EXTENDING YOUR VISIT
TO MONTREAL AND QUEBEC on the
St. Lawrence River
Text © 2004, Pat Middleton
Photos © 2004, Richard L Middleton
City of Quebec
If significant history and European grace within a four-hour drive of Connecticut or a beautiful two-day drive from the Upper Mississippi River sound appealing, we've found the ideal destination. The City of Quebec (meaning the narrowest point of the St. Lawrence River) is the gemstone of North America. Though much-restored throughout the past 350 years, this walled city, with its cobblestone streets and limestone buildings, immediately brings to mind the walled city of Carcassonne in France. Like Carcassonne, Quebec has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
A Few of Our Favorite Things!!
17th
century homes, and the low cellar that housed the merchants of lower town.
"Magic" is the word that best describes Quebec City! The opportunity to speak my halting French on occasion while knowing all the while that everyone I was likely to meet really spoke English perfectly well themselves. To walk among 16th and century homes, distinctly French, each nicely dated with a tile plaque, to explore art galleries, gift boutiques, and pubs located in low, airy cellars, to explore the life-size murals under a brilliant blue sky, that is being on vacation.
Admire here a heavy wooden door with a hand-worked iron latch, there an entryway sprinkled with infusions of flower pot gardens and vines, recognize that here you stand before the home of Louis Joliet, discoverer of the Mississippi River; here at the Ursuline Convent and here the
Sulpician Seminary (I remembered place Saint Sulpice in Paris, and a recent mention in the Da Vinci Code) --both buildings are among the oldest structures on the North American Continent.
Be sure to notice two life-size "tremp d'oeil" murals as you walk though the Lower Town. The barn commemorates the Irish immigration to Quebec. The other mural is filled with modern and historic characters of the Quebec culture.
Historic Fairmont Chateau Frontenac towers over the lower city, surrounded by
commercial and offices buildings of the old French upper class. Built in 1893 by Canada Pacific as enticement to passenger rail travel, it stands today as a symbol of the city. It is the hotel of choice by Presidents and celebrities and considered to be the most photographed hotel in the world. Upper Town and Lower Town are connected by a tram or FUNICULAR located in what was once the home of Louis Joliet.
There are many other historic buildings in the Upper town, including the Ursuline convent already established in 1642. The Seminary of the Sulpician Brothers is also located in Upper Town. It is possible to walk several miles along the top of the city walls and the best view of the St. Lawrence is from the extensive boardwalk at the Chateau Frontenac .
It was Samuel de Champlain who envisioned this city as a base for commerce, exploration and supply. But it was a more recent city father who had the good sense to recognize that the 20-foot thick walls surrounding the Upper Town were irreplaceable in their historic value, and the limestone buildings in Lower Quebec worthy of restoration by the city. Today Quebec is visited by 8 million people a year, and claims to be the 4th most popular destination on the continent. It surely has my vote!!
Click here for a TIME LINE of French Canadian history
If you go to Quebec City:
L'Auberge St. Antoine
Given that our four-star hotel, the Auberge St. Antoine was located right in the Old Port section of Quebec, we fully expected to see more of what we had experienced in Montreal. The limestone façade did nothing to forewarn us of the magnificent restoration in the new section where our room overlooked the St. Lawrence River.
“Oh my!” – the inside was not ancient, but modern, VERY VERY modern.
“Oh my!” – our fifth floor room fairly sparkled with bright whites, tiles, and a most comfortable bed. The bathroom was almost as large as the main room.
“Oh my!” – a walk-out window to a comfortable private deck where we watched sea-going vessels passing below us. Two large cruise boats docked just at the foot of Rue St. Antoine.
“Oh my!” – as we discovered how tactfully the
designers had displayed artifacts
discovered on the site throughout the hotel.
Each room had an artifact embedded in a lighted display box bearing the room number on the exterior. Artifacts embedded in lighted bedside tables, ancient oak forming the welcome desk, the parquet floor of the breakfast area featured the grainy ends-up of ancient oak timbers. Each floor of the hotel represented a different era in the history of Quebec, and artifact displays represented the era indicated.
We had two exquisite dinners in Quebec, the Panache Restaurant located in the Auberge St. Antoine, and the restaurant L'Initiale just around the corner from the St. Antoine. Both were recommended to us by fellow travelers our first night in Quebec. One could eat out the rest of his life in the city, without ever going to the same eating establishment twice! The Panache featured a Canadian chef, and while equally delicious we found a different emphasis. What I most enjoyed most at the Panache was the flavor of each item. The cucumber soup tasted remarkably like fresh cucumbers. The shrimp tasted remarkably like the freshest shrimp.
At L'Initiale,
we discovered that both the chef and the maitre d' --co-owners of L'Initiale--were
from Brittany on the 
northern
coast of France. Maitre d', Mme Rolande Leclerc was passionate that her
guests experience fine French dining at its most memorable. The atmosphere
radiated refinement. The wait staff discreet and attentive. The "architecture"
of the foods was breath-taking. Mme Leclerc personally greeted every diner
and generously advised on the best combinations of food and drinks.
We photographed
my
desert below. Can you guess? Strawberry shortcake with a pure chocolate lattice
work for the whipped cream! The pre-dessert was
equally delicious... homemade vanilla ice cream in a small
handmade cone on an apple mousse sprinkled with a strong cinnamon drizzle. An
appetizer of fois gras--goose liver--simply melted on my tongue!
This was a time to forget about economy and simply enjoy the art of eating well.
I have to confess, it was a far cry from Friday night fish in Wisconsin!!
IF you go:
Restaurant L'Initiale, 54 St. Pierre St., Quebec's Old Port 418-694-1818
Restaurant Panache, Vieux Port de Quebec, 418-692-1022, 888-692-2211.
Auberge Saint-Antoine, rue St. Antoine, www.saint.antoine.com
ADDITIONAL LINKS
Quebec Tourism
-
http://www.bonjourquebec.com/anglais/
Map of Quebec City http://listingsca.com/Quebec/map2.asp
Visit Montreal
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