While Quebec was one of the main reasons we had brought along the Spyder, after our experience with city-driving in Montreal, we were delighted to discover that our campground provided a free shuttle to the ferry which in 15 minutes could take us right to the Vieux Ville (Old City) of Quebec. We jumped at the chance and donned the best walking shoes we had.

View of Quebec from Ferry

Quebec is a city of hills and stairs, a living version of Chutes and Ladders. It’s divided into the Neuve Ville (the newer, commercial part of town situated farther back from the river,) and the Vieux Ville which has the historic streets and buildings dating back to the 17^th and 18^th centuries. The streets are cobbled, and shops of all types and sizes fill every building, alcove and alley. There are also rows of semi-permanent kiosks that fill the wider streets, such as the one where we had a lovely lunch at an outdoor café. Street musicians abound; within a few blocks we heard piano, accordion, guitar and harp.

Rue de Petit-Champlain

Tempting Shops

Climbing to the Chateau Frontenac

If you imagine San Francisco squished on both sides hard enough to push the center of the city up about twice as high in the middle, you get a good idea of Quebec. Our primary goal was to reach La Citadelle, the huge hill high above the river where the fortifications still stand that once made Quebec the most daunting city to attack.

Aerial View of La Citadelle

Chateau Frontenac

When we departed the ferry, our goal was “Conquer La Citadelle!” and we took off with enthusiasm up our first set of stairs onto Rue Petit Champlain where we were quickly distracted by the numerous shops designed to distract tourists. Our second set of stairs brought us to what I though was the foot of La Citadelle, but when I looked up, it was just as high above us as ever. By the time we finally reached the Chateau Frontenac, the huge, historic hotel with at least a thousand rooms that dominates the Vieux Ville, I looked up and saw La Citadel still in the distance. With two more sets of stairs and some pretty steep inclines, we finally reached the outer star-shaped wall separating the fort from the rest of the world, and I forget who persuaded whom that we really didn’t need to go any further up the hill. By then we were on the Plains of Abraham where the British finally defeated the French in 1759.

Stairs to La Citadelle

Plains of Abraham…looking out over the St. Lawrence River

At this time (256 years later) the Plains of Abraham (a huge expanse of hillside surrounding La Citadelle now part of the Parc des Champs-de-Bataille) was filled with some heavy metal music, part of the ongoing music festival taking over the town for the weekend. Standing at the wall with the St. Lawrence River below, it was easy to understand how the French believed their location was invincible and withstood the British for so long.

Having conquered La Citadelle as much as we wanted to, we meandered down charming streets, stopped for a lunch here, an ice cream there, wandered in and out of shops, and popped into a few more historic sites, like the Place Royale and Terrace Dufferin, enjoying a Starbucks as we watched a street gymnast, while looking out over the St. Lawrence River. I found a delightful gallery that carried only Inuit art and purchased a small print. It was a lovely but tiring day. We were more than happy to meet the 4:30PM ferry back, and to have pizza delivered to our campsite. Tomorrow we head towards Cape Breton.