It hasn’t even been a full month since Cartagena and I am off again! This time a solo trip - first one since Switzerland in 2020! Two days after returning from Colombia I started looking at flights on Google again and stumbled upon a direct flight to Quebec. I originally had plans to visit back in April 2020 but the trip was cancelled due to covid, and after a quick check for relatively cheap airbnb options I went ahead and book myself a Fall getaway. 2 weeks ahead of the trip I started my planning, making myself solo dinner reservations (I really should try doing that in NY too!) and looking up transportation and walking tours. I kept my itinerary light and spent most of my planning around meals. Most restaurants are closed on Sundays and Mondays and I was visiting Saturday - Tuesday early morning, so I had to make some prioritizations.

YQB Airport and Saint-Roch

My direct flight from New York was at a relatively reasonable hour of departure, and so I opted for public transportation to Newark airport with my large Everlane duffle backpack. I made it to YQB airport by 11AM, and with only our flight landing at that time the airport feels very empty. Since check in wasn’t until 1:30PM and there were limited ubers, I decided to take the bus to Saint-Roch where I was staying for the weekend. I purchased my bus ticket from the machine by the exit - tickets come in even rides so you cannot buy just one, and after checking the digital display for the next bus, I waited outside on the bench. There were very few travelers coming in and out of the airport as I was waiting, and it seemed like I was the only person from my flight who opted for the bus as the other passengers got picked up or got into their ubers. Nonetheless, I was looking forward for the bus ride. The bus ride was long - over an hour, but it drove through the suburban areas on the outskirts of Quebec City I would have otherwise missed if I just took an uber and headed straight to Quebec City. The bus dropped me off right on the main street of Saint-Roch, and I stopped by a coffee shop called Brûlerie Saint-Roch for a drink and planned out my day before the airbnb was ready. I didn’t really have much expectations for this corner cafe since I picked it for the proximity to my airbnb, but their matcha latte was actually really good.

Saint-Jean

After dropping of my bags at the airbnb, I followed Google maps and headed towards the Saint-Jean neighborhood. It was a very nice walk up an incline and then a long flight of stairs - something that I got really used to during my stay. Turning around from the stairs you could see the larger Quebec City neighborhood through the bare trees, not just the main downtown area. I also took note of the very shiny roofs that buildings in Quebec had. I thought they were painted that way at first, but I would later find out more about these roofs from my walking tour.

I made it to the main street of Saint-Jean and decided on lunch at Chez Victor. The place is famous for their burgers but also serves a variety of poutines. I opted for Le Poulet Buffalo and a homemade lemonade and enjoyed my first very Canadian meal in Quebec City.

After lunch I walked along Rue Saint-Jean towards the downtown area. The city was already dressed in fall colors and while it was windy, the sunny weather made it very comfortable. I checked out some souvenirs shops, bookstores, and an old-timey gourmet grocery store Épicerie J.A. Moisan.

Old Quebec Day 1

From there I continued over to St James Gate and into Old Quebec. Without looking at the map I continued down the main road, capturing some pretty buildings and fall colors.

After wandering around town and visiting some souvenir shops, I checked the map and realized I’ve made it to La Boutique de Noël de Québec, a festive Christmas shop that’s open year round. Fans of the K-drama Guardian: The Lonely and Great God, aka Goblin, will recall this storefront. It is actually one of my favorite K-drama of all times so I made sure to hit some of the filming locations during my stay. I had a lot of fun browsing the store and got myself a little holiday moose Christmas ornament.

After a little bit of shopping I made my way over to Dufferin Terrace, the long terrace by Chateau Frontenac that overlooks the St Lawrence River and the Petit Champlain neighborhood just down below. Tomorrow morning I’ll be back in the area for a Chateau Frontenac and an Old Quebec walking tour so today would be a preview. Nothing beats this amazing pink hour just as the sun is setting though.

