Bonjour Quebec: A Winter Wonderland Filled with Old-World Charm to Warm Your Visit

(This is a retrospective on a visit to the Quebec Carnaval. The next Carnaval will take place January 28 to February 13, 2011).

By George Medovoy, Editor

When it comes to winter fun, Quebec City, this cradle of French civilization in North America, has the market cornered.

My wife and I experienced Quebec City in winter for the first time...and enjoyed it immensely.

(Step into one of Quebec City's many quaint restaurants and bistros and warm yourself up with a bowl of French onion soup)

Visiting this time for "Carnaval," the world's biggest winter celebration, everything we once knew under a summer sky - the Old World charm of quaint little streets and bistros, art galleries, and the rich history of New France - all of that was transformed by nature into a veritable winter wonderland.

Romance and Adventure

Snow that covered the city's colorful mansard roofs and ice flows that slowed the mighty St. Lawrence River added a certain romance and adventure to the city's scenic appeal.

They've held Carnaval since 1894. At last year's event, reminders were everywhere of Carnaval's mascot, a big-hearted snowman named Bonhomme Carnaval, whose ice castle stands across the street from parliament.

Winter Charms Not Short-Lived

Winter up here is never a short-lived affair, so there's plenty of time to enjoy Quebec's ubiquitous winter charms.

And you'll find nothing more enjoyable than ice skating on one of the city's outdoor rinks or cross-country skiing on the Plains of Abraham, a magnificent urban park overlooking the St. Lawrence River that's within walking distance from cafes, jazz clubs, and restaurants, where you can enjoy a Quebec favorite of "steak frites" (steak and French fries).

In case you're wondering, this Abraham bears no relation to the great Biblical figure of the same name. This particular fellow was a simple farmer who would bring his cattle here to graze.

But the plains, known today as National Battlefields Park, took on historic proportions in 1759, when the British under General Wolfe laid siege to the city and, with their superior naval craft and artillery, defeated French forces under General Montcalm.

There's even a bit of American history involved here because the fortifications - about a three-mile defensive belt around the old part of town -- were meant to protect it from attack by the Americans.
The threat of attack from Canada's powerful neighbor to the south has long since passed, but Quebec retains the distinction of being the only walled city in North America.

(Carving ice sculptures is a popular activity during the winter Carnaval in Quebec City)

And with history at practically at every turn, it is also a UNESCO "World Heritage Treasure."

Are You Planning a Summer Visit?

If you visit in summer, the grassy Plains of Abraham make the perfect location for picnics while listening to concerts or foot-stomping, hand-clapping Quebecois fiddle music, whose lineage dates back to 17th-century Scottish and Irish influences, which now seem frozen in time.

Nearby is one of Quebec's greatest historic treasures, Place-Royale, the birthplace of French civilization in North America.
This is where the French explorer Samuel de Champlain landed on July 3, 1608, at a spot on the St. Lawrence named "Kebec" - an Indian name meaning "where the water narrows."

A magnificent fresco painted on the side of one of the buildings in Place-Royale recalls Quebec's historic figures.

Explore the City On Foot

Close by, the Quartier Petit-Champlain is another memorable part of the city perfect, like so much here, for exploring on foot.
Once a small village adjacent to the harbor, today its restored buildings house Quebec artists and designers of leather and jewelry products.

(A funicular at the end of this little street takes you up to the magnificent Hotel Chateau Frontenac)

A funicular goes from the lower part of town up to the magnificent 19th-century Hotel Chateau Frontenac, where FDR, Winston Churchill, and Canadian Prime Minister MacKenzie King met during World War II.

Quebec's Famous Dog Sled Race

All of this history served as a fascinating backdrop for us to enjoy wonderful winter fun, including a thrilling dog sled race down historic rue Saint-Louis, one of Quebec's oldest streets with quaint hotels and restaurants offering traditional Quebec cuisine, like Restaurant aux Anciens Canadiens, situated in Maison Jacquet, the city's oldest house, circa1675.

The street, covered in a layer of snow, was closed off to traffic and cordoned off for eager enthusiasts.

With our layered clothing, heavy coats and warm boots, we were prepared for the 15-degree weather, which felt very comfortable thanks to sunny, clear skies.

People come from all over Quebec to compete in this race, which got front-page billing in the daily Quebec newspaper, Le Soleil.
Competitors went in intervals of one minute from either end of the street, sliding along at speeds of up to 31 miles an hour.

The Thrill of My Life Snow "Tubing"

The next day, at the Plains of Abraham, I sat down on a big inner tube and went swirling down the snow path. That was thrilling enough, but I got the "thrill of my life" joining eight other people in a giant inner tube as we went careening down another snow path.
At one point, my scarf flying wildly around my neck, I thought I would be tossed out of the tube, but I made it to the bottom in one piece as we all got out laughing our heads off.

My wife tried ice fishing over a man-made lake filled with trout; there were some nibbles, but, alas, it turned out to be that old story about "the one that got away."

(You can sample delicious maple taffy made by wrapping an ice cream stick around thick, golden maple syrup that is spread out on a board of fresh snow)

At another corner of the huge fair, we both loved sampling something called "tire d'erable" -- delicious maple taffy made by wrapping an ice cream stick around thick maple syrup that is spread out on a board of fresh snow. Maple syrup, of course, is a staple of Quebec cuisine, reflecting the natural taste of the countryside, where "sugar shacks" in maple groves are used to boil maple sap in big vats until it turns a rich liquid gold.

Maple syrup is served in an amazing variety of ways in Quebec, from sweet maple syrup crepes to a delectable dish I found on the menu of Restaurant aux Anciens Canadiens called Maple Syrup Pie with Fresh Cream.

Fun at Valcartier Vacation Village

There were other attractions in the Quebec region, including the Valcartier Vacation Village, 20 miles away, renowned as the largest winter playground in America and, if you're thinking of coming in the summer, also the largest water park in Canada.

On our visit, the park was filled with hundreds of school children on an outing, enjoying everything from ice karting in small, gasoline engine-powered cars on a circular ice track, to the Everest, an accelerating slide 110 feet high.

The Ice Hotel

But our most unusual visit was to the Quebec Ice Hotel, located about 30 minutes west of Quebec City in Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques Cartier.

(The bartender in the ice hotel readied a toast at the bar, which was made entirely of ice!)

Back in Quebec City, over lunch at a great bistro called La Point des Ameriques, we asked ourselves all the reasons for Quebec City's attraction as a travel destination.

There were some very obvious ones, like its reputation as a very safe and walkable city, the chance to experience Old World French culture without making a distant trip to Europe, a favorable exchange rate, and, of course, the changing seasons.

But what topped our list was something more important -- the simple warmth of Quebec's people…which surely will bring us back again.

WHEN YOU GO…

For more information about Quebec City, call the Quebec City and Area Tourism and Convention Bureau at (418) 641-6654 or visit www.quebecregion.com.

(Snow decorates some Quebec City bed and breakfast establishments, which must be warm and cozy inside)