Quintessential Québec City: Beyond the Old Town

Québec City will always stand-out from amongst the other big cities in Canada. Its charming quaintness emanates from a blend of North American and European cultures that is not intrinsically and purely North American, but not comprehensively European either. Rather, it has a unique characteristic that embraces the combined heritage of all the peoples that have lived in that land while never losing touch with its French connections. The result is a seamless amalgamation of various elements of culture that gives it its very own distinct identity.

It is not unusual to hear first time visitors say that being in the city is like being in Europe, but after at least half a day, they’d realize that they are very much still in North America. It happened to me.

The first time I set foot in Québec City on a cruise many years back, I felt transported to another continent as our ship docked at the Saint-Lawrence River and I got a glimpse of the old stone houses in the distance. It was nothing like Vancouver or Toronto…and even its sister city, Montréal.

The architecture, the language, the vibe, the air of antiquity, particularly in the Old Town, all scream, “I am ancient and I have a long, colourful story to tell…” Yet, after my encounter with the locals, I knew I was still home. This is still Canada…but the wonderfully whimsical part of Canada. And I never get tired of exploring it every time I go back.

Our 2017 visit to Québec City was the longest one, out of our other trips. That time, we stayed for five days to watch the parade and enjoy the festivities of Les Fêtes de la Nouvelle-France (The New France Festival). We spent a lot of time wandering around and getting to know its neighbourhoods a little better.

In 2018, we went back to accompany our son when he participated in a national chess tournament. We stayed for four days. In between matches and after the last match of each day, we’d go for walks and sightseeing.

This series will be about the neighbourhoods that we explored.

Other Notable Neighborhoods

Over the course of our travels in Québec City, I think we have pretty much covered most of the “must-see” and perhaps the “must-do” items, at least within the area that most tourists flock to – the historic Old Town (Vieux-Québec), the fairytale neighborhoods of Petit-Champlain and Place-Royale, the easy-going Old Port neighborhood, and the bohemian Sainte-Jean-Baptiste neighbourhood which is comprised of the Rue Saint-Louis district, the original working-class neighbourhood, and the Rue Saint-Jean district, it’s more modest sister that used to be a community of humble, wooden homes.

But there are other districts that are worth visiting as well.

Montcalm

We’ve seen the fringes of the Montcalm neighbourhood, dubbed as the “arts district” when we were exploring Grande Allée and its vicinities, but we have not ventured beyond the street where the statue of Charles de Gaulle is on the block after you pass the Hôtel Le Concorde.

Montcalm stretches from that block all the way to Avenue des Braves that leads you to Parc des Braves. If you are a culture-lover, this is the place for you. It has theatres, museums, bookstores, art galleries, chic boutiques, yoga centres, local markets, terraced restaurants, and hip cafés and bistros. The large, modern hotels are also located here.

I would love to visit the Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec that showcase both Québec art, from the early French colonies to the modern abstract artists, as well as international art. Highlights are the Brosseau Inuit Art Collection which is a 2,639-piece personal collection spanning 50 years and the Pavilion Charles-Baillairgé, one of the four main halls that used to be a prison. Aside from the permanent exhibitions, the museum hosts temporary exhibits and holds film screening (often documentaries on popular artists), drawing and painting classes, and concert series.

If one is into movies, one should definitely drop by Cinéma Cartier, the only movie theatre on this side of town. What is special about it is that it has been around since 1927. Originally housed in a two-storey brick building, it has been renovated, sold, and bought many times until it closed for 15 years. It is open once again not only for mainstream, indie, and international film-showing, but also for private viewings and parties.

Or if you are more inclined to watch theatre performances, head to Théâtre Periscope to watch a production from one of Québec’s local theatre troupes. And for world-class dance, comedy, musicals, orchestra concerts, operas and stage plays, there is the Grand Théâtre.

Epicureans will have their fill at Halles Cartier, a popular indoor market that features individual stalls for local bakers, chocolatiers, fruit and vegetable vendors, cheesemakers, fish mongers. Aside from food, there are also stalls that sell jewelry, fresh flowers, and unique gift items. For those who prefer a smaller place with a more personal service, there is Provisions Inc., a small family-run grocery store that has been in the neighbourhood for 35 years and sells local products.

Book aficionados will enjoy browsing the literary selections at Librairie du Quartier and if one is interested in used books, there is a treasure trove of them at À La Bonne Occasion. If you are in the market for stationery and writing instruments or enjoy scrapbooking for a hobby, you can get your supplies plus more from Parchemin du Roy.

For the fashionistas, the shops on Avenue Cartier and its arteries are full of small boutiques selling local designer goods, lingerie, lace corsets, unique bathing suits, and accessories.

Or if you get tired of it all, there is a yoga place, a tea lounge and plenty of cozy eateries and cafés to sit down and relax while sipping a comfort drink, whether you are a tea or coffee-lover.

Faubourge Saint-Jean

This area is the continuation of Rue Saint-Jean after you exit the walled city and go past Place d’Youville. It is an area often overlooked by tourists, for most, like me, stop exploring once we hit the city walls. But if you walk past Porte Saint-Jean, you will discover a vibrant area, frequented mostly by locals who are in-the-know, that is packed with shops, bars, and restaurants.

If you ask any local, he will point you in the right direction, whether you are on a quest for a gourmet adventure, a shopping spree in open-air groceries, or some party time. There are ethnic restaurants and creperies, fair-trade coffee shops and specialty beer stores, deli meat and cheese shops, seafood markets, chocolatiers and boulangeries, patisseries and gelato corners, bars and cabaret clubs.

It has a secret corner – a pedestrian cobblestone pathway off Rue Arago called Côté Badelard that winds its way up the hill through Parc Badelard. There is also a wooden staircase for those who want a short-cut from the uphill climb. In the summer, it is a popular route for parents with kids in strollers or for dog-walkers. In the winter, kids love to bring their sleds here.

The funny thing is that in the 19^th century, it was far from the wholesome family place that it is now. It used to be lined with houses of ill-repute and was known as the “flaming corner.”

Saint-Roche

Northwest of Parliament Hill and quite a distance from the Old Town is the neighbourhood of Saint-Roch, far enough to merit a cab ride, thus, we have not been able to explore this area. However, those who have the time and stamina can actually go there on foot. There are three main staircases that one can take to take you down to Saint-Roch.

At the end of Rue Saint-Agustin, you will find the Lépine Stairway.  Built out of wood in 1857, this stairway was demolished and rebuilt in iron in 1883. The bourgeoise of Upper Town used this inviting 118-step stairway to get to the stores on Rue Saint-Joseph. Its most striking feature is its wrought-iron arch that evokes the origins of the main groups of Québec residents at that time – roses for England, thistles for Scotland, clover for Ireland, and maple leaves for the French-Canadian majority. The arch at the top is the original, while the one at the bottom is a copy.

In 1986, it was officially named Lépine Stairway after the funeral home right beside it. Some claim that in the summer, one could witness a strange spectacle as one descends the staircase. From this vantage point, one could see on the backyard of the funeral home, fresh corpses that are being washed. But some refute that this is a mere urban legend.

At the corner of Rue Sainte-Claire and Rue Saint-Réal, is the L’Escalier du Faubourg, also known as the Sainte-Claire Stairs or Le Soleil Stairs. It was built out of wood sometime in 1858 and then rebuilt in iron in 1889. This three-level stairway with a mid-way landing is very graceful and provides one with a spending view of the Saint-Roch district and the Laurentian mountain range. Also built into the iron arch that decorates the stairs is a portrait of one-time mayor, François-Charles-Stanislas Langelier who ordered its reconstruction. However, the current version dates back to 1931 and in 1941, a public elevator next to it was added.

If you walk down Côté Sainte-Geneviève near the Méduse Complex, there is a staircase called L’Escalier de la Chapelle, also known as the Workers’ Stairs. With only 80 steps, it is one of Québec’s shortest, but one of the oldest stairs.

