Click on any picture to see a larger version.
The “Old Town” of Québec City is a fascinating and picturesque
place for leisurely exploration. It’s the only walled city in North
America. Because of its combination of history and aesthetic appeal, the
United Nations named Québec a “World Heritage City” in 1985. It
takes no imagination at all to pretend you’re in France, since the
streets and alleys would look very French even without the
(legally-mandated) signs in that language.
As the title of this page suggests, during the week or so in early
September that I spent in Quebec, only one day wasn’t rainy or heavily
overcast. Québec City can be enjoyable even in the rain, but
pictures taken under a leaden sky are seldom worthwhile. So here are a
few pictures from my one nice day in Old Québec.
Old Québec is divided into the “Upper Town” and “Lower Town.” The
Upper Town is on a cliff, overlooking the Lower Town and the St.
Lawrence River and enclosed within the city wall. At the edge of this cliff
is terrasse Dufferin, a boardwalk adjoining the Château Frontenac
and providing views of the Lower Town and the river.
The Château Frontenac is the dominant landmark of Old
Québec, and practically a symbol of the city. It’s not a castle
at all, but a luxury hotel. The Canadian Pacific Railway built a number
of “Château” style hotels around the country at the end of the
19th century (two other well-known examples are in Banff and Lake
Louise, in the Canadian Rockies of
Alberta). You can easily spend a few hours strolling along terrasse
Dufferin and looking at the Chateau from different angles.
The Château Frontenac has a peaked copper roof that’s typical of
Québec architecture and is found on many other buildings. Copper
forms a green patina when it oxidizes from exposure to the elements.
You can walk between the Upper Town and Lower Town on any of several
rather steep stairways. If you get tired you can ride the funicular,
sort of a cross between an elevator and a train. The Lower Town has its
own jumble of French atmosphere along the river.
Some day I’ll have to go back to Québec City and capture some
images that do justice to its many charms. But that will have to wait
until I figure out how to propitiate whichever supernatural force is
responsible for Canadian weather. You can read more about my experiences
with the vagaries of the Great White North and its weather on the Lessons from Alberta page.
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