topic Re: Quebec in Travel

Quebec

bargainsgirl — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 21:14:49 GMT

For those who have traveled to Quebec, what did you like best and what would you recommend? Restaurants, places to stay, side trips, things to see and do of interest...

Also, should one have basic knowledge of French or is English spoken as much as French?

Re: Quebec

Shelbelle — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 21:27:31 GMT

French is very helpful like to read menus, etc. Very cold this time of year.

Re: Quebec

PickyPicky3 — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 21:45:52 GMT

Canada is a bilingual country except for Quebec. Many people speak English -- and many refuse to. Street and traffic signs are in French.

For a period of about ten years I went to Montreal every year and always stayed at the same small hotel. The owner was close to my age and knew many languages but would only speak to her guests in French. I could understand French but not speak it. So I spoke English and she spoke French and over the years we became dear friends.

Re: Quebec

kaydee50 — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 22:02:23 GMT

Quebec City is charming! The closest thing to Paris outside of Paris! We stayed at the Chateau Frontenac. Montreal is more cosmopolitan, IMO. Both are worth visiting. In Montreal we stayed at the Queen Elizabeth.

I don't remember the language being any problem although we do have a basic knowledge of French.

Bon voyage!

Re: Quebec

riley1 — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 22:45:11 GMT

I agree the city of Quebec is charming. People, imo, not so much. I found them rude and I'm pretty sure they speak English as well as French, and would not answer even the most basic of questions.

I did like Toronto - great city to visit and so very clean.

Re: Quebec

StylishLady2 — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 23:10:01 GMT

I'm from Toronto. DH calls it his favorite American city in Canada. We found the attitude about language in Quebc annoying at times. So much for bilingualism.

Re: Quebec

fthunt — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 23:48:52 GMT

@StylishLady2 Yes Yes-= = = be prepared for a ...cold shoulder from time to time..

Re: Quebec

Effie54 — Sun, 15 Jan 2023 23:55:44 GMT

@riley1 wrote:
I agree the city of Quebec is charming. People, imo, not so much. I found them rude and I'm pretty sure they speak English as well as French, and would not answer even the most basic of questions.

I did like Toronto - great city to visit and so very clean.

Agreed! The city is charming, but I found at the time we went; years ago, The prices of everything was very high. Like Paris, I found the people in Quebec not very friendly.....at all. My mother was very, very fluent in French and taught me quite a bit. Even with that under my belt, I still didn't feel very comfortable there. The Château Frontenac is gorgeous.

Re: Quebec

jlkz — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 00:13:39 GMT

@kaydee50

After driving many, many hours DH and I arrived at the Chateau Frontenac after midnight on a cold and starry moonlit night. The exterior was like a postcard !

The nightmare of sorts began when we got to the room. The closet was extremely tiny. The bed was so bad that we had to place the mattress on the floor to sleep.

We had dinner in their dining room the next evening. I ordered lobster and agreed to have the waiter remove the shell. Well thank goodness: there was so little lobster on that oversized plate, it would have been embarrassing to him. So, he placed the shells on the plate !

At the time I was just starting my MA degree in French, so I could speak the language. Such condescension! When DH tried the language out on the elevator, the elevator operator snakily translated DH's French into English !

Tried walking about and a few sights; however, after a second trip to the mall, we decided to drive home days early. So much for Quebec !

Re: Quebec

kaydee50 — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 00:22:37 GMT

Sorry to hear all the negative comments about Quebec City. Have to admit it has been a few years since we've been there but don't remember any of the problems mentioned. Sounds as though the Quebecers are starting to take after their Parisienne cousins--LOL--too bad!

Re: Quebec

granddi — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 00:44:48 GMT

Hotel Frontenac is like a post card. And that is where it ends.

I asked at the lobby for a "store" either in the hotel or nearby. The hotel did not have a shop nor vending machines and the front desk could not think of a neartby store. So I paid $10.00 ca for a diet coke...but that did include room service.

I later found a tee shirt shop place and a subway sandwich to buy soft drinks for later need.

Many shops and attractions are on the lower level of Quebec City. So you will have to take the funicular. This is $4.00 ca one way.

Our room was so tiny! Bus loads of travelers arrive endlessly.

Re: Quebec

bargainsgirl — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 01:04:05 GMT

Well now sounds like Quebec is not the best place to visit! I have heard stories of rudeness so guess there is some truth to them. Sad. I have been to Toronto many times ( we live 3 hours from there). Of coarse there is always Niagara-On-The-Lake which is charming and home to wonderful theatre. Just hoped to try someplace new...guess there is plenty to see in the U.S.

Re: Quebec

lenaling — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 01:30:46 GMT

I agree too . Peoples not friendly very rude .

Re: Quebec

Kachina624 — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 02:06:41 GMT

I much prefer Western Canada, Alberta, where people are normal, friendly and speak only English. There are so many Japanese tourists, you're more likely to hear their language spoken. The scenery is the most breathtaking I've ever seen in Banff and Jasper Natl Parks. I've been twice and would love to go again.

I've been to Quebec; wouldn't go back.

