TikToks showing tourists being scammed and pickpocketed raise legitimate safety concerns about visiting Paris right now. Reports of street protests, exorbitant hotel rates and overcrowding since the recent Summer Olympics also do not paint the City of Lights in the best light.
Even if these and other disadvantages outweigh the advantages of a Paris vacation, there are still plenty of them on this side of the Atlantic, at least until global capital cleans up its act (and the dirty Seine in the meantime). There will be a place where they can gather. If you need a French fix, you can add a French twist to your vacation plans.
Cute boutiques along charming cobblestone streets, outdoor cafes perfect for people-watching, gourmet-friendly French cuisine, beautifully preserved New French architecture and much more are to be discovered north of the border. I’m waiting.
Tracing its French roots back to 1534, Quebec City shares characteristics with Paris that make it a desirable choice, and even some differences that make Paris even more desirable. Clean and safe are two valid expressions for the latter.
Well, Quebec City’s landmarks may not be as iconic as the Eiffel Tower, Louve Museum, Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame Cathedral, and other must-see symbols of the Palais. But there’s plenty to see and do in the “Paris of the West” for an extended vacation to one of North America’s oldest European settlements.
The iconic Château Frontenac has graced Quebec City for over 130 years. (Photo by David Dickstein)
The birthplace of France in North America boasts the most photographed hotel in the world, considering Quebec City doesn’t even make the top 100 list of the world’s most visited destinations. This is an impressive fact. Dominating the city’s modest skyline, Fairmont Le Château Frontenac is Quebec’s equivalent of the Eiffel Tower, iconic and beautiful from every angle. Located above the St. Lawrence River in the city’s Upper Quarter, Chateau Frontenac’s castle-like exterior has been a favorite for more than 130 years. Hospitality was spotty during a recent stay, which was disappointing for this travel writer who honeymooned in 1991, but if you can spend at least $600 a night for a standard riverview room,… Frontenac remains a top choice.
Enchanting Old Quebec has the look and feel of Paris. (Photo by David Dickstein)
Making Frontenac your vacation base also makes good logistical sense. Book one of the hotel’s 610 rooms and you’ll be located in the heart of Old Quebec, next to the historic cable car, which celebrates its 145th anniversary in November. The inclined railway offers a picturesque and unique option when strolling between the upper and lower sections. However, Quebec City has a fascinating and rich food scene, so tourists on the go may want to take a nearby staircase instead.
Champlain’s chef Gabriel Moleur Langevin puts the finishing touches on the seared foie gras. (Photo by David Dickstein)
Speaking of which, Frontenac (chateau-frontenac.com/en) has one of the city’s finest restaurants in Le Champlain. Quebec City chef Gabriel Moleur Langevin has designed the recently introduced eight-course “Discovery” menu, and the wine pairing options make it worth the splurge, even at around $300. there is. His arctic char, halibut, veal and elk are sublime and the perfect platter for social media.
Champlain at Château Frontenac elevates the meal with a course of fillet of elk with hunter sauce and morel mushrooms. (Photo by David Dickstein)
Chez Muffy, housed in an 1822 maritime warehouse, offers even better dining options. The warehouse itself is located inside the Auberge Saint-Antoine (saint-antoine.com), a 95-room gem in lower Quebec City. Behind the hill, Le Clan (restaurantleclan.com/en) is perfect for event dining, especially if you choose Chef Stefan Moda’s six-course tasting menu. Guided by some of the most knowledgeable servers you’ll find, the experience is, as one online reviewer succinctly put it, a wild tour through Quebec’s culinary masterpieces. Inspired by Modat’s love of hunting, fishing, and using locally sourced ingredients, this fine meal is memorable for many reasons. Chief among these is our approach to local ingredients and French originality at affordable prices. The top-of-the-line tasting costs about $73, and doubles if you add a wine pairing.