Le Clocher Penché

For my first dinner in Quebec City I had made myself a reservation at Le Clocher Penché in Saint Roch. It’s a cozy, rustic spot with a locally sourced, seasonal menu. I initially only ordered a main as I wasn’t sure if I was going to finish all my food without having someone to share my appetizers with but am so glad I changed my mind because the Orange tomato app I got was amazing! I ended up with a ginger sour cocktail, the Orange tomato with peach, smoked duck and yogurt, and a Venison with turnip in slated crust, vichy carrot and black garlic butter. It was a delicious meal and below is my post meal happy face.

Breakfast in Saint roch

The next morning before the start of all the activities I headed to Boulangerie Pâtisserie Le Croquembouche for a quick bite. I tried a Frnech pastry called Bostock (pronounced “BOH-stock”) which is a fusion between a french toast and an almond croissant 🥐. Definitely not something I have seen or tried before but it was delicious! After breakfast I took a new route heading towards Rue Saint- Jean. Escalier du Faubourg has a double set of stairs towards the top, and offers a different city view from the buzzing, touristy Old Quebec.

Rue Saint-Jean and St John Gate were also quiet this Sunday morning as I make my way towards Chateau Frontenac for my morning walking tour.

Dufferin Terrace

At 9:45AM I met our costumed tour guide Renee who would be leading our hour long Chateau Frontenac tour. As we waited for other guests to join us, another couple visiting from Alabama described the scenic train ride they took from Montreal to Quebec City and the passing cornfields. Renee explained that the province actually has very fertile soil and it’s ideal for growing. Despite the colder weather, there is wine country in Quebec. I make a note to plan another trip for Fall foliage in Mont Tremblant and maybe add on a wine tasting.

We kicked off the tour with some history of the Chateau Frontenac and the Dufferin Terrace that extends along the river front cliffside. The site of the wooden cliffside boardwalk Dufferin Terrace was where the St Louis Fort once was. The city’s founder Champlain built the fort back in 1620 and his successor expanded the fort and built a private terrace. It served as the governor’s official residence and the terrace remained private until a fire destroyed the fort and terrace in 1834, and the re-built promenade opened to the public. In 1884, the tobogganing slides opened on the Terrace, and visitors can travel down the slope on a wooden sled at a speed of up to 70km/hr (43.5 miles/ hr). It is one of the oldest winter attraction in the city, but probably won’t open till later in November when temperatures drop below zero consistently for the ice to stay.

Chateau Frontenac

Unlike its name, Chateau Frontenac wasn’t a castle - it was built by the Canadian Railroad Company to house the people that would travel on the trains they operate. It was built as a hotel and has always been a hotel, and this one just happens to be marketed as the most photographed hotel in the world. Chateau Frontenac started with the front section facing the riverfront in 1893, and went through several expansions - the middle tower was added in 1924, and a swimming pool and spa in 1993 to make it 5 star hotel.

We walked through the grand hotel lobby made with copper and gold with blue - a more recent addition during the modernization of the hotel. The hotel was also a filming location for Goblin, which featured the still operating brass mail chute in between the originally manually-operated elevators. Rumor has it that they found an old letter from World War II - a marriage proposal - that was stuck in between two floors when cleaning the chute. The writers of Goblin was inspired by this story and wrote it into the drama.

We took the elevator up to the 4th floor to see the herb garden and bee hives created at the request of the head chef, and got a view of the copper roofs. Roofs in Quebec are usually tin as wood burns too easily and tin can be easily repaired/ replaced. However, the roofs of the hotel is made with copper as it was too much maintenance to replace the entire roof for such a large building.

Perhaps the most famous event that took place here at the hotel was the planning of D-day, where the allies met here for the Quebec conferences twice, in 1943 and 1944. The meetings were so secretive that people thought the pope was visiting. We got a chance to view the Salon Rose, where the D-day planning took place. The original pink chairs are still in the room. On a clear day, you can see over to Maine about 100 miles away from the windows of Salon Rose.

In another dining room we got a view of the Terrace and the monument of Samuel De Champlain, the first French person to settle into New France. Outside we entered into a different part of the hotel and into a grand ballroom with 10 chandeliers, one for each of the 10 provinces of Canada, and ended our tour back at the lobby.

