Last updated on December 20, 2023.

After walking from the parking lot in front of the Museum of Civilization (Musée de la civilisation) (which I couldn’t visit due to time constraints) into Lower Town (Basse-Ville) of Québec City, I was immediately transported from North America to what felt like Europe.

 

Parc de la Cetière

The first thing I came to in this UNESCO World Heritage city was Parc de la Cetière, where foundations of the first homes in the city were built between 1650 and 1670. Across from the foundations is the Fresque de Québécois, a mural of Québec history and culture.

Parc de la Cetière in Québec, Canada
Parc de la Cetière
Fresque de Québécois in Québec, Canada
Fresque de Québécois

 

Place Royale

Place Royale was just a few steps away. This is the spot where Québec was founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain. Lining the square were several historic buildings. In the middle is a bust of French king Louis XIV. At one end sits the Church of Our Lady of Victories (Église Notre-Dame-des-Victoires), a church built in 1688.

Place Royale in Québec, Canada
Place Royale
Place Royale in Québec, Canada
Place Royale
Bust of Louis XIV at Place Royale in Québec, Canada
Bust of Louis XIV
Église Notre-Dame-des-Victoires in Québec, Canada
Church of Our Lady of Victories

 

Side Streets

I wandered through some of the side streets, paying special attention to the architecture and historic buildings. There are several shops and cafes on some of the streets, especially Boulevard Champlain and Little Champlain Street (Rue du Petit-Champlain). It’s a very quaint little area.

Rue Sous-le-Fort in Québec, Canada
Under the Fort Street (Rue Sous-le-Fort)
Basse-Ville in Québec, Canada
Lower Town

 

Chevalier House

There’s also the Chevalier House (Maison Chevalier), a historic home (actually what used to be three homes) built in 1752. It became a museum in 1965 focusing on life in the 18th and 19th century. The museum closed after 2015 and has been converted to administrative offices. It’s closed to the public.

Maison Chevalier in Québec, Canada
Chevalier House

 

Breakneck Steps

Finally, I came to the Breakneck Steps (Escalier Casse-Cou), the stairway that leads from Lower Town to Upper Town (Haute-Ville). If you don’t want to walk and risk breaking your neck, there’s also a funicular (Funiculaire du Vieux-Québec).

Escalier Casse-Cou in Québec, Canada
Breakneck Steps
Funiculaire du Vieux-Québec in Québec, Canada
Funicular

 

Montmorency Park

Once at the top of the stairs and before continuing on to Upper Town, I stopped at Montmorency Park (Parc Montmorency) and took in the views of Lower Town and the St. Lawrence River. There was also a great view of Château Frontenac, the most recognized landmark in Québec, and a statue of politician George-Étienne Cartier. Montmorency Park was once the site of two parliament buildings from 1791 to 1883, with the new parliament building located outside of the old city.

View from Parc Montmorency in Québec, Canada
View from Montmorency Park
Château Frontenac from Parc Montmorency in Québec, Canada
Château Frontenac from Montmorency Park
Cartier statue at Parc Montmorency in Québec, Canada
Cartier statue
Author

Owner of Paisadventure. World traveler. Chicago sports lover. Living in Colombia.

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