Quebec City & Montreal

[ORIENTEER]

Two historic cities so totally different but worth the visit.

 

Quebec City is apparently the only walled city north of Mexico. I hadn't realized this so it made the old town snuggled inside even more fascinating. The Plains of Abraham is a lovely stretch of parkland along the St. Lawrence River just west of the fort. (Modern malls are there for those that need them).

 

Cruises dock at the foot of the city, and we understood from the tourist agency that the fall is a wonderful time to see the colours from the river. Something I'm planning to do next time.

 

Orienteer

[mii]

Two historic cities so totally different but worth the visit.

 

Quebec City is apparently the only walled city north of Mexico. I hadn't realized this so it made the old town snuggled inside even more fascinating. The Plains of Abraham is a lovely stretch of parkland along the St. Lawrence River just west of the fort. (Modern malls are there for those that need them).

 

Cruises dock at the foot of the city, and we understood from the tourist agency that the fall is a wonderful time to see the colours from the river. Something I'm planning to do next time.

 

Orienteer

 

I have been to Quebec City twice and enjoyed that city immensely. First time we did a excursion that took us to the old and the new parts of the city and the second time we took an excurison to the Quebec Countryside. Absolutely fabulous. It is a great area to tour.

 

marilyn

[Iceman-007]

Quebec City is really nice. I like the cafe district just outside the walled city part of old Quebec. Right beside of the cafe district is the barracks that looks a bit like a castle

[terpla]

Hi Armani,

 

I am always interested in local tour guides. I feel the ship's tours too congested. I would like the name of the driver if you don't mind.

[Ephraim]

I've never done this, but I live in the city and might be persuaded to help a few people out. You can reach me via the link for my email address. Nope, I don't have a price... and all I have is my car and feet. Not an official guide either. But since so many CC members have been nice to me, I'll consider helping any CCer out.

[bcscot]

Anyone needing help in driving information between teh two cities or even help in gettign around within Montreal and or Quebec City do not hesitate to ask. There is also a greate private driver that you can hire for your need for Montreal and or Quebec City or for the drive in between.

 

We will be arriving in Montreal in mid May. We will hire a car, stay one night in Montreal (& try to see a little of the city) & then we will be driving up to Mont Sainte Anne to spend a week in a timeshare. Is Quebec City an easy city to drive into (& park!)? Any other general advice would also be welcome.

 

Many thanks.

 

Graham.

[Ephraim]

We will be arriving in Montreal in mid May. We will hire a car, stay one night in Montreal (& try to see a little of the city) & then we will be driving up to Mont Sainte Anne to spend a week in a timeshare. Is Quebec City an easy city to drive into (& park!)? Any other general advice would also be welcome.

 

Many thanks.

 

Graham.

 

You can take either the 20 or the 40 to Quebec city. It's a three hour drive from Montreal (2.5 hours if you break the speed limit). Relatively easy drive between them. As for Quebec City.. the outskirts of the city are fine, but the inner city is hell, especially if you hate tight streets and parallel parking. I suggest you use parking lots and not risk a parking ticket. Especially if you aren't used to parallel parking in tight spots.

 

Get a turn-by-turn instruction set from Google Maps or from MSN (I love the line drive feature). And try to time yourself to avoid bridges out of Montreal around rush hour, though on the eastern edge of the city they aren't too bad, as long as you don't go through the Lafontaine tunnel at rush hour. That's Autoroute 20.

 

The difference between the two highways is that the 20 goes south along the river and the 40 goes north along the river. Oh and if you see someone hitchhiking around Donnacona... don't stop. (That's where the big prison is... it's a Quebec joke!)

[Twickenham]

You can take either the 20 or the 40 to Quebec city. It's a three hour drive from Montreal (2.5 hours if you break the speed limit).

 

Heh. I know of a guy who owned a V12 Jag that could do it in 1 hour. Of course, the person who told me the story was his mechanic, who was in the process of rebuilding his motor... :D Your average sedan-driving tourist should be able to do it in 2 1/2 hours.

 

We will be arriving in Montreal in mid May. We will hire a car, stay one night in Montreal (& try to see a little of the city) & then we will be driving up to Mont Sainte Anne to spend a week in a timeshare. Is Quebec City an easy city to drive into (& park!)? Any other general advice would also be welcome.

 

Many thanks.

 

Graham.

 

As mentioned, the streets are narrow in the Old City, so the best thing to do is park. Limited metered parking is available, but a much simpler option is to use one of the several parking lot options. The most central ones in Upper Town are at the Château Frontenac and City Hall; you can also use the one at Place d'Youville (in front of the Courtyard by Marriott) just outside the city walls. There are at least 3 lots within walking distance of the cruise dock in Lower Town - 2 right at the dock, 1 a 5-minute walk. If possible, use your credit card to enter and exit the lot (I'm not sure about the Upper Town lots, but the 2 at the dock definitely work this way). That way, you pay by the minute (I think it's 0.05$/min., but not sure). TIP: Usually in the evening and at the weekend, they're will be a sign at the 2 dockside parking lots saying that they're charging a fixed rate ($6 or $8, if I can remember),rather than a by-the-minute rate. That's fine if you're going to a restaurant and will be there for over 2 hours, but if not, go to the automatic machine and use your credit card as usual, and you'll be charged the per-minute rate. You HAVE to use the automatic machine for this, if you go to the manned ticket booth he'll charge you the fixed rate.

[bcscot]

Thank you both. It sounds quite expensive to park in Quebec City. Is parking farther out & going in by train or bus an option?

 

Graham.

