Itineraries — Quebec province

Quebec is the francophone heart of Canada — 8.7 million inhabitants of whom 80% are native French speakers, a province three times the size of metropolitan France, heir to New France colonised by the French in the 17th century. It is today the only sizeable francophone territory in North America, a geopolitical and cultural rarity that makes it a unique destination for francophone European travellers.

The region is organised around three complementary hubs. Montreal (1.8 million inhabitants, 4.3 million with its metro area) is the economic and cultural metropolis — cosmopolitan, multicultural, bilingual, festival-loving. Old Montreal on the banks of the St Lawrence (17th-century heritage), Plateau-Mont-Royal (bohemian trendy neighbourhood), Mile End (artistic), downtown (skyscrapers and RÉSO underground network) — Montreal blends European, North American and migratory influences (Italo-Quebecers, Haitians, Maghrebis). Quebec City (550,000 inhabitants with suburbs) is the provincial capital and the only Old Quebec UNESCO since 1985 — the most European of North American cities, with its ramparts, iconic Château Frontenac, paved streets. Charlevoix and Tadoussac form the nature and wildlife dimension: spectacular landscapes, Saguenay Fjord, whale watching mid-May to late October.

Our recommendation for a successful trip: combine over 10-14 days: 4 nights Montreal + 3 nights Quebec City + 3-4 nights Charlevoix-Tadoussac. Prefer June to September for whales, festivals and climate, or the first week of October for spectacular Indian summer. French-speaking trip from start to finish, legendary hospitality, reasonable distances (Montreal-Quebec 2h30 by car or train, Quebec-Tadoussac 3h through Charlevoix).