development and business ecosystem for the port. Americans make up more than half of the cruising market in the Saint Lawrence region, and within that demographic, California leads the pack, making up about 17% of all passengers.
Whether arriving by water, land or air, visitors to Quebec City are treated to a destination with shopping, dining, culture and language reminiscent of being in Paris. Jet-lag and other undesirables not included.
