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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: People
walking along the cobbled streets
towards the Place Royale on Rue du
Sault-au-Matelot; chef Sami Beaufruit
preparing a plate in the open concept
kitchen at Le Renard et la Chouette;
antipasto plate for two at Don Vegan
Restaurant; woman browsing through
Épicerie JA Moisan grocery store
PREVIOUS PAGE: View of Fairmont Le
Château Frontenac the Port of Quebec
and St Lawrence RiverSEE AND DO
OLD QUEBEC: Ready the camera:
you’ll need it in Old Quebec, the split-level
historic core nudging the St Lawrence River.
Start on the broad Dufferin Terrace, outside
landmark hotel Château Frontenac. Studded
with stripy gazebos and street musicians
performing Céline Dion belters, it gives you
a bird’s-eye view of the river and city. Then,
hop on the funicular down to Quartier
Petit Champlain, where quaint restaurants,
cute squares and artisan clothes shops
will help pass a afternoon. No, this isn’t a
Disney film set, but it sure feels like one.
quartierpetitchamplain.com
CITADELLE OF QUEBEC: You don’t have to
be a military geek to enjoy a trip to North
America’s largest British fortress; the views
back to Old Quebec and the St Lawrence are
reason enough to visit. Then there’s the daily
summer ritual of the Changing of the Guard,
like the soldiers do at Buckingham Palace
— but in French. For military enthusiasts,
though, a visit to the Citadelle isn’t complete
without checking out the on-site museum,
detailing the history of the still-active 22nd
regiment. lacitadelle.qc.ca
PLAINS OF ABRAHAM: The pivotal battle site
of the Seven Years’ War — where Quebec
City passed from French to British hands
— is now a sprawling riverside park.
Go into history mode, tracing the key
war moments via a route of plaques
and sculptures, or just appreciate the
broad lawns, manicured flower beds and
bandstand. Locals love the wooded lower
path, lined with dog tooth violets, for walks
with their pooches. ccbn-nbc.gc.ca
MUSÉE DE LA CIVILISATION: The National
Museum of Fine Arts, Quebec’s largest, gets
all the attention with its ample collection
of stately portraits in gilded frames. But the
Musée de la Civilisation, by the adorable
Place Royale square, gives insight into local
life, from the 17th-century Augustinians to
the Quiet Revolution of the 1960s. Don’t miss
the top-floor exhibit on native peoples, with
traditional clothing and snowshoes. mcq.org
MODERN NEIGHBOURHOODS: Want to see
the ‘real’ Quebec? Strike out west beyond
the old centre to explore a succession
of neighbourhoods with contemporary
high-rises, graffitied streets and flat
white-sipping millennials. Easterly Saint-
Jean-Baptiste boasts a tranquil vibe with
broad pavements and bistros, while gritty
Saint-Roch has nightlife aplenty mixed in
with cheap boutiques, cafes and a giant
Scientology outpost. The once working-
class but now up-and-coming area of Saint-
Sauveur, meanwhile, plays host to some of
the city’s hottest new restaurants.160 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel