Archive for June, 2010

Quebec City is the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec and is located at the mouth of the Rivière St-Charles which flows into the Saint Lawrence River.

The city is built on a rocky spur that reaches a height of 100m and still has a European flavor to it. Apart from its being the heart of French Canada, it is also an important commercial and industrial centre.

With four reasonably large ski resorts and many golf courses, Hunting, fishing, tennis and water sports, including white water rafting, and sailing on the St Lawrence, Quebec lays its claim to being an important tourism center.

Sights:

Held in late January and early February, the Winter Carnival or Carnaval de Québec includes dogsled races, canoe races on the St Lawrence River, skating, sledding, family oriented games, evening dancing and parades lasting though the day and evening.

Located 12kms from the heart of Quebec City are the Montmorency Falls on the Montmorency River. At 84 meters high they are higher than Niagara Falls.

The Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré a shrine to honor Saint Anne is 30kms east of the city credited with many miracles of curing the sick and disabled.

Located 40km north east of Quebec is the ski resort of Mont-Sainte-Anne, with 66 trails and 17 trails covering 15km for night skiing. The resort also offers other winter sports and activities during the summer months too.

The Ice Hotel is built each January and has a four-month lifespan each year before being brought down in April, built entirely from snow it is a tourist hot spot.

Overlooking the Boulevard Champlain at the northern end of the Pont de Québec is Parc Aquarium du Québec with more than 10,000 specimens of mammals, reptiles, fish and other aquatic fauna of North America and the Arctic including polar bears and seals.

Citadelle of Quebec is part of the fortifications of Quebec City, completed in 1832 within its thick walls, ramparts and ditches are military quarters for generals, officers and men.

The Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec is a museum housing about 25000 works of Quebec art some dating from about the 18^th century.

The Ursuline Convent of Quebec City founded in 1639 is the oldest women’s institution in North America which today is a historical museum and teaching centre.

The Musée de la civilization is a museum on different aspects of human civilization.

Quebec offers some fine shopping from arts & crafts, leather to high fashion stores.

Nightlife in Quebec is great with a variety of bars, pubs and night clubs to choose from.

The city is served by the Jean Lesage International Airport located 11km west southwest of Quebec City. A modern airport it offers all the facilities and services to the passengers.  Car rental services at the airport are available from Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz and Alamo.