Quebec City Trip Report: Our Golden Nuggets!
Sep 29th, 2010 | 07:58 AM
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Joined: Apr 2008
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Quebec City Trip Report: Our Golden Nuggets!
Quebec City Trip Highlights
I try to do my homework before arriving in a new city (although it doesn't always happen!). I Internet query, dig through travel forums and relentlessly scan newspaper and magazine articles searching for that one bit of gold, that little nugget that will make the trip just right. My interests lean towards the culinary, the creative, the photographic. I'll admit to bypassing a museum for a sidewalk cafe. So without further ado, here are my golden nuggets from our trip to Quebec City.
Le Marché du Vieux-Port de Québec (the Farmer's Market located in the old port)
(http://www.marchevieuxport.com/)
This was our first stop. (I wonder who strategically booked a room across the street from here? hee hee.) When I heard oven fresh croissants could be had here I didn't hesitate. On our first visit that's just what we bought in addition to a bag of apples for the week from nearby Ile d'Orleans. A grocery on site also sells the most amazing variety of spices from a wall of wooden drawers. I was over the moon wanting to buy all of them. They also had jams and jellies, sandwiches, or sandwich makings, just about anything you could hope for in a market.
Parc de la Chute-Montmorency
(http://www.bonjourquebec.com/qc-en/a...y_3197018.html)
The Montmorency Falls are located not far from the city center. Rather than take a tour which would constrict us time-wise we opted for the city bus. From the Train Station (a beautiful historic building almost resembling a castle) we caught the 800/50 bus for the falls for 2.60 (one-way). It was not a fast, straight shot on the highway, but a meandering path through the suburbs (about 40 minutes). The last stop is the parking lot near the falls, in other words, you can't miss it. I think it is noteworthy to share that the city bus stops at the top of the falls and the tour buses at the bottom. From the bottom you'll need to either walk up or take a gondola (for a fee). By using the city bus you are already at the top (with fantastic views of the Saint Lawrence River) and can opt to climb down to viewing platforms or you can cross over a suspension bridge to the Manoir Montmorency. One reason we skipped a tour was because I had my sights on a leisurely terrace-side lunch at the Manoir. I was not disappointed. The falls- almost 100 ft higher than Niagara- provided a fantastic backdrop. We toasted the day with champagne and a cheese platter filled with local goods. Ever observant, my husband caught that someone had used drift wood to write "I love u" on rocks at the bottom of the falls. I had been too busy capturing rainbows to notice till he pointed it out.
L'Astral Bar-Restaurant Rotatif
(http://www.lastral.ca/vins.php)
This rotating restaurant-bar on top of the Loewes offers spectacular 360deg views of Quebec City. It's a great way to get your bearings, although I do warn you, I did feel a bit of motion sickness initially. The hostess said it took about an hour and a half to do a full rotation but it seemed to go faster than that. They have a number of local drink specials on the menu including a Kir made with sparkling white wine and local blackberry currant liqueur from nearby Ile d' Orleans, which is what I had. Our bar snack was a plate of olives, the green ones are stuffed with lemon rind. So good. Funny after my Kir I no longer noticed the movement....
La Barberie
(http://www.labarberie.com/)
So, you know that they speak french in Quebec City, right? After spending time inside the walls where the tourist congregate (QC is the only walled city in North America) you sort of get used to people also speaking English when called upon to do so. This is not necessarily the case in the St. Roch district.
I had ferreted out a brewery in QC and even though I don't drink beer, I was on a mission. I forgot to bring the map, but I figured how hard could it be to find a place named "La Barberie". The name, I was told, meant beard because the man (or men) who started it all had long beards. I figured with a name like that everyone would know where it was. I was wrong. After interrupting 3 or 4 people on the street I discovered 1) not everyone spoke English and 2) if they did, they had no idea what a brewery was. I would then say "Beer" and they would quizzically point to the nearest bar.
Finally, I found my man. He eagerly responded "Yes! You're almost there. It's just around the corner."-- in perfect English. To which my husband said, see you just need to know who to ask. Clearly a young Quebec guy would know where the brewery was. Well perhaps he did, but where he sent me was not a brewery. No, rather it was a barber shop, a barbier not barberie. Doh! So much for high school French.
We did, eventually make it to the brewery. We ordered the carousel and I -that would be moi in french- drank beer. Oddly, the place was filled with English speakers.
