Between its bustling metropolises and sweeping wilderness, this French-speaking province rivals its European cousins in cultural and natural offerings.
Discover a French enclave in the Canadian province of Québec. It was claimed as New France by French explorer Jacques Cartier in the 1500s and settled by Samuel de Champlain in the early 1600s. Today France still exerts a strong cultural influence. From the language to the food to the architecture, everything in Québec has a distinctly French twist.
Explore the winding streets of Québec City, the province’s capital. Admire the fairytale beauty of Château Frontenac, a hotel that presides over the port. Take a horse-drawn carriage ride through the winding cobblestone streets of Old Québec. Check out the artwork in the open-air Rue du Trésor gallery. Walk along Dufferin Terrace and watch the St. Lawrence River snake below you. See ships coming in and out of the Vieux-Port de Québec and do some shopping in its riverside public market.
Discover all the culinary and cultural delights that Montréal has to offer. Try poutine, a French-Canadian specialty consisting of potatoes slathered in cheese and gravy. Explore cafés, galleries and theaters sprinkled throughout the Quartier Latin and Plateau-Mont-Royal. Take a bike ride along the scenic Canal de Lachine. Admire the imposing Gothic-revival architecture and blue ceilings of the Basilique Notre-Dame.
Head to the village of Tadoussac to see Mother Nature in all its glory. Go on a whale-watching tour to see belugas, blue whales, seals and more. The season for sighting whales is May to mid-October.
Explore the dramatic tundra of Nunavik. This region, the northernmost part of Québec, is home to a large Inuit population and is where you will find the bright blue crater lake in Pingualuit National Park.
Bask in the natural beauty of the Laurentides region. Bike by forests, lakes and rivers along “Le p’tit train du Nord,” which stretches for 124 miles (200 kilometers) along an old railway line.
Enjoy a slower pace of life in the picturesque Magdalen Islands. This small archipelago is a fishing hub. Don’t leave without sampling some of its signature seafood dishes.
Québec has plenty to see and do in all seasons, but plan accordingly for the weather. Winter hits heavy in this part of Canada, which can make travel difficult. Travel in and out via international airports in Québec City or Montréal.
