Visiting Old Quebec City – Beautiful Parliament & Tourny Fountain

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The jewel of the Province of Quebec

There really are no other words to describe her… she is a precious jewel on the St. Lawrence River.  She is one of a kind. Perhaps there are other words to describe her: picturesque, pristine, spectacular, affordable and breathtaking… and French. Oh, so, very French.  Every Canadian should consider visiting Old Quebec City at least once in their lives.  I understand the charm that she holds for many Americans that come to see her. It is like being in a European city without leaving the continent.  It is a 1h40 minute flight from New York City, Toronto.  You can drive from Montreal (as we did) in about two hours.

Founded in 1608 by Samuel de  Champlain, Quebec City is known as the cradle of French civilization in North America.  Quebec City is the provincial capital of Quebec a predominantly French-speaking ‘nation within a nation’.  The history of French settlers coming to Canada and finding themselves in the middle of an English nation is a long and intricate story. Within this story lies the history of French and English colonization in the 17th century. It also plays an important role in the French communities which were built-up in other provinces and the US southern state of Louisiana.

Quebec nationalism continues to occupy the national agenda through the years. Suffice to say, it keeps the politicians and journalists employed.  At times it keeps the nation holding its collective breath but to be honest with you, none of that comes into play when you visit this historic city as a tourist. A visitor to Quebec City is always welcomed to enjoy the French culture and language without feeling alienated.

The highlight of a trip to Quebec City is Old Quebec which was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.  The designation is justly deserved as you walk around the cobblestone streets of Old Quebec you will attest to why it will be one of the most memorable trips you will ever make, I promise you.

Growing up in Montreal (the financial hub of the province, located 2.5 hours south-west), I have always loved the cobblestone streets and old stone buildings in Old Montreal. You get that and more when visiting Old Quebec City.  In part, Old Quebec is much bigger than Old Montreal. Divided into two parts, upper and lower town, it is best to see this city on foot. 

The upper section includes the iconic Chateau Frontenac overlooking the St. Lawrence Seaway.  It consists of many small hotels, shops and restaurants, as well as apartments lofts and businesses housed in these historic buildings.  The boardwalk adjacent to the Chateau Frontenac provides access to the funicular (cable car) which descends to the lower town.  If you choose instead, you can walk the picturesque streets or take any one of the 11 different sets of stairs. I may suggest you walk down Cote de la Montagne and cut-in on Notre Dame Street. You can always ascend in the funicular to Dufferin Terrace (at the foot of the Chateau Frontenac).

Warning to the wise, If you are visiting Quebec City be prepared to do a lot of walking and climbing of stairs in this area.  Wear comfortable shoes. Cobblestone streets don’t lend themselves to high heels.  But you also need to know that you have to do the walking or you will miss too much.  Mind you, if you want a unique experience, you can also take a calèche (carriage ride) through the old town.  It is a bit pricey at $95/hour but you get a personalized tour – all guides are bilingual.

The weather was very hot when we were there but the walking is not a problem as you can take a break in a quaint cafe or a friendly pub.  Sitting on a patio,  just watching the world go by, has to be one of the most pleasant pastimes of all time.  The view is S-P-E-C-T-A-C-U-L-A-R so take it in.

We decided to take a visit of one of the oldest provincial legislature buildings in Canada.  The Quebec National Assembly (or the l’Assemblée nationale)

The grounds were meticulous and full of lovely planters and gardens.   If there is one thing that we noticed with my mom (she is a big-time gardener) the city was decked out in the most beautiful flower arrangements possible.  Huge hanging baskets, giant colourful container planters in the intersections or median, gardens and window boxes.

One of the unique things that we saw in the front gardens of the Quebec Legislature were big container planters filled with edible plants.  That means they were growing zucchinis, peppers, tomatoes, sweet peas, pumpkins… all of the containers had veggies or herbs in wonderful combinations not just pretty flowers.  I have never seen this before in any public gardens.  The best part was that you could pick them – how great is that?  There was a small sign by a small vegetable plot that said this is a sharing garden so please help yourself.  Very unique.

We decided to take a FREE 30 minute guided tour of the Quebec legislature in French (these tours are available in both official languages but our schedule worked with the French version better).  I have to admit, we did well but there were only a few phrases I had to ask about.  Our tour guide was very obliging and answered all our questions.  He was full of great information and humour.  It is well worth taking the time to take the tour.  A guided tour is the only option.  You cannot do a self-guided tour for security reasons. Speaking of which, you must go through security so be prepared.

I have to say my husband and I thought that it is the most beautiful provincial legislature that we have seen so far (we’ve been to BC, Alberta, Ontario, PEI).

Built between 1877 and 1886 it has lovely stained glass windows of the founding of Quebec City (July 3, 1608) and impressive paintings of a lively discussion in the National Assembly.  The chandeliers in both the upper and lower chambers were impressive and glittering.  The Public Gallery in both chambers were situated above the floor and gave a great view of what would be a lively debate, I’m sure.

Visiting Old Quebec City and the assemblee nationale would not be complete without a stop at Le Parlementaire Restaurant. It is a stately restaurant which you can visit for lunch during the summer and for breakfast and dinner during the fall and winter.  It is currently being renovated and will re-open in March 2020. This is a fine dining restaurant, not a fast-food cafeteria, so make sure you dress appropriately.  Well worth the visit so don’t miss it.

As you exit the building, head down to the Tourny Fountain (my daughter referred to it as the Frog Fountain because of all the very cute bronze frogs). The fountain was a gift to Quebec City from La Maison Simon (my favourite store) for its 400th anniversary. The fountain reminds me of European fountains that you find in the core of small cities and towns as a central gathering place.

If you turn around and look at the Assemblée National you will see the many bronze statues of those that played integral roles in the founding of the province and the country.  Wolfe, Montcalm, Champlain, Cartier… all there to remind you of your grade 5 history class.

You can find out more about visiting Old Quebec City and the Quebec (City) capital Region:

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You can find out more about the Province of Quebec tourism:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tourisme.quebec

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TourismQuebec

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESyltfI8AGE

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