Visual Traveler: Québec City, Quebec, Canada

Simultaneously regal and imposing, Fairmont Le Château Frontenac stood before me as it had decades earlier, during a childhood family visit to Québec City. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this lovely historic hotel also has an impressive 'eco-footprint.' Environmental efforts have included elimination of all single use plastics (2023), rooftop bee hives, and a move towards carbon neutrality for the property. 

But my media visit actually began at the front desk for our host hotel. As French words tumbled from my mouth, I marveled that I had crafted a complete sentence in a language I had rarely spoken in several decades. “Je m’appelle Lisa Waterman Gray et je suis ici avec Québec tourisme (My name is Lisa Waterman Gray and I am here with Québec tourism).” The hotel receptionist nodded immediately and began searching for my reservation.
 
“Parlez vous Français? (Do you speak French?),” asked a lovely women standing nearby. “Un petit peu (A little bit),” I said. She immediately shifted to English. “You speak it very well – and with no accent. I am the hotel manager and we will be meeting for dinner again tonight.” We shook hands and spoke briefly about the evening’s schedule before I headed to my room.

I loved walking through old Québec City during this multi-day visit, listening to lilting conversational French between shopkeepers and customers, and occasionally speaking a bit of the language, myself.  Dozens of artisan shops and boutiques lined the city's narrow streets, where French and English building foundations dated from the 1600s.

I savored cheese samples at a gourmet grocery store, devoured freshly baked pastry from another shop, and appreciated the 'clip clop' sound of hooves from a horse-drawn carriage in the square. My footfalls also reverberated against the broad, waterfront boardwalk with its views of slowly passing boats and occasional vendors.  

​By the time we left Québec City to explore other areas of Québec Province, I knew I would have no problem spending several days here again - on my next visit. 

​​​Disclaimer: As a travel writer I may receive complimentary stays, admissions, meals, transportation, and, occasionally, products I am asked to review. However, I make every effort to report my experiences fairly and honestly.

Please note these photos were taken 10+ years ago. While they reflected the character of Québec City during my visit, specific details may have changed.