Le Chateau Frontenac
(http://www.fairmont.com/frontenac)
Ok, so this isn't really a dig deep kind of nugget. The hotel Le Chateau Frontenac dominates the Quebec City skyline so chances are you will find yourself at some point near it or in it. Our 'moment' was in the bar (well duh!). We managed to snag a table inside next to a large picture that looked out onto the Terrasse Dufferin (board walk) and the river below. We lived large and ordered a bottle of sparking wine so we could simply relax and sit for a while. It was a good thing we did. Before the sun had set the moon started to come up. We were treated to the Harvest Moon rise over the Saint Lawrence River. Beautiful. For dinner that night we went to...
Chez Ashton
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chez_Ashton)
This is the equivalent of telling an Italian to visit a McDonald's and eat a Big Mac. At Chez Ashton you get the poutine. Yes, it sounds like something nasty and the description isn't that much better, french fries drenched in gravy and sprinkled with cheese curds. Um, it was interesting. The curds were a bit rubbery for my taste but I would probably eat it again.
SAQ
(saq.com)
The Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) is a state-owned corporation responsible for the trade of alcoholic beverages in Quebec. The storefront located in the Château Frontenac is beautiful and filled with some very nice local products including ciders and those made from maple syrup. And they sell those cool wine bags for pretty cheap.
Metro
metro.com
This is a chain grocery store in Canada. We went to the store in the St. Roch area but I imagine they are all over. I was specifically looking for local products from Quebec. We found several excellent goods. Top on my list were the "Celebration" cookies by Leclerc. Oh my. They have a butter cookie bottom and are topped with chocolate. The milk chocolate ones are filled with a "caramel filling truffle" and the dark chocolate ones have an "orange filling truffle". An added local bonus: the top of the cookies are stamped with the Frontenac. My Mom is going to Quebec in two weeks. I told her to fill the trunk of her car with them! We also bought the "Distinction" feuille d'erable, maple leaf cookies that are made with pure maple syrup. It's a bit like eating a cookie pancake. The boxes were about 2.50- 3.00 dollars each. In addition we bought 4 single serving sugar pies and maple syrup for 1/4 of the price at the shops inside the walls.
Les Tours Voir Quebec
http://www.toursvoirquebec.com/en/home
We did the tour that combined the Grand Tour of Old Quebec and the Food Tour. I really enjoyed the food tour as it took you outside the walls to the Saint Jean District which I never would have made it to. The tour takes you to the SAQ for a tasting, in addition you taste you way through crepes, chocolate, maple products, cheeses, ciders, and more. It was really a nice time. Our guide said he doesn't buy his maple syrup because he makes his own. Apparently the "guys" will go into the woods and take the sap from a tree and then spend the day boiling it down. He said it was basically and excuse to sit by the fire smoking cigars and drinking. I think I need to make my own maple syrup! Although I'll pass on the cigars.
J.A. Moisan
(http://www.jamoisan.com/epicerie.htm)
Founded in 1871, J.A. Moisan is the oldest grocery store in North America. It is outside the walls in the Saint Jean District. I had considered booking a room at the B&B on site before our trip but did not. We went here as part of the food tour and had a tasting of cheeses. The store is very cute and the clerks dress in 'costume' which adds to the 'good old days' ambiance they strive for.
Ile d'Orleans
We rented a car from Budget ( $40. Tax + gas added another $20) and drove over to the island in the middle of the Saint Lawrence River. (First we went to visit the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré). We had a full day to explore the island and it was a really good time. It is very rural and quiet. If I had been better prepared I think I would have enjoyed biking since the roads are rather flat and there are several routes you could take. All along the perimeter of the island are various stands selling hot bread, cheese, apples, cider, wine, etc. You just go along and pull over for a tasting when you like. Many people put together picnics this way. It is extremely picturesque, especially in the fall. We had a map from the Tourist Info of the island that listed different producers but there is also an organization that promotes "Gourmet Routes". Click here (http://www.parcoursgourmand.com/eng/...met-routes.asp) and then scroll down to the island. They have routes listed for QC and other areas as well.
Ok, I think that is EVERYTHING! Thanks so much to the help I got from this forum. Let me know if you have any questions. -- Sorry it was so long!
K
I try to do my homework before arriving in a new city (although it doesn't always happen!). I Internet query, dig through travel forums and relentlessly scan newspaper and magazine articles searching for that one bit of gold, that little nugget that will make the trip just right. My interests lean towards the culinary, the creative, the photographic. I'll admit to bypassing a museum for a sidewalk cafe. So without further ado, here are my golden nuggets from our trip to Quebec City.
