I don’t know why I started to write this opinion but for the fact that I’ve recently returned to work after the long (and not so hot) summer and feel the need to plan my half-term holiday and a cold(er) break. It does help with the sanity somehow, as you can appreciate (the holiday that is - not the temperature)!
After recently talking with one of my Canadian friends, I thought of re-visiting Canada during my October week off. I was lucky enough to spend the year abroad of my degree studying at Université Laval in Québec City so it’s a region and country that I’ve come to know pretty well and have always looked upon with more than affection.
To recommend it to the average prospective traveller, Québec, both province and city, is a more than a decent place to spend a few days. I know it can be considered a little ‘out of the way’ for some people (and rightly so depending on what your travel boundaries and tastes are) as it sits on the Eastern edge of Canada. However, if you’re looking to visit a ‘atypical’ North American city and appreciate a little diversity and potentially ‘more’ culture for your Canadian buck, then this rather European part of the New World could be right up your alley and (in my humble opinion) is worth going the extra distance and feeder-flight for!
Québec, know more commonly as ‘Québec City’ (Québec on its own refers to the province), is not a city of razzmatazz and/or showmanship so obviously don’t even think of going there if you’re a ‘glamour ‘n’ glitz’ person who is desperately looking for the continental North American gold of Las Vegas, the grit New York or even the grime of Toronto! Moreover, this is a city of relatively quiet charms, more suitable if you like for the mellow minions. Founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, Québec remains a part of ‘old’ North America and is respected by Americans and other Canadians as such.
Although the city is rather small, it is hard for anyone to go short of things to do here, such is the cultural background and diversity of the place. To its advantage, Québec has an entwined history of cultures to include the obvious French and Canadian connection as well as English and Amerindian connotations. From all this, and as you would expect, a culture all of its own reproduces itself from the ashes – this being Québecois (pronounced as ‘keb ek wa’ – just try saying that when you’re drunk on some of the many strong and local beers)!
If you happen to be already fairly familiar with Canada and can already put the ‘feel’ of certain cities on to a mental map, it would be worth noting (as I’ve said) that Québec has none of the urbanity of cities like Toronto and, to the same extent, has less of the stunningly ‘oceanic’ natural beauty of cities like Vancouver. That said, it is hard to deny the city any of its cute, provincial charm and knock its comparative timidity of being ‘bonny’ rather than beautiful.
In terms of practical information, this little city is awash with a range of accommodation. This ranges from the sweet, provincial and cheap québécois ‘b + b’s’ to the splendid, regal charm of the massive, gothic and chateau-like (et très cher darling!) Chateau Frontenac. The latter here has magnificent views that look over the Terrace Dufferin and the Saint Lawrence river as well as the far distant Laurentide mountains (views from and of this building are transformed from stunning to particularly stunning (and haunting) over the long, cold and inevitably ‘très’ snowy winter).
With regards to eating out here, the cuisine is, as you’d expect, continental with an emphasis on French (especially Breton) and Belgian cuisine. If you like fish, seafood, moules et frites, a good steak and pancakes then go no further - and if you appreciate a good continental or québécois beer to wash it down (try the local La Fin du Monde – ‘the end of the world’ (and trust me – it’ll feel like it after a few bottles of this!) – then ditto!
In terms of things to do, Québec has a host of the usual museums and tourist attractions you would expect to find in a compact and antique city – think of York without the ‘Vikingness’ or Brighton without the pier-esque ‘Victoriana’ as a guideline to the kind of things you’d find in this category. You can find traditional Québec, Breton, ‘American’ as well as mock-Amerindian architecture on every street – which makes up for an amazingly ‘minute’ and interesting cityscape!
Another completely québécois tradition of the province is ‘la chanson’ – song – where practically every bar on the main street of Rue St. Jean dedicates itself to some pretty upbeat music of the folk tradition with a constant free-gig agenda of English and French Canadian bands and artists – providing a brilliant ‘pubby without the grubby’ setting for nights out with a group of mates! In this way, you can have a really traditional Irish-y but/and poetic night out there – without so much reliance on the Guinness of course!
At this point in the review, you’re probably starting to wonder just what the title is about – I mentioned snow and believe me, I imply lots of it! The Québec winter can start as early as October and can last through till March. Temperatures of minus forty are not uncommon and ice storms can seriously bite your head and face off – just wear a designer balaclava girls! That said, if you actually like snow and the potential ‘winter-fun’ it can provide (take your pick from ‘obvious’ snow sports, ‘natural’ ice-skating in the street, tobogganing or simply rolling around in the stuff (yes whilst not uncommonly drunk) – it’s all there!
So, in summary, I’d heartily recommend a trip here to anyone who is open-minded, prepared to go the extra distance, unafraid of looking like a fashion casualty to avoid hypothermia – and above all - to someone who likes wine, song, natural rather than brazen beauty, quiet and casual revolution, poetic justice and (more than) a few jolly good beers!
Enjoy, bonne chance et, above all, santé!
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