he river narrows", originally referred to the area around Quebec City where the Saint Lawrence River narrows to a cliff-lined gap. French explorer Samuel de Champlain chose the name Québec in 1608 for the colonial outpost he would use as the administrative seat for the French colony of New France. Today Quebec city has grown into a city of 750,000 the seventh largest city in Canada. Old Quebec is the draw of the area, reminding me of many of the European cities that Nita and I have visited; add in the fact that the first language of Quebec is French and you feel like you are in Europe.We had our first dinner in Quebec in Lower Quebec, taking a Fanicular down the cliff side to La Marie Clanisse. The restaurant is in a cirta 1790 building built into the cliff thus providing an intimate atmosphere, their speciality is seafood thus we ordered various meals from Linguine with lobster sauce and shrimp to Atlantic Halibut. The food was good but a bit pricey at about $40 per plate. We'll spend more time in Lower Quebec, it seems to be the place to find the best restaurants.
The Battle of the Plains of Abraham, also known as the Battle of Quebec, was a pivotal battle in the Seven Years' War (referred to as the French and Indian War in the United States). The confrontation, which began on 13 September 1759, was fought between the British Army and Navy, and the French Army, on a plateau just outside the walls of Quebec City, on land owned by a farmer named Abraham Martin.
The battle involved fewer than 10,000 troops between both sides, but proved to be a deciding moment in the conflict between France and Britain over the fate of New France, influencing the later creation of Canada. Nita and I spent Thursday morning walking in the rain through what is now a park and nature trail reliving the siege on Old Quebec. The culmination of a three-month siege by the British, the battle lasted about an hour about a third of the time that it took us to walk the battle field.
The center piece of Old Quebec is The Château Frontenac Hotel, designed by the American architect Bruce Price, it is one of a series of "château" style hotels built for the Canadian Pacific Railway company at the end of the 19th and the start of the 20th century. The railway company sought to encourage luxury tourism and bring wealthy travellers to its trains. The Château Frontenac opened in 1893, five years after its sister-hotel, the Banff Springs. The going rate for a room at the Chateu Frontenac is $350 to $450 per night but by booking through travelocity I was able to get our rooms for under $200 per night. The key is to book early. Our room is great with a three window view of the river, it's comfortable but not as nice as the Saint-Sulpice in Montreal.
Although several of Quebec City's buildings stand taller, the hotel is perched atop a tall cape overlooking the Saint Lawrence River, thus giving a spectacular view for several miles. The building is the most prominent feature of the Quebec City skyline as seen from across the St. Lawrence, and is a symbol of the city. The hotel was built near the Plains of Abraham.
Thursday afternoon we opted for a bus tour which got us out of the rain and into outlying Quebec City. The tour highlights were Saint-Anne_De-Beaupte (a Catholic Church known for its healing of those in need), Ile d'Orleans (a charming island atmosphere
close to Quebec City ) and Chute Montmorency (Quebec's tallest waterfalls 1.5 X Niagara Falls).We had dinner at Portofino on the recommendation of the hotel concierge. The magnificent façade of this historic house built in 1760 gives a welcoming entrance out of the continuing rain.(the corner of Rue Saint-Jean, Rue Couillard, and Côte de la Fabrique) Portofino is an Italian bistro with a casual atmosphere good food live music and as soon as we arrived, we smelled the fine aroma of pizza, pasta, and all the other superb dishes of the most popular Italian restaurant in Quebec City.
Friday morning Nita choose to explore Lower Old Quebec. The Up Town is linked by the literally "neck-breaking" steps and the Old Quebec Funicular to the Lower Town, which includes such sites as the ancient Notre Dame des Victoires church, the historic Petit Champlain district, the port, and the Musée de la Civilisation (Museum of Civilization). The Lower Town is filled with original architecture and street designs, dating back to the city's beginnings. Murals and statues are also featured. The Lower Town is also noted for its wide variety of boutiques, many featuring hand-crafted goods some of which we purchased. Quebec city's downtown is on the lower part of the town. Its epicentre is adjacent to the old town where we came in by train and will leave via ship.
Lunch was late at Aux Anciens Canadiens, Nita had the Wild Meat Pie, containing Deer, Elk, Caraboo, and potatoes in pastry. I had red wine Nita had a red beer, we both had soup, I had Maple Syrup Pie she had blueberry cake all this for $19.95 each, but you have
to get there before 5:45 after the prices go to $49.95. The restaurant is 200 yards to the right of the Chateau, if you're in Quebec it's a must. We had reservations at le Lapin Saute for the evening but canceled because were to full, it features rabbit and duck and is hard to get into. It's a must if we ever come back, but for tonight we may have to find some gelato.
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