Vieux-Québec

Québec City,  the capital of the Canadian province of Quebec, is situated  on a high bluff where the narrowing of the Saint Lawrence River begins.

Cap-Diamant (Cape Diamond), and Lévis, on the opposite bank, provided the name given to the city, Kébec, an Algonquin word meaning "where the river narrows".

Founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, Quebec City is one of the oldest cities in North America.

The ramparts surrounding Old Quebec (Vieux-Québec) are the only remaining fortified city walls that still exist in the Americas north of Mexico, and were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1985 as the 'Historic District of Old Québec'.

The city is a major cultural centre of the French-speaking world, as well as an important tourist destination. Various festivals are held annually including the Summer Festival, and Winter Carnival.

The city's most famous landmark is the Château Frontenac, a hotel which dominates the skyline.

The National Assembly of Quebec, the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (National Gallery of Quebec), and the Musée de la civilisation (Museum of Civilization) are found within or near Vieux-Québec.  A spectacular exhibit on Rome is at the museum until the end of the year.  The artifacts on display are wonderful representations of that most ancient of cities.

Quebec City has many, many miles of bike trails and we spend two days riding our trikes on them.  One day on the north shore of the St. Lawrence all the way into the city, a roundtrip of ten miles.

On another sunshiny day, we make a twelve-mile roundtrip into the city of Levis, on the southern shore of the river.

We enjoy that ride more because there are fewer hills and the view of Quebec City is so fabulous!

Hearing French being spoken, reading all of the signage in French, and the European architecture make us feel that we have been transformed magically to France.   Its quaint ambiance charms us completely!