It seems fitting that in this beautiful Quebec City park that a couple of musicians, equipped with…read morea guitar and an accordion, play away amongst the attentive passers-by and park-goers. Québecois Félix Leclerc: Guitarist, singer, revitalizer of the chanson (Quebec folk song), and passionate nationalist is remembered through this little oasis in the heart of Old Quebec City.
The park seems, perhaps not coincidentally, like a small concert venue. There are two raised areas -- one in front of a few large stone steps right off of Rue du Petit Champlain, the second inside the park -- which both make the perfect stage for a small group of musicians. Not only does the significant tree cover and steep cliffs in the background make for a visually stunning park, it also makes for a great echo that allows the sound of buskers to reverberate around the surrounding area.
It's also surprisingly tranquil (being that it's right off of Rue du Petit Champlain). There are plenty of benches, bench-swings, and Adirondack chairs to sit back, relax, and enjoy the space. It's well kept with flowers and plants that -- at the time of my visit in June -- were in their lushest, most beautiful state.
A unique feature of this Old Quebec Heritage Site is Le souffle de l'Île (The Breath of the Island"), an aluminum sculpture, found at the back of the park, perched on part of the cliff. Part of the inscription is from LeClerc:
FRAGILE ET DURABLE COMME UN PARFUM
MA CHANSON D'AMOUR POUR LES TEMPS À VENIR S'APPELLERA
VAGUE DE LA MER, MOISSON, MUSIQUE, BLEU DE NUIT.
FRAGILE AND SUSTAINABLE AS A FRAGRANCE
MY SONG OF LOVE FOR THE TIMES TO COME
WAVE OF THE SEA, HARVEST, MUSIC, BLUE NIGHT.
What a perfect park in a perfect city!