Winter in Quebec:  Snow and Ice  at Its Best
By Kathy Leong, Freelance Writer

Even if you don’t speak fluent French, anyone can say “bonjour” and enjoy a rousing week here in Quebec City, the most romantic city in the province of Quebec. To dispel the popular myth that you have to converse in French to get around, visitors can get away with speaking English as the entire country of Canada is bi-lingual in these languages.

Winter is the perfect time to meander through the crowd less, lamp lit, cobblestone streets of this bone chilling destination.

 WHY COME?

True to the brochures, Quebec City is a perfect five-day getaway for out-of-towners and a quick three-day pick-me-upper for residents in the eastern United States.  On the map, the province of Quebec is located in eastern Canada. Quebec City is about a four-hour drive from Boston.

Founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain of France, Quebec began as a settlement for colonists.  Later as Quebec grew in size and strength, the province remained close to its French ties.  Today, the architecture has both a French and English flair.   With many historic buildings dating back centuries, Quebec is a photographer’s dream. The castle turrets, enormous bronze statuary,  storefront flower boxes abounding with geraniums, detailed ice sculptures on every corner, and European stone bridges are a visual feast.

Even in the heart of winter where temperatures fall into the teens and below 0 degrees Fahrenheit, the people of Quebec show Americans a thing or two when it comes to embracing the cold. Visitors can join Quebec-ians in a spate of outdoor activities: frozen waterfall climbing, snow shoeing, skiing, ice skating, ice fishing, and more.

At the same time, cultural aficionados can take in their fill of  museums, art galleries and pay a visit to the historic Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac hotel inside this unique fortified walled city bordered by three stone gates.  Old Town Quebec is the section where you’ll find the intimate eateries, boutiques with colorful awnings, and a unique outdoor rail car called the Funicular that takes you from Lower Town to Upper Town within seconds.

 WHAT TO DO?

Once you land at the Jean-Lesage International Airport, and check into your hotel, explore Old Quebec on foot.  Venture inside its many boutiques and be sure to enjoy the walk. Take your camera on a trip where architecture takes center stage.

Have a blast enjoying the following:

• Ferry ride on the St. Lawrence river, which is both scenic and breathtaking.
• Take a cable car ride along Montmorency Falls. The falls are 100 feet higher than Niagara Falls.  Montmorency Falls Park features a stairway and suspension bridge.
• Scream while careening down on the toboggan slide beside the Fairmont Chateau Frontenac.
• Go snowshoeing, dog sledding and snowmobiling on the outskirts of town.
• Ice skate at Place d’Youville in Old Quebec. The rink is free, and a stage area frequently hosts musicians so skaters can either glide or fall to music.
• Attend the Winter Carnival, Quebec’s version of Mardi Gras without the debauchery which runs 17 days from January to mid-February. It is the largest winter carnival in the world and features gigantic snow sculptures of every type.
• Visit one of the 23 museums in Old Quebec, each with a different area of specialty.
• Tour the Ice Hotel, Canada’s only temporary hotel made of 30,000 tons of ice and snow.

WHERE TO STAY?

A night at the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac is a night to remember. The 618-room grand hotel, built in 1893, stands proudly on a hill known at Cap Diamant at the center of Quebec City, and is walking distance to shops and restaurants.

Inside, visitors will find sweeping staircases,  grand lobby, and an array of boutiques and shops, and bars and restaurants.  Rates start at $250 CAD for a nonsmoking queen room and $500 CAD for a junior queen suite with 485 square feet.  Take note that the U.S. dollar is almost equivalent to the Canadian dollar. At our last fact check, one U.S. dollar was worth $1.12 CAD.

The popular Hilton Quebec is priced at about the same, and is walking distance to Old Town Quebec.  The Hilton sports all the amenities of an ultra-modern hotel including a gym with a view, swimming pool, restaurant, and downstairs shops.

One boutique hotel which has received rave reviews is the Hotel Dominion 1912, located in Lower Town in Old Quebec.  With rates starting at $169, the hotel features 60 modern rooms with sleek black and white  furnishings.

When you want to do something entirely different, go to the Ice Hotel located 30 minutes away from town.  Priced at $180 per person, the hotel is an unforgettable experience where only the brave can handle sleeping on a slab of ice in 22 degree temps. The 30,000 square-foot compound is comprised of suites, a chapel, a bar, and a disco all carved from tons of snow and clear, manufactured ice. 

 WHERE TO EAT?

When it comes to food, this French city rates high on the charts. Says one guide, “You can go almost anywhere in Quebec, and you’ll get a great meal.”  Specialties of this region include game meat such as venison, bison, buffalo, rabbit, and pheasant. 

A popular drink to stave off the cold is the ‘caribou’ which is red wine, heated with additional amounts of alcohol which packs a major punch. Another specialty is ‘ice wine’, a sweet wine made from the essence of frozen grapes.

For dessert, anything with maple sugar or maple syrup is sure to be a treat.  Sugar pie, an open faced pie with a layer of glutinous maple sugar is a decadent, cavity-intense dessert. Also, another treat is a maple syrup lollipop.  It’s made by pouring a line of hot maple syrup into fine snow and using a popsicle stick to wrap the strip of maple syrup around the wood.  Delicious!

On a recent press trip, journalists were wined and dined to the best, hottest restaurants in town.  Here’s a brief listing.

• Le Lapin Sauté – Found on Quartier Petit Champlain shopping district, the restaurant is cute, cute, cute. Checkered tablecloths, hanging baskets, straw flowers, watering cans decorate the nooks and crannies in this romantic bistro. The food is hearty and fabulous. Rabbit stew, in particular, is an excellent choice for flavor and freshness.
• Le Graffitti – This tiny restaurant features a small, but high-quality selection of appetizers served in soup spoons such as seasoned ahi tuna, salmon and proscuitto rolled in breadsticks. Very nice presentation throughout every dish. The lobster bisque and veal medallions are light and not too saucy.  Roving guitarists are masters at their repertoire in playing everything from Calypso to Flamenco.
• Restaurant La Closerie – A casual restaurant with white tablecloths and flowers is a great stop for a ‘caribou’ drink and a fine venison and buffalo stew.  Cooked to perfection, it has no gamey taste whatsoever. 
• Le 47 Parallele – Photos inside this upscale, modern restaurant are all taken on the forty-seventh parallel on the globe.  Service is excellent and you can have your choice of delectable dishes from fish to meat to vegetarian entrees. Priced at $20 to $30,  this would be a good spot for a birthday or anniversary dinner.

 If you are looking for something different to do this winter, check out Quebec before its snow glory melts away.

**All Photos by Kathy Leong

WHEN YOU GO,  BE SURE TO:

• Dress in layers-a heavy coat, thick boots, wool socks, hat, scarf, and gloves are an absolute must.
• Go to a bank to get Canadian currency, not the airport, which has low rates.
• Learn a few phrases in French such as bonjour, au revoir, and merci.

 NOTEWORTHY WEBSITES:

Quebec Tourism

 www.quebecregion.com

www.bonjourquebec.com

www.quartierpetitchamplain.com

Hilton Quebec

www.hiltonquebec.com

Winter Carnival

www.carnaval.qc.ca

Ice Hotel Information

www.icehotel-canada.com

Le Lapin Sauté Restaurant

www.lapinsaute.com

Le 47 Parallele

www.le47.com

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