Do people really mostly speak French in Quebec?
 

We have an unexpected long weekend coming up this weekend, and I would like to take the kids (13 yrs) old somewhere - they are taking French in school so I would like to go somewhere where they speak french. France is out, not for a 4 day weekend, but I was thinking Quebec City. I am pretty fluent, and I would like to immerse them some.

If not Quebec City, where would you recommend? Small, interesting towns where French is the main language?

The main language in the entire province of Quebec is French - so just about anywhere you go, the majority of people will be French speakers. Quebec City would be a good choice.

The short answer is yes.
Quebec City is lovely.
Quebecois French is slightly different than the French that is typically taught in schools, but it is French.

The island of Montréal (approx.) : 50 % French, 25 % English and 25 % others. French in the East, English in the West and a mix downtown. Most of people can speak both languages.

In the rest of Québec, you'll find almost only French speakers (in Québec city, may be around 99 %). So, to answer your question, yes, people really mostly speak (and live in) French in Québec. This is not Louisiana (no offense).

As for the difference in language, let's say that French in Québec is to France what English in United States is to Great Britain.

thank you! yes, I realize that Quebecois french is somewhat different, the accent particularly.

Now to find a cheap flight, and a nice hotel - any suggestions on small, nice inexpensive hotels in a good area of town?

Recently back from a 26 day trip to Eastern Canada. We loved Quebec City,it felt very European rather than Canadian. I found the French difficult to understand and they couldn't understand me but everyone also speaks English. However on our drive from New Brunswick to Quebec we found a few people who did not speak English. We stayed at a B&B which was very central and a good alternative to a Hotel,it was called maison historique James Thompson.

If I were you, with the mission of giving french-learning kids the experience of being immersed in the French language, I would make a point of going to the smaller, outlying towns around Quebec Province.

In Montreal, so many people do speak perfect english, that you might not encounter the scene that would be memorable for kids. Quebec City would be much better for that, but still better are the smaller towns.

I can recall trying to order a pizza in Riviere-du-Loop from a woman who didn't speak a word of english, with me not five words of French. Thankfully numbers and pictures made it reasonably easy.

By the way, some of the small towns between Montreal and QC along the St. Lawrence River are picturesque places which also likely double as considerably french-speaking. I love the elaborate churches in each locale, even though I'm not religious!

Spend some time on the slower "highway" nearer to the north side of the river than the bigger "freeway" just north of it. Maybe stop in every little town to have some encounter with a french-speaker (gas stations, stores, fast-food places, etc.).

I hope it works out for you! Make sure everyone has proper documentation for getting across the border and back.

Too bad time wouldn't allow you to visit St. Pierre et Miquelon for a real dose of french- thye group of small islands off the coast of Newfoundland, administered by France.

However, Quebec City is a good choice, and a better one over the more cosmopolitan Montreal, imo.

Les Québecois speak a French patois but (like anywhere) if you show a respect for the language and show that you've attempted to learn the language, you'll find that the locals will more than try to meet you halfway.

HTH
K

You will love Quebec. We stayed in the Old City of Quebec. We parked the car when we arrived and didn't move it the entire time we were there. Menus were in Frenchor English. We took the tour of the Frontenac Hotel. Lovely hotel and if you can afford it that would be the place to stay.

Momliz
In case you are incautious enough to quote Knickerbocker's remark in Quebec city:
"Patois
The term patois comes from French, but beyond that its origin is uncertain. One derivation[1] is from Old French patoier meaning "to handle clumsily, to paw"
In France and other Francophone countries, patois has been used to describe non-Parisian French and so-called regional languages such as Breton, Occitan, and Franco-Provençal, since 1643. The word assumes the view of such languages as being backward, countrified, and unlettered, thus is considered by speakers of those languages as offensive"

Quebecois are generally proud of their heritage, and I expect they would have about the same reaction as Americans told they speak a bastardized English.

We also stayed in the Old City of Quebec and truly felt like we were in Europe. Our car's battery died and the B&B where we stayed called and had us towed to a place where we were to buy a new one. However, no one spoke English there and we do not speak French so we had one heck of a good time!

Well a certain Fodorite and I ended up in a sports bar in Drummondville, Quebec, and everyone was speaking French. We didn't know what they were saying, but we had a heck of a good time! Watching the Montreal Canadians play hockey on all the TV's was definintely more fun in French!

Quebec is charming and reminded me of Monmartre because of all the street painters.

Hmm Northwest Male... Guess you weren't lucky because I was born and raised in Riviere-du-Loup and know at least 2,000 people that speak pitch-perfect English. RDL is near the US and was a scottish settlement named Fraserville.

I'm sure I know far more than 2000 people who speak pitch-perfect English. What does that, or "luck" have to do with any of this?

Particularly in light of the fact that you resurrected a 4-year-old thread to state something so common.