Mrs. Knickerbocker and I are going to be spending a long weekend at the Chateau Frontenac the weekend after next and although there's plenty of recommendations on the board about restaurants, having never been there myself I'm wondering what Fodorites would recommend for things to do during the day and evening. We're both late 40's and generally up for anything that doesn't involve heavy lifting.

TIA
K

My favourite things to do in Quebec City (I'm assuming warm-ish weather here):

* Stroll aimlessly through the Haute Ville and Basse Ville, stopping at an art gallery, antique shop, cafe, whatever grabs your fancy.
* Go to J.A. Moisan on Saint-Jean grab some cheese, bread and have a picnic on les Plaines d'Abraham
* Take a leisurely walk through Parc Bois de Coulonge.

Have fun! Daniel

All this sounds interesting in warm weather, Daniel. We're going to be there in the middle of January.

Haha. Sorry I somehow missed "the weekend after next" part.

Walking through the Haute Ville and Basse Ville are still a possibility and you can still go to J.A. Moisan and have a picnic in your accommodation . Have brunch at le Cafe du Clocher Penche in the Basse Ville (St. Roch area). I also enjoyed going to the Musee National des Beaux Arts (the grounds are lovely in the summer BTW if you ever come back), to expose myself to some of the grands oeuvres of Quebecois artists.

Have fun!

From the Chateau walk down the stairs to the lower town. There are all kinds of shops and galleries there that can keep you interested for hours (at least it keeps me interested)

In the summer I just love Isle d'Orlean, the island on the St. Lawrence with it's galleries, farms and cideries. For an interesting drive of traditional houses and out door ovens, drive the local road parallel to the highway that parallels the St. Lawrence river going east. I'm sorry I do not know the name but it takes you into St. Anne's.

If you wanted to go much farther afield, going east to Baie St. Paul (home town to the founder of Cirque de Soliel) an hour or so is a beautiful little town full of great galleries and restaurants and has fantastic Le Massif skiing next door during the winter.
It is in the Charlevoix region, much underknown (is that a word?) to Canadians but I was there this summer and it so beautiful. The trip is worth the food trail alone.

I have only been to Quebec City in the winter for the Carnival festivities in February years ago. Dress warmly as it is a cold city. Summer is beautiful there.

Have fun....The Chateau a beautiful hotel and a reason to go to Quebec City in itself. You will love it.

I've been to QC several times and it's absolutely fascinating and romantic. You need to be a flaneur/flaneuse. You need to stroll and stop and observe and sit at a sidewalk café to have un p'tit café or a kir or campari and soda and enjoy just being there and people watching as opposed to doing things. It's a whole different take on life.

But there's plenty to see. The Museum of the City of Quebec was wonderful and fun and helps you understand the history of French Canada. The Basilica was gorgeous. Ile d'Orléan was a terrific time: small wineries and delicious restaurants. We brought back fabulous ice wine and cider. And then a must-see is Montmorency Falls nearby which they claim is taller than Niagara. It is spectacular, whatever its size.

knickerbocker - the slower road referred to by MsLizzy is the chemin royale. It is one of the oldest roads in Canada and full of houses with specially sloped roofs that ensure the falling snow falls away from the house. Many houses have their main entrance on the second level because the ground level entrance would be blocked by deep snow. You will also see some very small chapels used by residents to fulfil their holy obligations when they were snowed in at home and couldn't get to mass at church. It is very interesting looking for items like these and to see how the early settlers adapted to their environment. Many of the roofs are very brightly coloured (eg. bright blue) and this was to allow sailors on the St. Lawrence to identify specific houses from a distance. The atelier pare (woodcarver) is a lovely tourist workshop which you might want to visit as well. It, too, is found on the chemin royale.

If you are both active and fit you might want to consider the Village Vacances Valcartier, about 15 km from QC. It hosts the world's largest snowtubing park. It is a fantastic, fun spot to spend a few hours. There is a large indoor building/cafeteria/shopping area but do dress very warmly to avoid the chills.

