Visiting Quebec City and Montreal
Background Information on Touring Canada’s French-Speaking Province
Jan 15, 2008
Montreal
Montreal, Quebec’s largest city, sprawls only hours away from New York, but dining on the busy French-influenced streets, listening to a mangle of Quebecois French and other languages, you’ll soon realize you’ve come as close to Europe as you can without taking a transatlantic flight.
The first settlers on the island founded ‘Ville-Marie’ on the shores of St. Lawrence and Ottawa rivers in 1642 as a beaver pelt trade post and the city has held its place as a lucrative centre ever since.
Today, the city ranks as Canada’s second largest with a population of over 3.5 million in the Greater Montreal Region, second only to neighbouring Toronto. Though the majority of people in Montreal are French speaking (outside of Paris, Montreal is the largest French-speaking city in the world) recent immigrant activity has quilted the city with a wide range of ethnics making Montreal one of the country’s premier cosmopolitan cities.
When you visit this easily accessible city, expect multicultural events, top class hotels, restaurants serving flavours from around the world, expert ski slopes only hours away at Mount Tremblant and a feeling of subtle culture shock as you window shop the busy streets of Ste. Catherine and St. Denis.
Quebec City
Two hours north of Montreal, Quebec City awaits to lure you into a world of bubbling cobble stoned streets, romantic Victorian-style hotels, pedestrian shopping and horse-drawn carriages mingling through the narrow gates of the city’s remaining walls.
UNESCO listed Old Quebec City as a World Heritage Site. Discover why as you take a casual stroll along the Duffrin Terrace surrounding the Chateau Frontenac down into the Vieux. Quebec City cradles so many attractions in one small area, you’ll soon understand that the beauty of this city belongs to Quebec but quickly becomes your own.
Though considerably smaller than Montreal, with a population of just over half a million, Quebec City dominates the political scene as the Province’s capital. Like most capital cities, expect to see as many politician-looking people in business suits strolling the tourist area of Rue St Jean as visitors since the Parliament Building dominates the hill overlooking Old Quebec City.
Throughout the year Quebec City celebrates. Enjoy the famous Winter Carnival or come for the Summer Music Festival. Take a walking tour of this magnificent city and discover its charms for yourself.
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