Before it was built, factory and naval workers in this area took a trail running from the top to the bottom of the cape to get to the Saint-Charles River factories and shipyards as a shortcut from the winding Côté d’Abraham. The municipality later decided to build a safer and more practical wooden stairway where the trail was located but it was destroyed by fire in 1845. When the Méduse Complex was being developed in the late 1980s, this abandoned stairway was restored. Now, they even installed a culvert that allows cyclists to roll their bikes along the staircase, instead of carrying them.

Since I mentioned the Méduse Complex, I thought I should tell you what this is. It is a cooperative of producers and presenters dedicated to the arts, culture, and community outreach, and has been deemed unique in North America. They opened a facility in 1995 that houses influential non-profit arts and culture organizations. Not only do they produce film and photographic events, but they also spearhead an annual international festival of multi-disciplinary and electronic art. The facility also houses galleries and multi-purpose halls used for art exhibitions and other artistic events such as theatre, dance, comedy improvs, lectures, symposia, fashion shows, film screenings, and more. Very interesting indeed.

As you can probably surmise, Saint-Roch, traditionally a working-class district for factory and naval workers, has slowly gentrified to the hip place it is now. From rising as the “the Broadway of Québec” in the 1890s with a proliferation of theatres, cinemas, cabarets, giant stores with electric lighting and a tramway to boot, to its decline in the 1950s as residents moved to the clean, less, crowded new suburbs, and to its resurgence that begun in the 1970s, Saint-Roch continues to reinvent itself.

On the main artery of Rue Saint-Joseph, chic restaurants and bars, as well as trendy shops have sprung from among the former junk shops and second-hand stores. Sidewalks have been widened, new benches added, and artists hired to renovate the interiors and exteriors of industrial buildings. Private galleries have also opened along another main street, Rue Saint-Vallier Est.

Now, it is known for food, culture, technology, fashion, and nightlife, thanks to the young, creative entrepreneurs who have come here to set up their businesses and brought a youthful pop to the area. This is also the place where technology companies and big department stores set up shop carving its names as a centre for commerce and innovation.

Limoilou

Dubbed as the “family neighbourhood,” this place is generally residential, characterized by old brick buildings with the iconic winding staircases, streets lined with majestic trees, narrow alleys with kids at play, students attending one of the CEGEP schools, and a friendly atmosphere among neighbours sharing a closely-knit community life.

But it is also branded as “up-and-coming” with the boom of small specialty shops – gourmet grocer, bakeries, cafés, handicraft stores, art galleries, tea shops, ice cream parlours, etc. In fact, a lot of new chefs are opting to open their restaurants here.

Apart from the thriving gourmet scene, it also boasts of a big public market and microbreweries. And for nature-lovers wishing some quiet time in a more bucolic setting, there is the beautiful Parc Cartier-Brébeuf where one can have an early-morning jog or a late-night stroll. It is built on the same spot where Jacques Cartier established his winter camp more than 450 years ago.

Along the Saint-Charles River, there is a walking and a biking path, and a little further, you can find the Domaine Mazerets which offers more trails plus an exhibition on Québec’s ecosystem, flora, and fauna.

There is also a unique architectural and cultural curiosity in the neighbourhood – an old church that has been transformed into a circus school. What a contrast!

I think that if one intends to stay in the city for a longer time and could afford to take a break from all the touristy activities, this will be the perfect spot for some rest and relaxation. Or if you have a car or do not mind a bus commute to the tourist areas, this neighborhood could be a wonderful base for it has a lot of cozy bed-and-breakfasts, cheaper than the commercial hotels, and most come with a parking space.

Saint-Sauveur

Another small residential neighbourhood in the outskirts of the city is Saint-Sauveur, or Saint-Sô, as its residents affectionally call it. Like Saint-Roch, it used to be a working-class district but is now emerging, while still retaining its local vibe. Here you can find legendary taverns, exotic boutiques, curiosity shops, and ethnic restaurants and grocery stores. You can shop or eat at these little hidden treasures without breaking the bank.

