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Time Zone
Eastern
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Quebec, walled French city and capital of the province, is divided into upper and lower towns, tourable on foot, by bus, or in sightseeing carriages. Old Quebec is pretty cozy, with scads of historical places that you can see on relatively short walks: the Chateau Frontenac, the Dufferin Terrace, the Ursuline Convent on rue du Parloir, the Holy Trinity Anglican Cathedral on the rue des Jardins, the Notre-Dame-de-Quebec Basilica Cathedral on rue Buade, and the Quebec Seminary on the cote de la Fabrique.
Place Royale in the lower town is surrounded by some 25 restored homes and buildings, including the outstanding Chevalier and Fornel houses as well as the Royal Battery and Notre Dames-des-Victoires Church.
On the Plains of Abraham, where French and English soldiers fought the decisive battle for the control of Canada, is the National Battlefields Park and its famous battlefield. High on a promontory is the Citadel, built in the early 19th century this is where Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt conferred during World War II. Tours of this massive fortification are offered in French and English, and the changing-of-the-guard ceremony takes place each morning during the summer.
The Parliament Buildings, built between 1877 and 1886, are famous for their landscaped grounds and spectacular French architecture. Just north of the lower town is the Cartier-Brebeuf National Historic Park, named for French explorer Jacques Cartier and martyred Jesuit priest Jean de Brebeuf. A replica of Cartier's flagship, La Grande Hermine, is anchored here and open to visitors. Summer activities in this area include cycling and canoeing, and in the winter, skating, cross-country skiing, and buggy rides are popular.
Quebec is as noted for winter sports as it is for summer vacations, and the city's Winter Carnival, held each year during two weeks in February, is perhaps the foremost winter sports and entertainment festival on the North American continent. The Carnival is definitely worth visiting if you happen to be in Quebec while it's going on.
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Explore another city in Quebec
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