What to do in Quebec City

[Franknca]

We have been told to spend time in Quebec City before embarking on our cruise this coming October. I understand it is a beautiful city but what is there that one should do or not miss if they only have 2 days?

Frank-in-CA

[jp2001]

two days to explore Quebec City is very good. You can see most of the best attractions while not being as rushed as others who spend only a one-day stop in our city. If you come here in early October, you might see the folliage changing colors, it's nice. I would suggest to rent a car for one of the days and go to the island called Île d'Orléans and just driving around. There is nice houses, view of the St.Lawrence River, it's quiet. And then, if you like churches, there is the Basilique Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré. You will see falls on your way to the island (island is at your right, falls at your left) they are the Chutes Montmorency falls. There is a pedestrian bridge on top of it and hiking trails, nice spot. For the second day, I would suggest to stay downtown and simply walk around (Petit-Champlain sector, near the pier, Chateau Frontenac area, Plaines d'Abraham Battle Field, tour the Citadelle) or go to one of our museum if it's a rainy day; I especially like the Musée de la civilisation museum. They have great bilingual exhibitions for all age groups. If you are more into regular art (painting and this type of stuff) there is the Musée du Québec museum that is nice. It's located on the Plaines d'Abraham Battlefield. There is also very many Art Gallery thoughout the touristic area, if art interests you.

I hope this helps. If you have ideas of any specific activity you would like to do, let me know and I'll do my best to help you find what you need.

[Franknca]

Thanks for the information. There will be 4 couples and I'd like to find some kind of "tour" to cover the territory you mentioned for the first day rather than renting a car. We will be staying at the Fairmont Frontenac Hotel/Chateau so I guess we will be right in the middle of the area to see everything by walking on that second day. I'm not too interested in churches as I saw too many in Europe. (NG) Like the British Isles where we were overloaded with castles. (G)

Frank-in-CA

[babylene]

What about Baie st. Paul...would there be a day tour to that area....so pretty and great art galleries and restaurants.

[babylene]

I heard a rumour that there may be cruises starting and ending in Quebec city. Have you heard anything?

[Host Caroline]

I know that Holland America is definitely homeporting the Masdam in Quebec City for some cruises in '05 and I believe I read that another cruise line is doing that as well...

 

Re Quebec and Ile de Orlean there are several local tour companies that will take you out there.. many include St Anne in their "regular tour" but if your group is large enough they may take just you and customize a bit. We ate at a wonderful Sugar Shack on the island when we were there in February during Winter Carnaval... that my friend was an experience.. we had snow drifts higher than the SUV but it was gorgeous.. a completely different "planet" from the summer months!

 

Here's a link to a pretty good site that might have some tour companies that have what you are looking for: http://www.quebecregion.com/e/. Quebec City Tours' Tour #2 includes St Anne, the falls and the "tip" of Ile de Orlean but they might customize for you???

 

IMHO one of the best restaurants for excellent Quebecois cooking is the Ancient Canadian.. they have a fixed price menu for both lunch and dinner but the lunch menu is really a bargain and very similar .. about $15 US for a 3-course meal up until about 4:30 p.m. Reservations good but you could probably make when you arrive.

[jp2001]

Host Caroline gave you very good information and Babylene is right about Baie St.Paul, it's a very nice place. I don't go there often enough (didn't go for YEARS) but I definitely recommend it for a relexing day, especially if you like Art Galleries, as it was mentionned before. If you are more into adventurous activities, let me know, I have a lot of suggestions too.

[Franknca]

 

Here's a link to a pretty good site that might have some tour companies that have what you are looking for: http://www.quebecregion.com/e/. Quebec City Tours' Tour #2 includes St Anne, the falls and the "tip" of Ile de Orlean but they might customize for you???

 

IMHO one of the best restaurants for excellent Quebecois cooking is the Ancient Canadian.. they have a fixed price menu for both lunch and dinner but the lunch menu is really a bargain and very similar .. about $15 US for a 3-course meal up until about 4:30 p.m. Reservations good but you could probably make when you arrive.

 

Thanks, I've bookmarked the URL and copied your info.

Frank

[mii]

Frank: I went back a few pages and around the date of last Sept. there was a person who spent 6 days in Quebec. Maybe that thread can help you. I know when we were there a couple of years ago we took the ships tours of old and new Quebec City. We got a taste of the city that way. Hope this helps.

 

Marilyn

[Franknca]

Frank: I went back a few pages and around the date of last Sept. there was a person who spent 6 days in Quebec. Maybe that thread can help you. I know when we were there a couple of years ago we took the ships tours of old and new Quebec City. We got a taste of the city that way. Hope this helps.

