Ile-d'Orleans is an island in the Saint Lawrence River. The island is about 3.1 miles east of…read moredowntown Quebec city. It is a nice day trip from the city and it can be combined with a nearby visit to Morntmorency falls and Basilique Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre. The island is 21 miles long and 7 miles wide. It is accessible from the the mainland of Quebec by the Ile-d'Orleans bridge. The Chemin Royale road encircles the entire island. While traveling the Chemin Royale road you will encounter small cottage industries specializing in various agricultural products. Cassis Monna & Filles winery has tours and tasting. Fromagerie Biese d' Epinelle specializes in cheese and dairy products. Chocolaterie de-Ile Orleans haschocolate, fudge and other chocolate based products with no preservatives. La Boulange-Saint-Jean-de-Ile-Orleans sells bakery goods and pasteries while LaCuisine d'Ete-Saint-Laurent-de-Ile'Orleans has exceptional maple syrup. There are also histirical stops along the way. The Manor Mauvide Genest built in 1734 was the home of Jean Mauvide, who was the surgeon for King of France. Stop by one of the many churches along the way. I recommend Eglise de Saint Jean Saint Pierre. With the Laurentian Plateau to the North, the Appalachian Mountains to the South and views of the Atlantic Ocean and Saint Lawrence Seaway, the Chemin Royale road is a scenic drive in it's own right. Enjoy small cottage industries in a rolling hills pastoral setting.

This is a must go to place if you're visiting Quebec City. We had so much fun driving and…read moreexploring all the neat little places to eat and try drinks while we were on this island. I won't go into specifics for each restaurant as there are reviews for that separately. We loved places like Mona and cassis for blackcurrant flavored ice cream and wines, roulette du coin for their duck burger and poutine, Casse chez Meg for that amazing lobster roll, nougatierre for nougats, chocolaterie for the amazing chocolate and vanilla dipped in chocolate ice cream. Come on an empty stomach and full wallet and just enjoy all the different unique things you can eat and drink. Highly suggest taking a cooler with you, there's so many things you can buy and take home with you like chocolate, nougats, cheese curds, blackcurrant wine, baked goods, ciders, etc. It's not a far drive from Quebec City and the whole island itself is probably a one hour drive but you can easily spend half a day here exploring and trying lots of food and drinks. Most of the stores are super helpful in terms of directions and letting you sample all kinds of things. Do your stomach a favor and come here!

Quebec City has invested in and maintained huge murals throughout the city, they are very realistic…read morelooking, causing a double take if you aren't expecting it. It's easy to find yourself standing and craning your neck upward, finding little details near the end of Rue du Petit Champlain, is Fresque du Petit-Champlain, created in 2001. The mural shows life in the history of this small, working-class neighborhood of Quebec City. In addition to elements of seaport life and trade and a woman depicted as a sailor's wife awaiting his return, in the mural, look out for Lord Nelson - This is the same Horatio Nelson of the Battle of Trafalgar fame where he defeated Napoleon. (If you're not a history buff, just think Trafalgar Square in London, he's atop the column in the center.

BASSE VILLE'S WONDERFUL TROMPE L'OEIL MURALS…read more We enjoyed two trompe l'oeil murals located in the Basse Ville section of Old Quebec. Both murals were public art projects involving the joint efforts of French and Quebec artists. The first outdoor mural is called the Fresque du Petit Champlain (also known as Fresque du Cap Blanc). This mural rips away the walls of rooms offering glimpses into the everyday lives of people living in 1600-1800s Cap Blanc, then a working class fishing community in Quebec. You can almost hear the boisterous shouts of the workers hauling up the net full of fish and smell the ocean air as you watch the boat builders and sail makers work. A fence prevents visitors from walking up close to the mural. The second mural, Fresque des Quebecois, is a towering mural painted on the side of a tall building. It is a fun mural mixing historical figures in contemporary vignettes. We felt like we could step into the corner book store and start browsing through the books.

Great nonprofit multi-use space. Currently a group show of artists raging from amusing to thought…read moreprovoking. Free to enter and located at the lower part of Old Quebec city in the tourist district.

THOUGHT PROVOKING PUBLIC ART GALLERY IN BASSE VILLE SECTION OF OLD QUEBEC…read more The EXMURO Public Area is a public art gallery located on the Place Royale square in the Basse Ville section of Old Quebec. Admission is free. The historic stone brick building hides a modern glass interior that features one art installation on each floor. There is a huge metal sculpture that is dramatically suspended in the atrium over the small lobby eatery and gift shop. During our visit, there were two provocative art installations that challenge visitors' complacency in a world gone amok. One exhibit featured a conference table suggesting a hastily ended or failed international summit with tattered office chairs burned in a fire. Another showed office workers in suit and tie going to work among the rubble of their destroyed town.

Beautiful place to relax and enjoy the view, especially during summer…read more After walking quite a bit, we landed here as we came out of the narrow alleys to witness a huge ship docked there and someplace to sit to the right of the parking. There isn't much to do here but to spend time watching the ships and the other side of the St Lawrence River. A good place to charge yourselves up before heading into the town again.

This majestic fountain, adorned with numerous figures and boasting 43 water jets, stands in front…read moreof the Parliament Building. Inaugurated on July 3, 2007, the fountain was a gift to the City of Québec by La Maison Simons, a local family retail business, to mark the city's 400th anniversary. The nearly 7 m (21') tall fountain has been a source of pride for Québec City residents ever since it was first installed. It is illuminated at night, to the delight of passers-by. as you admire the fountain, enjoy the surrounding urban scenery. On the other side of the street, you can see the fortifications and St. Louis Gate, and behind the fountain is the Parliament Building. As you are right next to the Parliament building, why not visit the seat of the provincial government and take one of the free guided tours? The fountain is a very busy roundabout and it gets busy, so be careful

VISIT FOUNTAIN WHILE AT PARLIAMENT BUILDING…read more During our visit to the Parliament Building of Quebec, we stopped to admire the Fontaine de Tourny. The beautiful fountain is located in a large traffic circle in front of the Parliament Building. The huge bronze fountain is gorgeous with cascades of falling water and classically styled statues reclining around the central column. A fun feature of the fountain is the circle of frogs spraying water upwards and toward the fountain's center. We later learned the interesting story of how the fountain came to be in Quebec. Originally erected in Bordeaux France in the 1800s, the fountain was acquired by an antiques dealer after the fountain was torn down to make way for a parking lot. It was then discovered in a warehouse by a member of the family behind the Canadian department store chain La Maison Simons. The Simons family purchased and restored the fountain that they donated to Quebec City as part of the city's 400th anniversary. Winter Visit Note: We visited the Fontaine de Tourny during late August when the fountain was in its full glory with cascading and spraying water and surrounded by small beds of flowers. Winter visitors might not be able to enjoy the full beauty of the fountain - we were told that during winter months, the fountain water is turned off to prevent freezing.