The up-and-coming neighborhood has attracted a lot of young families and young professionals over the years. Here is a place that has withstood the passage of time and trends and offers a strong community spirit among its residents. This is another area you could explore if you wish to get away from the tourist mob.

Sillery-Avenue Maguire

This district is a bit of a drive from the Old Town, but it will be worth the visit. Overlooking the Saint-Lawrence River from the top of the cliff, this neighbourhood provides one with a magnificent view, no matter where you look.

Established by the Jesuits as far back as 1637, Sillery, courtesy of its vast tract of lands, has become a well-to-do suburb favoured by wealthy English settlers wishing to establish their grand villas here. And even today, you can still feel the New England air about it.

One example is the Villa Bagatelle. Built as an outbuilding of the vast Spencer Wood Estate (also known as Bois‑de‑Coulonge), a gorgeous park with beautiful flower gardens, and nestled in the heart of a shaded garden, this picturesque neo-Gothic cottage evokes the tradition of vacationing in Sillery in the 19th century. Now serving as a multi-purpose exhibition centre, it features hundreds of native plants that brighten its English-style garden and a cultural information section.

Another fine example is the Domaine Cataraqui, a 24-acre property that was once part of a 19^th-century English estate and is now home to a villa and nine outbuildings that can be rented out for banquets, conferences, and other events. It also houses École hôtelière de la Capitale.

This refined neighbourhood doesn’t stop at heritage structures. It is also known for its chic boutiques, exquisite pastry shops, and swank old houses and tea rooms built long ago by the rich English families who gave the streets their names.

The most famous street is Avenue Maguire, where people flock for shopping and dining. For only a few hundred metres, you can find fashionable apparel, unique gift items and home décor, fine pizzas, delicate sushi, mouth-watering chocolates, and tasty treats from the bakeries and pastry shops.

If you wander into the side streets, you will discover 200-year-old pastel-coloured dwellings that look like doll houses.

Next time we go to Québec City with a car, we will definitely head out here.

Sainte-Foy

Not far from the Sillery is Sainte-Foy, a suburb that is home to several big sights like the Aquarium du Québec and Parc Nautique de Cap-Rouge, a park with views over the Saint Lawrence River.

It is also a shopping destination with major malls like Place de la Cité, Place Sainte-Foy, and Laurier Québec housing brand-name shops and department stores. As well, it is the location of the sprawling Université Laval campus dating back to 1663 that features a botanical garden, an indoor stadium, and nearby casual eateries.

This is where we stayed for our family trip in 2016, mainly because of its proximity to the aquarium, which was part of our itinerary then, and because this was the closest area where we could get a hotel room for a decent price, since we booked rather late. At the time of our booking, all hostels within the Old City and the big-name hotels right outside its gates were fully booked.

It turned out well for us for several reasons. The hotel ground was spacious and there was free parking. It would have been a nightmare staying at a downtown hotel with a car (which we had brought because we planned on exploring places outside the Old Town) – either the parking fee would be steep had we stayed at one of the big hotels right outside the walls, or not at all available had we stayed at a smaller hostel inside the walled city, and we would have to drive around the narrow streets to find one each time.

The hotel offered shuttle service to and from the Old Town, but since there was a set time, we just drove. On the days that we went to the Old Town, we would park behind the Basilica, inside the seminary complex.

The hotel area was also a lot quieter and because most of the guests were people on business trips, it did not have the touristy atmosphere. Daily breakfast was also included in the package and we had a full spread each day. My son enjoyed going to the breakfast room each morning and preparing his own food like a big boy - making his own pancakes or toast, getting his cereal from those cute bottle dispensers with the paddles, and drinking his milk from the single-serve-sized milk cartons.

We didn’t spend too much time in Sainte-Foy as we mainly used the hotel as our base. From there, we drove to the Old Town and to the outlying areas around the city that we included in our family trip itinerary and then came back at night to sleep. Our only destination within the area was the Aquarium du Québec, which was only a few blocks away.