Quebec: 400 years
and counting

By Rita Charleston
For the Times

The snow is falling, the wind is blowing, but we can weather the storm. After all, Quebec City is in a festive mood because this beautiful Canadian City is now celebrating its 400th anniversary.
Samuel de Champlain, the French explorer, founded Quebec City in 1608. This year, the city will host a multitude of festivities to commemorate the past while celebrating the present and looking forward to the future. Highlighted will be Quebec City’s history, culture and geography.
Quebec — a walled city that will make you swear you’re in Paris — is divided into the Lower Town and the Upper Town, connected by steep streets, funiculars and staircases. In fact, one staircase near the turreted Chateau Frontenac Hotel is called the Breakneck Staircase, and for very good reason!
Then there is a public park called the Plains of Abraham, where just outside the gates a battle ended with the French ceding Quebec to the British. Here you’ll find walking trails and river views, even snowshoeing and sledding in the winter.
We stayed at the Hotel Champlain, a delightful hotel located in the heart of the old city and within walking distance of almost everything. As a matter of fact, Quebec is really a walking city no matter where you are, so we dressed warmly, held onto each other and took off to see as much as possible.
History is almost palpable as we wander through the old stone buildings and narrow streets in old city. Most of the brightly colored houses are no more than two stories tall. Not long afterward, we are treated to a view of the newer section of town, with towering buildings and chic restaurants.
It’s cold now, so everyone who loves snow and snow-related activities are finding much to do. Winter in Quebec City — often regarded as "the warmest winter destination" — offers a vast variety of activities, including skiing on the slopes (some of the most sought-after in all of North America are just minutes away), skating in the heart of the city, snowmobile, marveling at the majestic Montmorency Falls, now frozen in time and space and just minutes outside of town, and so much more. Or, you can choose to warm up in one of the many cozy bistros, charming cafes and/or gourmet restaurants so easy to find and enjoy.
On Jan. 26, the city will host the Red Bull Crashed Ice for the third consecutive year. This is a spectacular combination of downhill skiing, hockey and boarder cross. For more excitement, don’t forget to visit the unique Ice hotel and the city’s Winter Carnival.
For an added treat, travel just 15-minutes from town to the Ile d’Orleans, a small, summer resort town made even more beautiful in the winter when snow is all around and great food is abundant. Then, for one of the sweetest treats of all, we visited one of the surrounding sugar shacks. This one, Erabliere Richard Boily, enabled us to watch buckets fill with maple syrup. Then we hurried inside where it was warm and got to watch the making of maple syrup, candy and maple butter. We even got to taste it all.
The heart of the festivities for Quebec 2008 will take place at Espace 400e — a thematic exhibition pavilion located in the Old Port of Quebec. Espace 400e will host the "Passengers Exhibition," an interactive tribute to the millions of people around the world who have passed through the city over the course of this 400 years of history. Also, the multimedia show Image Mill, the "Ephemeral Gardens," an outdoor showcase garden design project, plus a wide range of daily activities and shows help to expand this historic celebration.
Festivities will take place throughout the year, culminating July 3 to 8, commemorating the date the city was officially founded. But for the time being, you can be assured of one of the most interesting, colorful and exciting celebrations in North America. ••