Le Marché du Vieux-Port de Québec (the Farmer's Market located in the old port)
(http://www.marchevieuxport.com/)
This was our first stop. (I wonder who strategically booked a room across the street from here? hee hee.) When I heard oven fresh croissants could be had here I didn't hesitate. On our first visit that's just what we bought in addition to a bag of apples for the week from nearby Ile d'Orleans. A grocery on site also sells the most amazing variety of spices from a wall of wooden drawers. I was over the moon wanting to buy all of them. They also had jams and jellies, sandwiches, or sandwich makings, just about anything you could hope for in a market.
Parc de la Chute-Montmorency
(http://www.bonjourquebec.com/qc-en/a...y_3197018.html)
The Montmorency Falls are located not far from the city center. Rather than take a tour which would constrict us time-wise we opted for the city bus. From the Train Station (a beautiful historic building almost resembling a castle) we caught the 800/50 bus for the falls for 2.60 (one-way). It was not a fast, straight shot on the highway, but a meandering path through the suburbs (about 40 minutes). The last stop is the parking lot near the falls, in other words, you can't miss it. I think it is noteworthy to share that the city bus stops at the top of the falls and the tour buses at the bottom. From the bottom you'll need to either walk up or take a gondola (for a fee). By using the city bus you are already at the top (with fantastic views of the Saint Lawrence River) and can opt to climb down to viewing platforms or you can cross over a suspension bridge to the Manoir Montmorency. One reason we skipped a tour was because I had my sights on a leisurely terrace-side lunch at the Manoir. I was not disappointed. The falls- almost 100 ft higher than Niagara- provided a fantastic backdrop. We toasted the day with champagne and a cheese platter filled with local goods. Ever observant, my husband caught that someone had used drift wood to write "I love u" on rocks at the bottom of the falls. I had been too busy capturing rainbows to notice till he pointed it out.
L'Astral Bar-Restaurant Rotatif
(http://www.lastral.ca/vins.php)
This rotating restaurant-bar on top of the Loewes offers spectacular 360deg views of Quebec City. It's a great way to get your bearings, although I do warn you, I did feel a bit of motion sickness initially. The hostess said it took about an hour and a half to do a full rotation but it seemed to go faster than that. They have a number of local drink specials on the menu including a Kir made with sparkling white wine and local blackberry currant liqueur from nearby Ile d' Orleans, which is what I had. Our bar snack was a plate of olives, the green ones are stuffed with lemon rind. So good. Funny after my Kir I no longer noticed the movement....
La Barberie
(http://www.labarberie.com/)
So, you know that they speak french in Quebec City, right? After spending time inside the walls where the tourist congregate (QC is the only walled city in North America) you sort of get used to people also speaking English when called upon to do so. This is not necessarily the case in the St. Roch district.
I had ferreted out a brewery in QC and even though I don't drink beer, I was on a mission. I forgot to bring the map, but I figured how hard could it be to find a place named "La Barberie". The name, I was told, meant beard because the man (or men) who started it all had long beards. I figured with a name like that everyone would know where it was. I was wrong. After interrupting 3 or 4 people on the street I discovered 1) not everyone spoke English and 2) if they did, they had no idea what a brewery was. I would then say "Beer" and they would quizzically point to the nearest bar.
Finally, I found my man. He eagerly responded "Yes! You're almost there. It's just around the corner."-- in perfect English. To which my husband said, see you just need to know who to ask. Clearly a young Quebec guy would know where the brewery was. Well perhaps he did, but where he sent me was not a brewery. No, rather it was a barber shop, a barbier not barberie. Doh! So much for high school French.
We did, eventually make it to the brewery. We ordered the carousel and I -that would be moi in french- drank beer. Oddly, the place was filled with English speakers.
Le Chateau Frontenac
(http://www.fairmont.com/frontenac)
Ok, so this isn't really a dig deep kind of nugget. The hotel Le Chateau Frontenac dominates the Quebec City skyline so chances are you will find yourself at some point near it or in it. Our 'moment' was in the bar (well duh!). We managed to snag a table inside next to a large picture that looked out onto the Terrasse Dufferin (board walk) and the river below. We lived large and ordered a bottle of sparking wine so we could simply relax and sit for a while. It was a good thing we did. Before the sun had set the moon started to come up. We were treated to the Harvest Moon rise over the Saint Lawrence River. Beautiful. For dinner that night we went to...
Chez Ashton
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chez_Ashton)
This is the equivalent of telling an Italian to visit a McDonald's and eat a Big Mac. At Chez Ashton you get the poutine. Yes, it sounds like something nasty and the description isn't that much better, french fries drenched in gravy and sprinkled with cheese curds. Um, it was interesting. The curds were a bit rubbery for my taste but I would probably eat it again.