Got back from Quebec City. Weather for this time of year was dandy (-11°C/-13°C/-7°C), we ate well (benchmark meal was at Café du Clocher Penché) and thoroughly enjoyed the city, especially the Musée des Beaux Arts.

Also got a chance to act like a kid again (though Mrs. K would say that's a daily occurrence [but I digress]) when the two of us took the toboggan run by the Chateau Frontenac. Much screaming like a little girl.

Oh and Mrs. K was noisy too.

Thanks to all for the advice. Quebec City's now on a par with Florence for me; high praise indeed.

knickerbocker - I'm glad you had a good time at QC. The toboggan ride beside the Chateau Frontenac is called le glissade de la terrase and it is such a blast to experience.

I will be escorting a busload of highschool students to QC in 3 weeks for our 9th annual "Quebec Experience". We are looking forward to it already.

tC

Video of riding le glissade de la terrase here.

Sounds like you had a great time.
I am writing down all of your suggestions and highlights for our trip later in the year.
The weather dos sound completely foreign to me though!!!!
I am glad it will be a little milder in September

Definite blast-and-a-half and I'm a tough sell.

If you like art, Le Musée des Beaux-Arts is well worth a visit. It doesn't limit itself to 'dead white guys'-type art but is quite all-encompassing> It includes First Nations and Inuit art as well as contemporary commercial pieces which, while we often don't see them as art at the time, in retrospect are at the very least worthy of revisiting in a different light.

Oh and for those jonesing to get a taste of what riding le glissade de la terrase is like, <b>HERE'S</b> the YouTube link I intended to add to my previous post.

http://www.youtube.com/user/natty100.../2/re2NF7BPF5E

Obviously if it's operating when you're here, it won't be snow and ice that you'll be sliding along. But definitely another treat for kids of all ages.

bookmarking

knickerbocker - that video clip is so accurate. It is just so much fun to shoot the chute. Lordy, the glissade only operates in winter. You can climb the stairs to the top if you wish when you visit, but then you have to go back down the stairs. September is a grand time to visit QC. Please post if you have other questions.

tC

TC,

I assume the structure's in-place in fair weather. How do they keep the skateboarders and other wheeled individuals off it? Or do they let Darwinism take the hindmost?

Knickerbocker

I just read your post and realized you went to both my suggestions (Cafe du Clocher Penche and the Musee des Beaux Arts) and I'm glad these ideas were enjoyable to you!

Best wishes,

Dnaiel

knickerbocker - Good question. In the 4 or 5 times I have been to QC in warm weather I have seen people go up the glissade, but can't think of a time when there were hijinks. I wonder if anyone else can answer the question.

tC

Hi again Knickerbocker,
your YouTube video of the ride is great. I also enjoyed the video of your suite at the hotel. It looks lovely and the view looks excellent. The snow is an extra attraction for us.
Thanks
Lordy

Just to clarify, Lordy, that suite was the MOAU (Mother Of All Upgrades) and shouldn't necessarily be counted on (unless you happen to travel in the circle that includes Celine Dion, Sir Paul, etc.).

The whole weekend was to celebrate a certain milestone birthday for Mrs. K. (which will not be heretofore spoken of again lest I be joining the choir invisible ) and was a huge (and happy) surprise for us on the part of the Chateau Frontenac as I'd only booked a regular suite. We spent the first 24 hours awaiting the arrival of hotel management and security to address their 'mistake' and escort us to the suite we actually should've be in.

However, after the initial 24 hours had elapsed, we accepted this upgrade with all good grace and humility. You know, it's astonishing just how quickly one can slip into a "to the manor born" mindset when opportunity presents. That said, stem-to-stern the staff of the Chateau Frontenac made our stay quite enjoyable and to be repeated on some future occasion (Van Horne Suite or not).

K

BTW, hope you didn't find the music track on the Van Horne Suite video too cheeseball; my wife suggested Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" (which would've had a thematic connection) but I lean towards the absurd and the swelling strings when the door opened were too much for me to resist.

Daniel,

The advice certainly was good. Obviously, there's more to be seen and enjoyed in Québec City and we'll just have to save it for a return trip sometime.