[bcscot]

Thank you for the reply armani1975. OK, so I am British & have only been in Canada for 19 years. Car hire or automobile rentals! I still struggle with the language. No wonder I can never find it in the yellow pages!!!:D

 

Graham.

[Ephraim]

Don't worry, in Montreal it's under Location d'auto.

 

Montreal English is special.... a location might not be a place and we open and close the lights. Formation is what you get after you are hired and a stage is what you get when you are working for the company but aren't being paid. Even in English, Quebec is distinct.

 

(Location = Rental, Formation = Training, Stage = Internship.)

[mamadot]

How near the old town is the cruise dock? Can you walk to any sights from the dock?

[Ephraim]

The port in in Old Montreal (Vieux Montreal).

 

In Quebec city the port is in Lower Town (Bas Ville). Since there are two parts to Old Quebec (Vieux Quebec), the lower and the upper.

 

Both are ports are right at the sights, though in Quebec city it's HALF of them, you have to either walk up or take the funicular up to the other part of the old city. The staircase between the two parts is called the casse-cou, the neck-breaker.

[iata]

I am from Quebec City so if anyone have questions I will be happy to answer. You may have to wait for the answer because I am leaving tomorrow on the Celebrity Summit will be back on March 22.

[bcscot]

Thank you iata. Have a nice cruise & I hope that you do not have any 'pod' problems!:)

 

Graham.

[terpla]

Thank you Armani, I will email him and see what he is about.

 

I appreciate all the advice you all have given us newbies to Quebec.

[MLinFL]

Iata -

 

Hope your cruise was wonderful!

 

We will be sailing from Quebec in September aboard the Eurodam. We would like a recommendation for a nice hotel near the port for the night before we sail. Any help would be appreciated.

 

Thanks!

 

Mary Lou

[Twickenham]

We will be sailing from Quebec in September aboard the Eurodam. We would like a recommendation for a nice hotel near the port for the night before we sail. Any help would be appreciated.

 

There are several hotels within walking distance of the cruise terminal, the closest being the Hotel Port Royal, the Hotel Dominion 1912 and the Hotel Saint-Antoine. Also close are the Hotel Le Priori and the Auberge Saint-Pierre. All of these are small, boutique-style hotels housed in restored historic buildings that are well-regarded. I have no personal experience staying at them, since I live in QC, but when I worked at the tourist bureau a few years ago, all (except for the Port Royal, which wasn't open at the time) were used regularly for visiting journalists, thus were considered sure bets.

[iata]

Those hotels would have been my recommendation. Great Hotels, St-Antoine is across the street from the ships.

[iata]

Forgot to say, I had a wonderfull cruise on Summit and no pod problem at all :)

[poole]

I am from Quebec City so if anyone have questions I will be happy to answer. You may have to wait for the answer because I am leaving tomorrow on the Celebrity Summit will be back on March 22.

 

I would much appreciate your help! I will be calling-in at Quebec City on a cruise on 5 October 2012 and would like to rent a car for the day, to see something different out of the City as I have been there before. I have checked some prices, but have no idea where the addresses are to collect the car. One address is 1100 Boulevard Rene Levesque ("Budget" cars). Is this near enough to the ship to get there on foot or on the little 'Bus', or will I need to get a Taxi?

 

 

Anything you can do to help - such as suggestions as to where I should drive to for the day - would be most welcome.

 

Regards.

 

Poole

 

F

[Earl Rosebery]

I would much appreciate your help! I will be calling-in at Quebec City on a cruise on 5 October 2012 and would like to rent a car for the day, to see something different out of the City as I have been there before. I have checked some prices, but have no idea where the addresses are to collect the car. One address is 1100 Boulevard Rene Levesque ("Budget" cars). Is this near enough to the ship to get there on foot or on the little 'Bus', or will I need to get a Taxi?

 

 

Anything you can do to help - such as suggestions as to where I should drive to for the day - would be most welcome.

 

Regards.

 

Poole

 

F

 

My google tells me 1110 Rene levesque is AVIS. It's the Quebec city Hilton about a mile from the pier.

 

 

Drive to Ile dOrleans or Baie St. Paul.

[AAAAmerican]

Bon Jour Madam,

 

 

Your City, Province , and Country are wonderful! The people grande!

My french is to say in American English .. not so well.

 

But you seem so kind, thoughtful, and wonderful helping all the people here. Thank you ! Merci !

 

Kudos to you!:cool:

 

 

 

 

Those hotels would have been my recommendation. Great Hotels, St-Antoine is across the street from the ships.

[maryann ns]

No it is not near the port: https://maps.google.ca/maps?q=1100+Boulevard+Ren%C3%A9-L%C3%A9vesque+Est,+Qu%C3%A9bec,+QC&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=46.810693,-71.214752&spn=0.029783,0.084543&sll=44.004261,-62.918551&sspn=8.010861,21.643066&oq=1100+Boulevard+Rene+Levesque&hnear=1100+Boulevard+Ren%C3%A9-L%C3%A9vesque+Est,+Qu%C3%A9bec,+Communaut%C3%A9-Urbaine-de-Qu%C3%A9bec,+Qu%C3%A9bec&t=m&z=14

 

 

Check to see if there is an Enterprise dealer as they deliver cars to you.

[poole]

My google tells me 1110 Rene levesque is AVIS. It's the Quebec city Hilton about a mile from the pier.

 

 

Drive to Ile dOrleans or Baie St. Paul.

 

 

Many thanks.

 

I believe that Budget and Avis share the same office (desk) in the Hilton.

 

We will take your advice on places to visit.

 

Poole