Exceptional Experience: Our Canada Autumn Adventure, Part 1 — Quebec City

Edd:  Fall is one of our favorite seasons. But we were so busy moving into our new apartment at this time last year that we totally missed it.

Cynthia:  It may seem odd to our readers that we have to get on a plane and go somewhere to experience seasons other than spring since that’s our climate year-round here in Cuenca.

E:  We’ve talked for years about taking an Amtrak trip up the Hudson Valley from New York to Montreal, so we decided to kill two birds with one stone. We would visit our family in New Jersey, head north to Canada during prime leaf peeping, then reverse course from our previous idea and return to New York on that train ride.

C:  But then we said, “Why just Montreal? If we’re going to that part of Canada, let’s check out Quebec City too.” Enjoying beautiful fall foliage was our major focus, so the plan was to start at the northernmost part of the adventure and then head south to see as much color as possible.

E:  We found a great deal on a miles flight from Newark to Quebec City, booked a train ride from Quebec City to Montreal plus our Amtrak train back to the U.S., and away we went!

C:  Normally we stay in an Airbnb during our travels. Since we were going to be in Quebec City for just a few days, we decided to treat ourselves this time and book a cute B&B with only six rooms called Au Petit Roi that is just outside the main tourist area. We chose the Royal Suite on the first floor and it was HUGE!

E:  Arriving late Sunday afternoon, we only wanted to get settled, have something to eat, and go to bed early. Fortunately, a highly-rated Italian restaurant, Ciccio, was right around the corner. “It’s early Sunday evening,” we thought. “We don’t need to bother making a reservation.” Wrong — the place was packed. We were seated at the only available table.

C:  When the food arrived we understood why. That was one of the best meals we had during our entire trip. The next morning we scheduled a walking tour of the historic area. We have found it’s an excellent way to learn about a new place and get a feel for the layout of the city for future exploration.

E:  Our excursion began at the Parliament Building, home to Quebec province’s National Assembly.

As we walked by Porte Saint-Louis, one of the original entry points into Old Quebec, we learned that QC (Quebec City) is the only walled fortification in North America outside of Mexico.

C:  The Fairmont Le Château Frontenac is kind of like the Eiffel Tower of QC. Sitting on the cliff overlooking the St. Lawrence River, you can see it from almost anywhere because it’s so much bigger than everything else. It opened in 1893 and was one of the first completed grand railway hotels.

E:  After the tour, we spent the afternoon wandering around. The historic area is quite compact, so we got to check off many of the places we wanted to see. “Umbrella Alley,” Rue du Cul-de-Sac in Lower Town’s Quartier Petit Champlain, was one of those Instagram must-do’s.

C:  Careful observers of that Umbrella Alley photo will notice not only Le Château Frontenac towering in the background, but also a waving pink baby. We never quite understood why these kept popping up all over town. Apparently, it’s some sort of public art project.

E:  We walked by Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, one of the oldest churches in North America. It was completed in 1723.

C:  The quaint buildings and cobblestone streets of Lower Town are mostly a shopper’s paradise. If you wanted a souvenir or anything made from maple syrup, this was the place to find it.

E:  Since seeing fall foliage was one of the main reasons for our trip, we booked a guided hike at Jacques-Cartier National Park about an hour outside of QC that included transportation and lunch. The colors were spectacular, and we took so many beautiful photos there.

These are some of the highlights from a fabulous day.

C:  On our last full day in QC we visited The Citadelle, a star-shaped fortification overlooking the St. Lawrence River, strolled through the Plains of Abraham (where the final battle was fought and won by the British), and walked along the old walls that remain.

E:  What can be more French than steak frites? Well, maybe escargot, but snails are not our thing. We capped off our visit with a delicious meal at iconic Quebec City restaurant L'Entrecôte Saint-Jean. Do those profiteroles filled with ice cream we shared for dessert look incredible? Wow!

C:  We had been warned that the residents of Quebec province were snooty to outsiders who don’t speak French. While they are proud of their language and culture (so much so that they have unsuccessfully tried to secede from Canada twice), that was not our experience at all. Everyone was very kind, and we felt welcomed wherever we went.

E:  Our final morning we boarded a train and were off to Montreal. Come along with us for Part 2 of our Canadian autumn adventure next time!