Re: Quebec

granddi — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 04:24:46 GMT

@bargainsgirl Quebec City is not an unpleasant destination. It's good to know the experiences of others. How about going to Montreal and take a day trip to Quebec. Skip Montgomery Falls and go directly to the city. You don't need an escorted trip just one of those mini-tour vans that just drops you off. You can get a hop on hop off tour or just pre-plan a walk.

Haave fun what ever you decide.

Re: Quebec

Mathgal — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 04:46:48 GMT

Are thinking the province of Quebec or Quebec City?

I can't speak too much to the city of Quebec, but I grew up about an hour and a half or so from Montreal and Ottawa and both are wonderful cities with lots to do. Ottawa will be more bilingual, but you should be able to manage getting around Montreal as well, even without knowing French. Montreal has a very nice, clean metro system and you can get around pretty easily. Old Montreal is always a treat. Opt for a carriage ride in Old Montreal. Visit the cathedral. Great China Town section of the city. If you like to gamble there's a casino. Lots of bars and clubs down on St, Catherine's street (if I remember correctly). Hockey games in the winter at the Forum. Curling. Underground "city" and stores. If you go in the summer La Ronde is an amusement park. When I was a kid it had the oldest operating wooden roller coaster. Parc Safari isn't too far away either. You drive through the exhibits for part of it. Then there's the bio dome with wildlife, etc.

Ottawa has tons to do. Capital of CANADA, so there's parliament. Lots of museums. If you go in the winter you can go skating on the Rideau Canal. In the spring there's a huge tulip festival there as well. National museum of Art, Science & Technology, just to name a few. Shopping.

Generally speaking, the more north you go in Quebec, the more French. It used to be Montreal was a good dividing line between a more bilingual south and a more French north. Quebec's education system tries to maintain the French language and culture. If your parents are French, you go to a French school. Many people DO know some English and will speak to you especially if they know you are not from Quebec. Once upon a time (in the late 80s/early 90s) there was a huge rift between the French and English. That's when bilingual signs came down, people refused to speak English. Overall I think that mindset is long gone and over.

Re: Quebec

Lilysmom1 — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 10:02:11 GMT

I am from Nova Scotia, east Coast of Canada. @Mathgal gives the best description imo. I travelled to both Montreal and Quebec Cityfor my work travel and have also vacationed in both Cities. Montreal is more cosmopolitan than Quebec City. I loved the underground shopping. Both are beautiful cities. In Quebec City I found French more dominant. Montreal is much larger than Quebec City. Quebec City has a more European feel.

it depends what you are looking for in your trip. See comparison below to give you a better feel for the two Cities. Both cities are worth a visit. LM

https://travelswiththecrew.com/quebec-city-vs-montreal-which-should-you-visit/

Re: Quebec

LindaSal — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 14:52:50 GMT

I also visited Quebec City for the first time in October. I found it lovely and the history is of great interest. DH speaks fluent French so I admit it was not a problem for me. But at some points they would speak English to us knowing we were American. We also stayed at the Frontenac and it was a beautiful room, we were quite comfortable there. We took an all day walking tour and our guide was great!! She spoke English and had fun speaking French to DH, quizzing him along the way. She was very informative and enjoyable. If you can get around by walking I highly recommend her. It was called Nomad Tours and her name is Marie.

Hotel Frontenac also does some walking tours that are included with your stay.

We did that one too and it was totally different so we got to see alot and would return someday. The food was really good and I didn't find any rude people! @bargainsgirl

Re: Quebec

PickyPicky3 — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 15:56:04 GMT

These posts have caused me to ask if there is a difference between insisting on speaking only French and being rude. In all those visits to Montreal (which were work related), no one was ever rude. And speakers of languages other than English got the same treatment.

Farther north, on the drive to Quebec City, I needed to find a bathroom fast and stopped where there was a group of stores. When I asked where there was a bathroom, people pretended not to understand me and actually insulted me in French. Now that was rude! But that was the only time I encountered truly obnoxious behavior. And that can happen anywhere.

And I can never forget the saleswoman in a Montreal boutique who shared with me (in French only) the address of a warehouse (no sign) where you could buy high end designer clothing at deeply discounted prices. I bought the only true designer dress of my life. Was she rude because she wouldn't speak English?

What do you think?

Re: Quebec

Krimpette — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 18:45:15 GMT

Many, many, many years ago I went to Quebec city with my parents. My sister was studying French at Laval University. I was a teenager at the time, but I have a couple of memories still:

o. We visited the Citadel and saw the changing of the guard

o. Being Catholic, high on our list was visiting Sainte Anne de Beaupre (sp?

o Walking along the cobblestone streets

o. Taking tons of pictures, only to have the pnharmacy where I was having them developed lose them!!!!! Miraculously, some months later, they located them and returned them to me.

o. Oh, and when my parents and I arrived, we checked into our motel and then went for lunch. Unfortunately, everything was in French. I ended up ordering a roast beef sandwich which was just about raw!!!!! Not edible to my teenage palate!)

(Funny, the things we remember!)'

But all things said, I loved that city and have always longed to go back.