After the Chateau tour I stopped by Rue du Trésor, where local artists put their prints and artwork on display. I got a set of 2 prints for myself before heading back to Rue Saint Jean to get some postcards, as well as getting lunch at Bistro Hortus. They are a farm to table place and I got a full brunch with duck scrambled eggs, yogurt, fruits, potatoes and a coffee - all from the farm the have right on the roof.

Pierre-Dugua-De-Mons Terrace and Parc du Bastion-de-la-Reine

After lunch I walked down Dufferin Terrace, and up a little hill to Pierre-Dugua-De-Mons Terrace, part of the larger Parc du Bastion-de-la-Reine. It offers a scenic aerial view of Chateau Frontenac, the Terrasse and the St. Laurence River. I followed the footpath in the park which boarders La Citadelle de Québec, the active fort and museum, and got a taste of what it was like to take an afternoon stroll in the quieter part of town.

I made it to the entrance of the museum and headed down towards St Louis Gate, another historic stone gate that serves as one of the entry points to Old Quebec city behind the city walls. From there I headed towards the Parliament Building looking for the fontaine de Tourny, another filming location for Goblin. Unfortunately the fountain was under construction so the Parliament Building will do.

Heading down Rue Saint Louis back to the main Old Quebec area for my second walking tour of the day, I passed by Restaurant Sagamité, the Native America restaurant I made a dinner reservation for.

A Walk through 400 years of history

The second walking tour of the day started as a history lesson. Our tour guide Jean-Claude described the battles between the French and the British, and how after the Brits won they only kept a small number of British soldiers here in Quebec (today about 4% of the population of Quebec are descendents of those British soldiers who stayed). Quebec stayed a small city as the weather is too cold and from November to May the St Laurence River is frozen over so no goods or supplies could arrive on ships.

We headed to City Hall, and Jean-Claude explained the Ursulines Sisters educated a lot of women in the early days of Quebec and it is the oldest institution of learning for women in North America. They were so educated and smart that they were able to make money from the dowries of the highly educated women they taught. Dowries they received would include land, and when the Price Brothers wanted to build an 18-story building next to the Ursulines Chapel, they secured an annual rent of 80 CAD. If only they accounted for inflation… Today Édifice Price is the tallest building in the Old Quebec Historical District, and serves as a city government building that is also the official residence of the prime minister of Quebec.

Our next stop was Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral, currently surrounded by street construction as of October 2022. It is the only Basilica-Cathedral in North America that has a holy door. The holy doors open during Jubilee years once every 25 years for pilgrims to clear away sins free of charge. Interestingly enough, the average age of pilgrims who passes through holy doors is 90 years old - I guess people tend to think back on all their wrongdoings when death is imminent. The holy door is pretty small and narrow - it just looks like a plaque about 2 feet off the ground.

Our next stop was Montmorency Park and got a view of its signature city walls against the St Laurence River. The name Quebec means where the river narrows, and it owes its UNESCO heritage title to its city walls and the language spoke within this province. French is still the official language of Quebec because the Brits didn’t want the French to side with the Americans during the American War of Independence.

Another interesting fact - in order to grow the population of Quebec, 769 of the King’s Daughters from orphanages in France moved to Quebec. At that time it was a ratio of 14 male pursuing 1 female, and the King’s daughters quickly increase the population. Hillary Clinton, Angelina Jolie and Madonna are amongst the notable descendents of the King’s Daughters.

Petit-Champlain

Our tour concluded in the Petit-Champlain neighborhood, at Place Royale, the birthplace of Canada where Samuel de Champlain first settled into New France. After parting ways with the tour group, I continued to explore the neighborhood on my own, to the Quebec City mural, Rue du Cul-de-Sac, down Escalier Casse-Cou (the city’s oldest stairs), and of course, the Goblin red door, part of the Theatre Petit Champlain. It was a particularly nice walk listening to someone play River Flows in You while walking down the cobblestone street decorated in fall colors.