 

Marilyn

 

Yes, I found it and left a message, I think to you, about the Sugar Shack. BTW, I did find a lot of tours that might be useful to us at:

http://www.quebeccitytours.com/

and they seem to have discounts too.

 

Frank-in-CA

[Host Caroline]

Thanks, I've bookmarked the URL and copied your info.

Frank

 

i'm going to try to find the name of the Sugar Shack we ate at in February.. the folks were great and the food was delicious.. one of the best meals ever...

[Franknca]

i'm going to try to find the name of the Sugar Shack we ate at in February.. the folks were great and the food was delicious.. one of the best meals ever...

Was it this one?

http://www.quebecregion.com/e/membres-details.asp?sd3kWichPub=WEB&lnMajMajorBc=500&sMinorMinor=0540&lnMemOrgId=31379

 

Frank-in-CA

[Ichiban Nekko]

Thank you all for the wonderful suggestions regarding Quebec. It sounds as though whatever time we have available, we will need to have our running shoes on. All the better to enjoy a wonderful meal at the end of he day in one of he meany superb restaurants.

 

FYI: Enchantment will end her Sept. 25 cruise from Boston in Quebec. On Oct. 2nd she departs on a repositioning 7-day to Fort Lauderdale via the Saguenay, Corner Brook Newfoundland and Boston. I believe there is a roll call thread for each of these cruises.

[Host Caroline]

Was it this one?

http://www.quebecregion.com/e/membres-details.asp?sd3kWichPub=WEB&lnMajMajorBc=500&sMinorMinor=0540&lnMemOrgId=31379

 

Frank-in-CA

 

No, it was out on Ile d'Orleans:Le Relais de Pin or something like that.. cross the bridge to the island, turn left and a few miles.. found a picture but didn't show the name.. it's on the left hand side of the road and the back faces the river.. I'll keep trying to find more.

[Franknca]

FYI: Enchantment will end her Sept. 25 cruise from Boston in Quebec. On Oct. 2nd she departs on a repositioning 7-day to Fort Lauderdale via the Saguenay, Corner Brook Newfoundland and Boston. I believe there is a roll call thread for each of these cruises.

 

That's too quick a cruise for me. We are taking the Sea Princess' 12 day repositioning cruise from Quebec to Fort Lauderdale. I prefer a longer cruise and we'll probably see a few more ports. Even 12 day is too short for me, I prefer a minimum of 14 days and longer. And the more sea days the better. Repositioning cruises are my favorite for that reason.

Frank-in-CA

[skoscins]

 

Here's a link to a pretty good site that might have some tour companies that have what you are looking for: http://www.quebecregion.com/e/. Quebec City Tours' Tour #2 includes St Anne, the falls and the "tip" of Ile de Orlean but they might customize for you???

 

I've been trying to find that Quebec City Tour #2, but haven't had any luck. I've gone all around the link - in circles probably. Thanks, Sue

[Franknca]

 

Here's a link to a pretty good site that might have some tour companies that have what you are looking for: http://www.quebecregion.com/e/. Quebec City Tours' Tour #2 includes St Anne, the falls and the "tip" of Ile de Orlean but they might customize for you???

 

I've been trying to find that Quebec City Tour #2, but haven't had any luck. I've gone all around the link - in circles probably. Thanks, Sue

 

Well this thread is 2.5 years old. We did take that tour about 2 years ago and it was pretty good at the time as I recall.

Frank

[Maraprince]

Anyone know what the average cost of dinner is (without wine) in old Quebec? We would like to eat off the ship (Constellation) one night since we will be in port for almost 2 nights. Should we make reservations during the day for dinner at night?

 

What is the usual dining time here? We will be in Quebec Oct. 29-30 (leaving at 11PM). We are trying to decide whether to dine the first or second night in Quebec.

 

MARAPRINCE

[kenito799]

Maraprince, I was just in QC last month, there are many excellent restaurants.

--eating time is similar to the US, any time betweem 6pm and 9pm. Restaurants don't seem to stay open extremely late.

--cost varies greatly, depending on what you would like to eat, and dinner is much more expensive than lunch. Easily $100 pp (including tax and tip) at the best places, more like $15-25 pp for lunch at the same places. So lunch is a good option. There's not much difference between Canadian and US$ these days but remember the prices are about 5% lower because of the exchange rate.

