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By Barbara Penny Angelakis
There is no better word to describe the city of Québec than charming. The city was settled by the French at the narrowing of the mighty St. Lawrence River, after a rapprochement with the First Nations who had for millennia called the land home. The French immediately set about constructing a walled enclosure to define the city limits and as protection against any other of the then super powers who would be tempted by the valuable headland. And the strategy might have worked but for the poor judgment of the French General Montcalm, who - while under siege in 1759 by the British - lost the city by venturing outside the protective city walls; reportedly he was discontent in the new world anyway. And so, fought over and eventually captured by the British, the city was on its way to trading in the laisse faire persona of the French for a British stiff upper lip, when a perceived, or otherwise, threat from the Americans to the south, encouraged the British to reinforce the walled enclosure with a major stone fortification. Thus was created the exquisite tourist attraction that today is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Treasure. Meanwhile, the British, having learnt their lesson in the Colonies to the south, allowed the colony to maintain its religious and cultural identity and the French Catholic and British Protestant more or less got along until in 1867 the Canadian Confederation was created and Québec City became the provincial capital of an independent Canada. But all that happened a long time ago - 400 years in 2008 to be exact - since the first French settlement took hold in this beautiful land that rises from the waters. The land was called “Kébec” which in the native Algonquin language means “where the river narrows”. And that, in a very small nutshell, is the history of this charming city.
Today Québec City exudes a French joie de vivre in its attitude, architecture and ambience. It is in fact the new  world’s version of a European walled town, but with its own distinct personality; building upon First Nation tribes at its base, blending French and British overtones, and like fine wine, aged and filtered until its essence is pure Québécois. Old Québec, the section within the walled city, is a tangle of steep winding streets and squares housing shops, restaurants, museums, churches and delighted tourists. Photo-ops surround you and when the blue sky is filled with billowing, puffy clouds and the sun shines through the clear, clean summer air, every view presents another picture, a visual memory to carry home with you. So when you go don’t forget to bring that camera, and oh yes, your umbrella as well for those brief summer downpours that oft times end in a brilliant rainbow.
The city has spread far beyond the encircling walls of the first settlement, and the battlefield on the Planes of Abraham of so long ago, now encompass a handsomely designed park for the enjoyment of all. At one edge of the park is Québec’s fine art museum which incidentally was constructed next to the old prison originally built outside the city limits. But as the city grew and surrounded the prison, a new one was built further out, and the building lay empty and unused until the need for additional museum space forced the city planers to take a fresh look at the wonderful looking château-styled building. Voila! The prison underwent a total refurbishing – of course leaving a few cells intact for educational purposes – and a modern glass pyramidal shaped entrance was constructed to connect the two  buildings; one to be used for the permanent museum collection and the other to host international traveling art shows. The cultural landscape of Québec is in fact extensive; there is even a unique chocolate museum (Choco-musée Érico). However, the Musée De La Civilisation <www.mcq.org> located in the lower section of the old town overlooking the harbor, was at the top of my must-see list. The current exhibition of mythic and mystical dragons was not disappointing. The exhibition was beautifully mounted with extensive interactive stations to take the chore out of museum going for the kids and reluctant adults alike. The comprehensive show interwove many cultures and traditions throughout history, all of whom believed in dragons and their magical powers for good or evil.
Perhaps due to the constant compromise of cultures, religions and tastes early on, the people of Québec seem to have an enlightened social awareness by honoring the old while making room for the new with style and grace. There is an obvious pride in the city that is reflected in its clean pavements, manicured landscapes, and sculptured offerings of public works of art. At a square situated in front of the Parliament Building stands a recently erected 19th century fountain. The historical fountain was one of only three cast by artist Mathurin Moreau and was originally installed in Bordeaux, France in 1857 to celebrate the arrival of running water in that city. Unearthed at a Paris flea market, the exquisite sculpture was restored and gifted to the city by the Simons family, owners of retail fashion stores, in honor of the 400th anniversary of the founding of Québec.
Although I had been looking forward to getting a good sense of the new trends in the usually exquisite cuisine, my recent visit to Québec was devoted to the Summer Festival and fine dining was not my main focus. In general, the food was unremarkable and will require  a return visit devoted to exploring the gastronomic pleasures of la belle Québec.
One of the outstanding features of Québec City is its proximity to nature. Located within the city limits is the awesome Montmorency Falls and Park. The falls is higher than Niagara by 100 feet, with thankfully, a cable car that whisks you to the top. If you are so inclined, you can cross the suspension bridge that spans the cataract and walk back down the stairway that has multiple stages for spectacular viewing. As unbelievable as it seems, the falls freeze in the winter and you can actually ice climb its sheer face or for the less adventurous, walk on the “sugar loaf” a spectacular natural phenomenon formed at the base of the falls… something I would personally love to experience.
 Less than a half hour from the city is the picturesque farming island L’île d’Orléans. Here under the guidance of our driver Charles Breton and local guide André, we sampled the fruits of a family run cider factory, winery, blackcurrant liquoriste and restaurant. Some of the family run businesses we visited can trace their ownership back hundreds of years and each, historical owner or newcomer alike, takes great pride in the products they produce on their land. Our first stop was at Verger Bilodeau’s Cider Factory <www.cidreriebilodeau.qc.ca> where the very pregnant daughter-in-law enthusiastically walked us through the labor intensive process of selecting the apples to be picked, processing, pressing, bottling and shaking each bottle by hand to avoid sediment buildup in the bottleneck. Here we not only tasted the cider but we were treated to a freshly baked apple pie that left  many eyes rolling in ecstasy. At the Isle de Bacchus’s Winery we sampled whites and reds as well as ice wine, after which in the interest of sobriety we took a lunch break. Les Ancêtres Restaurant <www.lesancetres.ca> has been carved out of the 300 year old family home offering a spectacular view of the river and the bridge that connects to the mainland. Prior to the bridge being erected in 1935 the inhabitants crossed to the mainland over ice bridges in the winter or rowed across in the summer. The meal was traditional Québécois, from family recipes handed down through the years and using fresh ingredients grown on the property. Happily sated we paid a visit to Cassis Monna & Filles (Monna & Daughters) <www.cassismonna.com> where we were treated to tastes of black currant wine, jelly and jam, mustard and syrup. The Sangria was a special treat as was the non-alcoholic slush drink. Our visit to L’île d’Orléans concluded with a visit to the museum dedicated to Félix-Leclerc, the renowned folk singer and local hero of the French separatist movement.
Well my visit to Québec is over and my main impression was as on prior visits… I can’t wait to return. That is after all, the mark of a great destination, one that leaves you satisfied with a taste but still hungry for more.
© August 2007 LuxuryWeb Magazine. All rights reserved.
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