Ferme François Gosselin is a fulfilling retreat located near the banks of the St. Lawrence River. (Photo by David Dickstein)
A perfect Quebec visit might also include a walking tour through northern Mexico’s most intact fortified city to gain a deeper understanding of local history, architecture, culture, and lifestyle. Tours Accolade (toursaccolade.com/en/) does a great job for a nominal investment of two hours and about $25 per person. A longer and more delicious “Epicurean Journey” from Concierge Du Terroir (www.conciergerieduterroir.com/en) takes up to four people in a luxury SUV to local farms, microbreweries and wineries, with samples and education at each. is provided. The flexible 5-hour tour costs $500 for the entire group and includes a pit stop at the spectacular Montmorency Falls, just minutes from Old Quebec.
At a staggering 82 feet tall, Montmorency Falls is taller than Niagara Falls. (Photo by David Dickstein)
Like most tourist destinations in the northern hemisphere, late spring to early fall is Quebec’s high season. But if Destination Québec cité (quebec-cite.com/en)’s current marketing campaign succeeds in convincing non-residents that Quebec is a year-round destination, it will encourage them to do even more. will be given the power and hoodie. It should be an easy sell, given recent economic downturns and insecurity in certain parts of the world, as well as an increase in wanderlust within the continent.
Additionally, today’s travelers are looking for new places to explore. Although the city center is by no means new, with nearly 500 years of history, this destination is less explored than Montreal, about 270 miles to the west. Enjoy the cozy atmosphere of Quebec with either Canadian dollars or US dollars. With a population of 560,000 people, Quebec is one-third the size of Montreal, and is a place where many locals will say “oui” to the question “Paris-vous-francais.” ? ”
Rue Cul de Sac, also known as Umbrella Alley, is a pleasant surprise for passersby. (Photo by David Dickstein)
Returning to Quebec’s push as a year-round travel destination, as the days get shorter this time of year the city’s urban parks are bursting with Mother Nature’s vibrant yellows, oranges, and bright colors. Proving you don’t have to go to New England to see color. red. From late November until New Year’s, Quebec hosts European-style Christmas markets, and the fall foliage transforms into a winter wonderland. More Scandinavian than French, the ice hotel, perhaps the only one in North America, will welcome the fickle snowbirds from January 4th until mid-March. There’s no denying the Grand Château Frontenac, but the Hotel de Glace’s 30 cold rooms are the ultimate accommodations when visiting the city for the Quebec Winter Carnival. The world’s largest chill festival of family fun runs from February 7th to February 16th.
Quebec’s Chateau Frontenac has been hailed as the most photographed hotel in the world. (Photo by David Dickstein)
While the city’s tourism board urges people to come during the colder months, the Quebec Port Authority is preparing for the first-ever winter cruise to meander Canada’s St. Lawrence River. In January and February, French cruise ship operator Ponant (us.ponant.com) takes its 270-passenger luxury ship to waterways inaccessible to traditional ships, a time of year when average daytime temperatures are in the 20s. The icebreaker “Le Commandant Charcot” will be deployed (Fahrenheit), and nighttime minimum temperatures are barely north of zero. Two of the four 12-night expeditions will depart from Quebec and combine adventures such as kayaking, ice fishing and dog sledding with visits to indigenous Innu and Mi’kmaq communities. Port of Quebec CEO Mario Girard says there’s a good chance of seeing black bears, caribou and the northern lights on these voyages, heralding an “exciting new era of cold-weather exploration.” It is said that
Quebec cruises are scheduled to begin in 2025 with four frigid trips, but an additional 125 itineraries are scheduled between May and October, when average high temperatures are a comfortable 68 degrees. The 18 ships from Quebec will fly the flags of Crystal, Cunard, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and Virgin Voyages. Brands making day or overnight stops next year include Azamara, Celebrity Cruises, Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn, Silversea, Viking and Windstar Cruises.
Marie-Andre Blanchet, director of cruise development and business ecosystem at the Port of Quebec, said cruisers who visit Quebec at the front or back end of their voyage spend an average of two days in Quebec. Americans make up more than half of the cruise market in the St. Lawrence region, with California leading the demographic, accounting for about 17% of all passengers.
Whether arriving by water, land or air, visitors to Quebec City can enjoy the shopping, dining, culture and language of Paris. It doesn’t include jet lag or other undesirable things.