 

One of our favorite spots that is just steps away from the port is Toast! (17 rue Sault-au-Matelot, corner rue St-Antoine, 418/692-1334). Definitely reserve for dinner. We had brunch there, I had a fantastic steak tartare, my friend had crepes with duck confit, and they brought amuse-bouches of homemade foie gras-suckling pig sausage on an apple-garlic reduction. That was only $20 each! Dinner will cost more but will be worth it. My "don't miss it" restaurant in Quebec.

 

If you are looking for traditional quebecois food, the classic spot is Aux Anciens Canadiens (34 rue St-Louis, 418/692-1627). This is up the hill so you can take the funicular. Hearty game or pork pies, etc. However, I would recommend that for lunch, since you get to enjoy the same food for the prix fixe $15 which includes soup, dessert and a glass of beer or wine. Dinner is much more expensive. The maple sugar pie is delicious.

 

If you want to try one of the best-loved restaurants in QC and dine away from the touristy area, go to Cafe du Clocher Penche (203 rue St-Joseph est, 418/640-0597). Make reservations and take a taxi there. Fantastic seasonal gourmet food in French style that is an amazing value.

 

Another very fancy (and expensive) restaurant that gets great reviews is Panache (10 rue St-Antoine, 418/692-2211), a very short walk from the ship. We didn't get a chance to eat there. Another option nearby for a nice selection of Belgian beer and mussels with fries is Moulerie Moss (rue St-Paul), more casual, reservations not necessary. We had very rich anise-cream sauce on delicious plump mussels.

 

Let me know if you like beer and want information on brewpubs, of which there are many in Quebec!

[Maraprince]

kenito799.

 

None of us are drinkers! That's why I was asking about pricing without drinks.

 

Since we have 2 nights in port, we thought we would eat off the ship one night and do something different since there will be no big show and very little activity on the ship. We would be looking for something like French onion soup, a nice beef or chicken dish and possibly crepes for dessert. It's just to give us a change of pace from the ship's food. No snails, frog legs, pate, etc. Just basic food.

 

 

MARAPRINCE

[kenito799]

Ok yes--you will save money not drinking wine. I think you will like the atmosphere at Aux Anciens Canadiens...they have beef and chicken in addition to the elk and pork pies...and definitely French Onion Soup! You can probably make a reservation there during the day for the same day. Since you will be there Mon and Tues, it should be easier to get reservations at the other places I mentioned, too. Some places could possibly be closed Monday, probably not Aux Anciens Canadiens, though. But at least look at the menu at Toast...one of my favorite restaurants ever!

 

There is also a really cute restaurant that specializes in rabbit and duck on an incredibly quaint street in the lower town, at the base of the funicular. You can't miss it--rabbits all over the place!

[Cat48]

Has anyone used Quebec City Tours for a tour? I am in the process of making a reservation for 6 people to be picked up at the cruise pier in Quebec and taking "Tour 2" to Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre, the Island of Orleans, and the Montmorency Falls. I liked to try and get a recommendation before using a tour co. The price is better than the ship's excursion. This would be for August 2007.

Thanks everyone for your posts, we cruised this past May in Italy and I arranged all the private excursions from recommendation on this site and they were all great.

[Franknca]

Has anyone used Quebec City Tours for a tour? I am in the process of making a reservation for 6 people to be picked up at the cruise pier in Quebec and taking "Tour 2" to Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre, the Island of Orleans, and the Montmorency Falls. I liked to try and get a recommendation before using a tour co. The price is better than the ship's excursion. This would be for August 2007.

Thanks everyone for your posts, we cruised this past May in Italy and I arranged all the private excursions from recommendation on this site and they were all great.

 

We took the tour of Montmorency Falls and Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre church using the discount coupons at: http://www.quebeccitytours.com/. Note, this is a different site than a similar one that ends in .net. It wasn't very fancy - I think the driver is the owner. He doesn't do any dialog on where one is going but he did pick up our group of 6 at our hotel and took credit cards. That was almost 2 years ago and if I recall correctly, the discount was 25% then vs. the 20% now. But since this is one of the few places in the world where the US dollar is stronger than the local dollar, it really is a bargain.

Frank

[Franknca]

Hi Franknca,

 

If you are still looking for private or customized tours in Qyuebec there is a good source mentioned in previous posts which I have copied the link below.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=329755&referrerid=162150

 

Not looking anymore - been there & done that now almost 2 years ago. (G)

Frank

[CruisingChick]

Let me know if you like beer and want information on brewpubs, of which there are many in Quebec!

 

kenito, we are on the same sailing as Maraprince. I would love to know about the brewpubs. My husband loves beer.

 

Thank you.