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vantosf · 6 years

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Day 48, Quebec City, 24 th September

Woke up to an unbelievable day especially after the gray skies of yesterday. The sky was brilliant even though the temperature was cold. 0 degrees but I can handle that for some sunshine. I left the hotel really early to make the most of the good weather. The Ramparts of the city are the only remaining fortified city walls in North America north of Mexico. The British began refortifying the existing walls after they took control of Quebec City from the French in 1759.

The walls are in good condition and you can wall along the top of some of them.

Guard house.

Parliament building of Quebec. It was built between 1877 and 1886.

Outside of the walled part of the old city’s Quebec City is a modern city of close to 900,000. Most tourists only visit old Quebec City that has all the history and the quaint streets and buildings. You can go up to the top of the round tower to the viewing level.

The Saint Lawrence River, an important sea lane for Canada.

The Plains of Abraham. The battle that took place here in 1759 was a deciding moment in the conflict between France and Britain over the fate of New France which later influenced the creation of Canada. The Battle of Quebec which was the culmination of a 3 month siege lasted only an hour and in its wake the French evacuated the city. France ceded most of its possessions in eastern North America to Great Britain in the Treaty of Paris. The Quebec Act, passed in 1774, allowed 'les Canadiens' (today, also referred to as the Québécois) to have religious and linguistic freedoms, to openly practice their Catholicism and use their French.The Constitional Act of 1791 divided Canada into an "Upper", English-speaking colony, and a "Lower", French-speaking colony. Quebec City was made the capital of Lower Canada and enjoyed more self-rule following the passage of this act.

A surviving Martello, little fort, Tower under repair on the Plains of Abraham.

Old canons from WWI.

The Citadelle of Quebec is still an active Military instalment and is located on top of Cap Diamant. It has a commanding view of the area. A citadel of some type has been in this location for over 300 years. You can see Lévis across the river.

The walls of the Citadelle

The Governor’s Promenade is a giant boardwalk that connects the Plains of Abraham Park to the Dufferin Terrace.

Walking up the stairs from the Dufferin Terrace onto the Governors Promenade.

Dufferin Terrace was a Terrace that wraps around the Chateau Frontenac and overlooks the St Lawrebce River.

The beautiful sunny day certainly makes everything look good.

The Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac dominates the skyline. It was opened in 1893 in the historic upper town. It was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway. I have now been to nine of these Fairmont Hotels across Canada. I haven’t been in any of the guest rooms but I think Ottawa’s Chateau Laurier is the classiest looking walking through all the common areas. I did have a good look at that one going into any room that wasn’t locked so I saw the Ballroom and other flash rooms. I did that in Toronto, as well, but it still didn’t compare. Lake Louise and Quebec City Fairmont had too many tourists wandering through them, including myself. I would be a bit annoyed if I was paying the huge money to stay there invading my space.

The lower Town and harbour,

Looking down into the Lower Town.

Petit Champlain was the oldest commercial district in North America. It was also supposed to be the narrowest shopping street in North America, as well. It contains lots of restaurants and interesting boutiques.

The old Quebec Furnicular was opened in 1879 and it connects the Dufferin Terrace with the Lower Town. You can get between the Upper and Lower town by stairs, as well.

Basse Ville where poorer people, workers and seamen lived.

Two cruise ships were in the harbour. I would image there could be more in the harbour during the summer months. You wouldn’t be able to walk easily in some areas of the city then.

The city from the far side of the river.

On the other side cliffs rose up and the village of Levis was above. I decided to climb the stairs for a look. These were only half the stairs as it was hard to get them all in. I kept thinking that this was good exercise and as I said before climbing stairs has got easier. I ended up for the day climbing 41 flights of stairs and 20,000 steps according to my monitor, more than I did in Montreal the other day when I climbed up to Parc Mont Royal.

Loved all the wooden painted houses with their towers and verandahs in Levis.

A mural was painted along a wall depicting the changes over time to the area starting with the fact that this area was first settled by Native tribes.

Big Catholic Church and school in Levis which had a very distinctive french look to its design.

Another nice looking church in Levis.

This cross looked across the river to Quebec City.

Nice looking house

On the ferry.

The Basse Ville with the Chateau above.

This building houses exhibits about the urban life of the early city. From 1663 to 1673 some 800 women were bought out to the colony to increase its population. Most were orphans and the government paid their passage and settling costs.

Restaurants all along the buildings of the Basse Ville, or lower town.

Bringht umbrellas.

Place Royale. This was one of the oldest areas of Quebec City and has World Heritage listing. This was where Samuel de Champion first started to build his settlement.

Interesting streets.

Ruins have been unearthed of buildings from the early settlement of this area.

More buildings belonging to the university now.

Marie Rollet was the first Frenchwoman to settle in New France (born circa 1580 in Paris, France; died in 1649 and buried in Quebec City. She is recognized as the first female French farmer in New France, alongside her husband Louis Hébert. My hotel was called Hotel Marie Rollet. I thought the name sounded familiar when I walked past it.

Brightly roofed buildings.

The Rue de Trevor was an all year round gallery displaying more than 36 artists work. It was started in the 1960′s by young artists.

The Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, an Anglican Church which was founded in Quebec in 1793.

The beautiful organ

The inside of the church. The Brisbane Communuty Choir were programmed to sing here in October. My niece knows the conductor and many of the singers.

The gates into the grounds of the School of Architecture in Quebec City.

The University of Architecture of Quebec in the middle of the Old City.

The Basilica of Notre Dame Quebec City. It is the oldest seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese in the America’s North of the Spanish colonies of Florida and New Mexico

Inside the Cathedral.

The Hotel de Ville was inaugurated in 1896. It was once home to the Jesuit College from the 1730′s to 1878.

I couldn’t work out how the plants on these pots grew. They looked good.

This face statue was opposite my hotel and in front of the Hotel Ville.

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