QUEBEC CITY, CANADA

                                       Lower Town

      From Montreal we boarded the train for a three hour ride to Quebec City.  The towers and turrets of Chateau Frontenac dominate the skyline of this 400-year-old walled city.  Quebec City, built in 1608 on the St. Lawrence River, is the only fortified city left in North America north of Mexico. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage City in 1985, Canada’s oldest city is known and loved for its European charms. Centuries-old homes line narrow, cobblestone streets of the exuberant, romantic city.

      The people of Quebec are proud of their Amerindian, French and British roots. Quebec City is the capital of the province of Quebec and seat of the National assembly.  Ninety-five percent of the nearly 650,000 population speaks French. It seems everyone also speaks English as we had no language problems.The city is one of the safest places in North America. It enjoys a healthy environment with clean air and plenty of green space.

      Flowing from the Great Lakes to the sea, the mighty St. Lawrence is not only a gateway to a continent, it is also the heart-line of a province, the soul of a people and the jewel of Quebec City.

      The well-preserved Vieux Quebec, Old Quebec, is small and dense, covering only four square miles, but is steeped in four centuries of history and French tradition. The ramparts that once protected the 17^th and 18^th century city are still in place. They stretch nearly three miles, are 20-feet high and 49-feet thick. Parks and monuments are numerous. Many centuries-old buildings have been restored at Place Royale, one of the oldest districts on the continent. French explorers, fur traders, and missionaries established the colony of New France.  Today it still resembles a French provincial town. Historic buildings with thick stone walls, large wooden doors, copper roofs and majestic steeples fill the heart of the city.

      In 1535 French explorer, Jacques Cartier came upon what the Algonquin people called the Kebec, meaning where the river narrows. However it was not until 1608 that another French explorer, Samuel de Champlain recognized the military advantage of the location and built a fort. Now called Place Royale, it developed into an economic center for fur trading and shipbuilding.

      The French built walls and defensive structures, but still had to contend with British naval supremacy.  In 1759 the British defeated the French in a surprise attack that lasted twenty minutes resulting in New France going under British rule. The British brought the mastery of trade in the 18^th century and the city flourished. The British built a star shaped citadel and walled the city. The British ruled until 1867 when the Act of Federation united four Canadian provinces. Our Lady of Victory Church is the oldest stone church in Quebec and stands on the site of Champlain’s first residence, which also served as a fort and trading post. Built in 1688, it has been restored twice. Inside are copies of art of European masters. The altar resembles a fort. A scale ship model suspended from the ceiling represents Le Breze, the boat that brought French soldiers to New France in 1664.

    In 1608 Petit Champlain, situated at the bottom of the cliff below Chateau Frontenac, was a small portside village of fur trading posts and elegant homes. Fortunes waxed and waned over the years, and by the 1960s the area of Petit Champlain had become run down and dangerous. Major restora-tion has returned the area into a quaint riverside village with its narrow cobbled streets lined with one-of-a-kind shops, boutiques and cafés.  In 1985 artisans and merchants formed a co-op. Now Petit Champlain is one of the biggest tourist attractions in the city.

     Quite by accident we came across the old stone house, Maison Chevalier. Built in 1752 by a ship owner, the classic French-style is typical of architecture of New France. The firewalls, chimneys, vaulted cellars, original wood beams and stone fireplaces were noteworthy. What a jewel this museum was. The self-guided tour of life in the 17-18^th centuries was well displayed with simple explanations and labels.

       Quebec City’s split level landscape divides Vieux-Quebec’s Upper Town from Lower Town. Hope Gate is one of four old gates into the city and we passed through it several times as our B & B was in Lower Town.

Breakneck staircase

     The Funicular that connects Upper and Lower Towns was built in 1879 and ran six months a year. It started running full time in 1907 and was converted to electric power at that time. In 1945 a massive fire destroyed the structure. Metal shelters were added when it was reconstructed the following year. The glass cabins, which offer a panoramic view for the short ride, were added in 1978. The funicular, the only one of its kind in North America, was revamped with modern technology in 1998. The Upper Town station is just river-side of the Champlain statue at the end of the Dufferin Terrace. The Lower Town station is at Maison Louis-Jolliet. The funicular ride sure beat a horse and buggy ride up the cliff or climbing one of the twenty-five staircases built to join the two parts of city!    

      The Escalier Casse-Cou, also known as the Breakneck staircase, is the first staircase built, in 1893. Its nickname refers to the hazards of ice and snow in winter time. The 170 steps are built on the site of the original 17^th century stairway that linked Upper with Lower Towns. Today shops and cafés can be found at various levels.

      Quebec City, full of history and  charm is a delightful city to visit.