Quintessential Québec City: City Armoury and Battlefields Park

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.

Québec City Armoury

A most amusing perk that I discovered while staying at the Hôtel Château Laurier was the wine dispensing machines (yes, that’s a thing). There was one right across from our hotel room. You just need to bring your own glass, pay with a special card obtained from the hotel reception (presumably for age-restriction purposes), and take your pick from eight bottles. The wine selection was good, but it was much cheaper to buy a full bottle from the convenience store downstairs, unless you’re already in your pajamas.

But the best perk, I think, is the beautiful view of the Québec City Armoury from our window, right across Place George V. Where else could you have a magnificent Gothic Revival landmark greeting you every morning as you draw the curtains and wait for your coffee to brew, or in the evening while sipping a glass of wine?

The armoury, built between 1885 and 1887, has served as the training and parade ground for the Voltigeurs de Québec reserve infantry unit. Construction began under the helm of self-taught architect Eugène-Étienne Taché who also designed the Parliament Building after the Voltigeurs distinguished themselves in suppressing the Northwest Rebellion in Western Canada. Taché drew inspiration from the medieval forts he had seen on his European travels and so introduced the château style to Québec City for the very first time. The armoury was a massive stone building with barbican windows, faux gun embrasures, twin towers with conical roofs, and a central gateway befitting its military vocation.

However, in April 2008, a massive fire ravaged the armoury, destroying everything but the façade and a large part of the collection of historical objects. It was a huge blow to the city, but reconstruction is in the works.

The original plan was for this building to continue to serve as headquarters of the Voltigeurs and house the regimental museum and offices once rebuilt. But since 2000, the Voltigeurs have shared training facilities with the Royal 22^nd Regiment at the Canadian Forces Base Valcartier outside Québec City and they have decided to stay there.

Now, it is a multi-functional hall, certainly one of its kind that can accommodate large events, that’s open to all and available for public functions. I can imagine a royal-inspired wedding reception here, or an 18^th-century-themed party.

Battlefields Park

And speaking of perks, let me mention one more – the hotel was walking distance from Battlefields Park and I had the luxury of enjoying a huge park right by our “backyard.”

Don’t get me wrong. I am not advertising the hotel, though I must say we were very happy with our stay. It’s just refreshing to have this much opportunity to explore on foot. Last time we were in Québec City, we stayed in the Sainte-Foy area, had our car with us, and drove around most of the time. This time around, we left our car in Montréal, took the train, stayed in this area, and walked everywhere!

In the late afternoons after my daily trek to the Old Town or in the early evenings, I’d usually walk to the park via the shortcut across Jardin Jeanne D’Arc behind the hotel for a leisurely stroll or a relaxing sit-down moment facing the river and watching the sunset.

The garden itself is a delight to the senses with over 150 plant and flower varieties on dazzling display. And in the thick of summer, the colourful blooms brighten up the green expanse dotted with wooden benches and picnic tables.

The Battlefields Park, which includes the Plains of Abraham (please see next story for more information) and the Parc Des Braves, was created in 1908 to mark the 300th anniversary of the founding of Québec and to honour the memory of both British and French combatants.

Parc Des Braves is a smaller park located between Chemin Ste-Foy and Côté de la Pente-Douce, which is quite a distance from the hotel, so I did not get a chance to see it. I heard that it features a monument dedicated to the French, British, and Native soldiers who perished in the Battle of Ste-Foy during the Seven Years’ War and that their bones, along with important documents, are buried underneath.

The Plains of Abraham is more popular with tourists. This is where I spent my time. On our most recent trip, we just went for nature walks, but the previous year, we signed up for a guided tour. We felt that it is important for our son to learn about this site, wherein the two historic battles that took place shaped Canada’s future.