Instead of taking the funiculaire, I opted for the stairs up back to the Terrasse. Sunsets are always so nice to capture.

I waited up on the hill at the Pierre-Dugua-De-Mons Terrace for the sunset and for the Chateau to be lit up. Some last bit of fall colors before the city is covered in white.

Just before it got completely dark I made my way back into town, stopping by the Christmas shop again (it’s one of the only stores that is opened passed 6PM) and a grocery store before heading to my dinner, at Restaurant Sagamité. I had the Sagamité soup and the sapagetti with venison - the portions were huge and I had enough to take home with me for another meal.

The walk back to the airbnb was now more familiar, as I connected in my head the streets I crossed during the day time and the different paths I took. With little help of modern technology, I made it back to my home base. I winded down the night by finishing writing my postcard to myself and headed off to bed.

Halloween was the last full day of my stay and I had some work business to take care of, so I headed off to Café Saint-Henri in Saint-Roch with my laptop, trying out this new digital nomad lifestyle. The cafe was spacious and a perfect setup for work, and it was hard to not order one of their pretty and delicious donuts.

Once I wrapped up work at around 10AM (isn’t it nice when you start your day early and there is still so much time left in your day?), I topped up my transit card from a convenience store nearby for the bus ride to Montmorency Falls.

Montmorency Falls

After a 40 minute bus ride heading North, I made it to Montmorency Falls park area. Outside of the Old Quebec historical district, this is the 2nd most visited site in the province. The Falls got its name from Samuel de Champlain in 1613, named after the Duke of Montmorency. I entered the park and followed the scenic cliffside boardwalk towards the Falls. Though it appears less grand the Niagara Falls, Montmorency Falls is actually 100ft higher than its neighbor further South.

I got down to the Baroness lookout where the zipline would be to get a closer look, and then up and over the suspension bridge to the other side of the Falls. Through another smaller bridge I entered a large park area, and then made my way down the panoramic stairway. The bottom portion of the Falls is under construction so there is a warning sign that the way out is to come all the way back up, totaling almost 500 steps down and then up. Nonetheless it was a scenic view and a great exercise - a gentleman went up and down at least twice during my stay there, reminding me that health is wealth and I need to stay in shape if I want to continue to travel and do the things I love when I am his age.

The Sugarloaf

During the winter months the frozen ice at the foot of the falls would form a base for the accumulation of ice from the spray of the falls, and at the end of winter the ice cone reached a record height of 126 feet in 1829. A carved grotto was made inside the cone in the 1880s and attracted visitors from all over Quebec.

Post my lunch and mid day work session I departed my airbnb for one last walk towards Old Quebec, this time taking a completely different route. I passed by some amazing mural artwork, and went to the post office to drop off my postcard. The clerk stamped my postcard with a Chateau Frontenac stamp and proudly displayed it to me - oh the joy of snail mail!

I had a couple more hours before dinner time in the historical district area, and noticed the streets a lot emptier than the day before - the cruise ship on St Laurence River has departed, and crews are busy starting to put up Christmas decorations. Taking advantage of the smaller crowds, I got my own funiculaire down to the Petit Champlain district.

Petit Champlain is just as pretty with a smaller crowd, and enjoyed carrying my camera up and down the Breakneck Steps and the neighborhood, snapping away.

Le Hobbit

My last meal in Quebec City was at Le Hobbit, on Rue Saint Jean. The staff had dressed up for Halloween and handed out candy to passerby, and I got some too! The restaurant was surprisingly empty, but perhaps this is normal during low season. I ordered their cocktail of the month - Canadian Club Maurin Quina Cynar, the corn & mussel appetizer, and the Ferme Basque’s duck breast. You really can’t go wrong with French restaurant in Quebec City! Everything was delicious and I even ordered the a Stroll in the Forest dessert to round out the amazing meal.

Another solo trip down in the books, and came back empowered, in controlled and liberated. And instead of hoping for more adventures (solo or otherwise!) in 2023, I am going to kick it off by booking my next trip in February *wink wink.

Quebec City. October 2022