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Mirror reporter Cyann Fielding travelled to Quebec, in Canada, and experienced thrills such as ziplining over a waterfall and eye-opening insights into French Canadian history
Standing on the cobblestoned street of Rue du Petit Champlain as the rain hammered down, the towering Le Château Frontenac’s reflection glimmered on the windows of shops and slabs of stone.
Experiencing rain in 32C Canadian heat is a surreal yet romantic feeling and perfectly suited to Quebec City.
The French elegance and heritage shines throughout the streets and buildings. Its origins can be traced back to the First Nations who resided in the area, but it is more well known for the later discovery by explorer Samuel de Champlain in the 16th century.
It is one of the oldest European settlements in North America and Old Quebec was awarded UNESCO World Heritage status in 1985. Fairmont Le Château Frontenac is the signature sight with the red-brick hotel towering over the city and St Lawrence River, acting as the perfect navigational marker.
Like Charles de Gaulle, Alfred Hitchcock and Paul McCartney, I also had the pleasure of staying in one of the hotel’s luxurious rooms.
With dignified and stylish decor, dark wood panelling and muted tones, pale greys and yellows, leather desk chairs and lavish bathrooms, everything is so comfortable and inviting. Nestled toward the back of the property is Le Sam restaurant, which showcases some of Québec’s hottest culinary trends and ingredients.
The menu in itself was a feast for the eyes – local ingredients were scattered across all the different dishes, making a decision both exhilarating and difficult.
The goat cheese and spinach puff pie, featuring caramelised onions with honey from the Château, was simply an explosion of fresh flavours and easily one of the best restaurant meals I have had. The accompanying cocktail was also a vibrant fruity tipple – a welcome refreshment in the summer humidity.
Step into history
The experience of the hotel and food felt like the cherry on the cake, after exploring cobbled alleys, Escalier Casse-Cou (Breakneck Steps – named after their extreme steepness) and winding roads up steep hills, which we had done during the day.
Our guide, Frantz Noel, lead us on a tour through the heart of old Quebec, pointing out the most fascinating sights. For two hours, we meandered through the city, being told about the maple syrup production in the province – which accounts for 40% of the production world wide – the period of British occupation and how the well-adapting city was developed to tackle weather changes.
There was a lot to learn about the cradle of French North America, but Frantz impressed me with his passion, knowledge and experience of the area.
The subtle beauty of the city is appreciated most at the Place Royale and Rue du Petit Champlain. The quaint Place Royale is a plaza not far from Le Château Frontenac, and leads to Rue du Petit Champlain, a historic street packed with independent boutiques.
Place Royale is the site of the first French settlement in North America and where Samuel de Champlain chose to erect his “habitation”, which served as a fort, storehouse, trading post and residence after his arrival in 1608.
The time capsule nestled between Le Château Frontenac and the St Lawrence River, also features the Notre-Dame-des-Victoires church. Built in 1688, Notre-Dame-des-Victoires is the oldest stone church in North America and today, it is a National Historic Site.
After exploring Place Royale, we ventured on to one of neighbouring streets, Rue de Petit Champlain, which is one of the oldest commercial streets in North America. Resembling a fairytale French village, the pedestrianised street hosts an array of shops selling artworks, regional foods and fashion and jewellery.
Products made on the nearby Ile d’Orleans could be found in some shops, as well as an array of Quebec-labelled souvenirs.
At the end of Petit-Champlain is the funicular, which has been in operation since 1879. The steep ride is worth it for the views of the city and river, as well as avoiding a rather rough and sweaty trek back up to Le Château Frontenac.
Close communities
We also visited the origin of many ingredients used in the city’s restaurants and kitchens.
Ile d’Orleans is a small island located in the St Lawrence River, approximately three miles from Quebec City. Fascinatingly, most of the population of French-Canada can trace their ancestry to early residents of the island.
In addition to the breathtaking views, serene forests and river breeze, the island features culinary treats such as maple syrup tasting, strawberry and raspberry farms and the legendary Quebec “poutine” – a chip-gravy-cheese-curd comfort dish.
Also not very far from the city is Parc de la Chute‑Montmorency, which features a waterfall higher than Niagara Falls.
The thrill of seeing the 272ft cascade was added to when I ziplined over it – taking in the spray and panoramic view of trees around Quebec City.
This small city and its neighbouring towns certainly felt like a coalition of cultures, with a community focused on celebrating its heritage.
It was a world away from what I expected of a visit to Canada and was thrilled to experience it first-hand.
Book the holiday
- Air Transat flies from Gatwick to Montreal, Quebec, from £444 return. airtransat.com
- Train from Montréal to Québec City on VIA Rail Canada starts at £23 one-way. viarail.ca
- Rooms at the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac hotel in Quebec City start at around £164 a night room-only. fairmont.com
- More info at bonjourquebec.com quebec-cite.com
