1 day in Quebec City, the most French of Canadian cities

Quebec is the most French of Canadian cities, and we would venture to say that even more than Montreal, and the heritage is more than evident in its streets, even though its official language is also French. After all, the city belonged to France between 1532 and 1763 (more than it belonged to the English -from 1763 to 1867-), and it is said that 95% of the residents in Quebec are French descendants.

Of all the cities we visited on our road trip along the east coast of Canada, Auto Europe agreed that Quebec is the most beautiful Canadian city; at least, it was the one that captivated us the most. We are going to explain our reasons:

1. The charm of a walled city:

Quebec is the only walled city in all of North America, which gives it that special charm. Its historic center, called Old Quebec, declared a World Heritage Site in 1985, and the most important tourist spots in the city are within these walls, outside of which a much more modern and residential city rises.

The wall, which stretches 5 kilometers, has several gates: St. Louis (the one closest to the Citadelle), Kent, and St. Jean. The walk around the wall is highly recommended, especially to get that vision of contrasts between the French architecture of old Quebec and the new city's glass skyscrapers.

It has several interpretation centers where you can learn about some of the highlights of Quebec history. You can also visit the Citadella, located next to the St Louis gate. It is the largest military fortification in all of North America. If you want to visit it, it is open all year round, and you can also see the changing of the guard (in summer, at 10:00 am).

2. The lower and upper town:

Joined by a cable car or by a short walk, the lower town, the Petite Champlain, and the upper town, Haute Ville, come together without losing their charm and essence, perhaps unlike cities like Bergamo, in Italy, where this separation coincides with the modern and old part of the city, in Quebec both - upper and lower part - are located in the historic center.

The Plaza Royale area is worth a walk. Its murals, its local craft shops, its unique architecture, so European, and its restaurants fill this beautiful city with life.

The Petite Champlain takes us directly to any street in Paris, its French airs make tourists fall in love, who will find here a lot of shops, restaurants… and they can enjoy an extraordinary walk. It was what we liked the most about Quebec.

3. One of the most beautiful castles in the world:

The Château Frontenac may be the symbol of Quebec; However, the city has many other attractions; the city cannot be conceived without the beautiful figure of today's most photographed hotel in the world. The building was built in the 19th century and can be visited in summer from 10:00 to 18:00 and in winter from 13:00 to 17:00. If you want to stay in it, be prepared to shell out a good amount of money because it is a super-luxury hotel, which boasts having hosted eminences like Winston Churchill.

4. The Dufferin terrace, a balcony to the St. Lawrence River:

At the foot of the castle and annex to the famous and always full of life Plaza de Armas extends a beautiful wooden promenade, the Dufferin terrace, which offers not only a good space where you can enjoy a relaxing time in the city or some shows or activities but also magnificent views of the Saint Lawrence River, the lower town and the Lévis area, just on the opposite coast. (At the beginning of the terrace is the funicular to access the lower city)

Within this marvelous historical city and with incomparable beauty, there are infinities of incomparable tourist attractions that will make your stay in Quebec City an experience that you can never forget.

However we know that this is a city with a lot of population and with long distances to all its attractions, that is why Auto Europe has created a 30% discount on all the cars rented on this link so that you can enjoy small France in Canada with the comfort that only Auto Europe offers you.