SAQ
(saq.com)
The Société des alcools du Québec (SAQ) is a state-owned corporation responsible for the trade of alcoholic beverages in Quebec. The storefront located in the Château Frontenac is beautiful and filled with some very nice local products including ciders and those made from maple syrup. And they sell those cool wine bags for pretty cheap.
Metro
metro.com
This is a chain grocery store in Canada. We went to the store in the St. Roch area but I imagine they are all over. I was specifically looking for local products from Quebec. We found several excellent goods. Top on my list were the "Celebration" cookies by Leclerc. Oh my. They have a butter cookie bottom and are topped with chocolate. The milk chocolate ones are filled with a "caramel filling truffle" and the dark chocolate ones have an "orange filling truffle". An added local bonus: the top of the cookies are stamped with the Frontenac. My Mom is going to Quebec in two weeks. I told her to fill the trunk of her car with them! We also bought the "Distinction" feuille d'erable, maple leaf cookies that are made with pure maple syrup. It's a bit like eating a cookie pancake. The boxes were about 2.50- 3.00 dollars each. In addition we bought 4 single serving sugar pies and maple syrup for 1/4 of the price at the shops inside the walls.
Les Tours Voir Quebec
http://www.toursvoirquebec.com/en/home
We did the tour that combined the Grand Tour of Old Quebec and the Food Tour. I really enjoyed the food tour as it took you outside the walls to the Saint Jean District which I never would have made it to. The tour takes you to the SAQ for a tasting, in addition you taste you way through crepes, chocolate, maple products, cheeses, ciders, and more. It was really a nice time. Our guide said he doesn't buy his maple syrup because he makes his own. Apparently the "guys" will go into the woods and take the sap from a tree and then spend the day boiling it down. He said it was basically and excuse to sit by the fire smoking cigars and drinking. I think I need to make my own maple syrup! Although I'll pass on the cigars.
J.A. Moisan
(http://www.jamoisan.com/epicerie.htm)
Founded in 1871, J.A. Moisan is the oldest grocery store in North America. It is outside the walls in the Saint Jean District. I had considered booking a room at the B&B on site before our trip but did not. We went here as part of the food tour and had a tasting of cheeses. The store is very cute and the clerks dress in 'costume' which adds to the 'good old days' ambiance they strive for.
Ile d'Orleans
We rented a car from Budget ( $40. Tax + gas added another $20) and drove over to the island in the middle of the Saint Lawrence River. (First we went to visit the Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré). We had a full day to explore the island and it was a really good time. It is very rural and quiet. If I had been better prepared I think I would have enjoyed biking since the roads are rather flat and there are several routes you could take. All along the perimeter of the island are various stands selling hot bread, cheese, apples, cider, wine, etc. You just go along and pull over for a tasting when you like. Many people put together picnics this way. It is extremely picturesque, especially in the fall. We had a map from the Tourist Info of the island that listed different producers but there is also an organization that promotes "Gourmet Routes". Click here (http://www.parcoursgourmand.com/eng/...met-routes.asp) and then scroll down to the island. They have routes listed for QC and other areas as well.
Ok, I think that is EVERYTHING! Thanks so much to the help I got from this forum. Let me know if you have any questions. -- Sorry it was so long!
K
Oct 1st, 2010 | 06:41 AM
#4
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,660
Likes: 0
Enjoyable trip report Gotkids!
J.A. Moisan was a regular stop for me to pick up cheese/meat/bread when one of my best friends lived in the Saint Roch district of Quebec City. I like the story about communication in Saint Roch; indeed you can't assume English fluency of a random passerby in Quebec City (even in Montreal). If you'd asked me for "la Barberie" in a halting French, I think I probably also would have sent you to a barber's shop!
Thanks for your "golden nuggets"! Daniel
J.A. Moisan was a regular stop for me to pick up cheese/meat/bread when one of my best friends lived in the Saint Roch district of Quebec City. I like the story about communication in Saint Roch; indeed you can't assume English fluency of a random passerby in Quebec City (even in Montreal). If you'd asked me for "la Barberie" in a halting French, I think I probably also would have sent you to a barber's shop!
Thanks for your "golden nuggets"! Daniel
Oct 3rd, 2010 | 05:26 PM
#5
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,146
Likes: 0
What wonderful nuggets and at such an opportune time (would use an exclamation point except that I can`t find it on this Canadian keyboard)lol. We`re now in Ottawa and will be in QC in a few days. I`ve made extensive notes from your report and look forward to seeing QC and all its nuggets. Thanks.
K
K
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