Hold on to your hats, but Andy and I actually went on vacation! This was the first time in many years—mostly due to covid, and then to inertia and logistical issues...
We left last Monday and drove up to Burlington, Vermont, about a 4-hour drive. Burlington is the home of the University of Vermont, and it is a fantastic little college town, with loads of restaurants and bars and shops. We wandered around town a bit and then walked down to sit by Lake Champlain (which is enormous!) and watch the boats, and then had a fun dinner.
On Tuesday morning we got back into the car and drove another 4 hours, all the way up to Quebec City! It was our first time there, and it was fantastic. Everyone said we just had to stay at the Château Frontenac, so we did, and it was totally the right move. For one thing, the location is terrific—right on the St. Lawrence River and walking distance to a million little shops, outdoor cafés, galleries, etc. But more importantly, just look at it!
It was built in 1893 and has all the modern amenities you would want but still retains every iota of "Old World elegance" you can imagine. And it isn't the least bit fancy or snooty; all the guests were dressed very casual and every member of the staff that we met, from valet to housekeeper to waiter, couldn't have been more down-to-earth and friendly and helpful. In fact, we found that to be the case throughout our stay, everywhere in Quebec.
On Tuesday we just poked around a bit in the Old City. There's definitely a very European vibe, and everything felt clean and safe and tourist-friendly. I was very pleased with myself that I could understand every word I read on every French sign or menu or whatever, but I had a terrible time understanding people speaking to me with a Québécois accent! It just sounded so different from the Parisian French I learned. But no matter, as everyone is bilingual there. And even when I heard people speaking English without an accent, I had to remind myself that they were not necessarily Americans, but just as likely to be Canadians from neighboring Ontario!
Look how happy and relaxed!
We had lovely weather every day—no humidity and only up to the low 80s, so much better than the 90s and high humidity we escaped from at home. On Wednesday we drove about 15 minutes north to Montmorency Falls, which is a spectacular waterfall that is 100 feet higher than Niagara Falls! Some people were ziplining, but we took the cable car up and then walked across the suspension bridge, which you can see at the top of this photo:
From there we drove another couple of miles and crossed the river on a huge bridge to get to Île d'Orléans, an island about 20 miles long and 5 miles wide. It's so quaint there, with lots of little cottages and inns and wineries and artisan shops. Our concierge directed us to a lovely inn for lunch, and he said we had to visit Cassis Monna & Filles, a fifth-generation producer of black currant liqueurs, wines, jams, ice cream, candies, etc. It was great!
On Thursday we just stayed in Quebec City proper again, and explored a few cultural/historical spots. It's a steep walk between the upper and lower portions of the Old City, so we took le funiculaire back up to our hotel. There were street performers everywhere and just a happy vibe.
Friday we headed back down to spend another nice evening in Burlington, then home on Saturday. All in all, it was a splendid little getaway!
I would love to visit Quebec City; I've only been to Montreal which was interesting but doesn't have the more traditional vibe of QC. I agree about the accent. They could always understand my French but I struggled to understand their accent.
Posted by: Margaret | July 10, 2024 at 09:31 PM
Love Quebec. We also loved Cassis Monna & Filles. We also found a little jam please near the cassis location. Glad you had a lot of fun. I can't wait to go back again.
Posted by: Stephanie | July 11, 2024 at 07:18 AM
Margie, I went to Montreal only once, about 40 years ago, so I don't remember much, but a few friends who have done both recently preferred QC! I found that when I spoke French in QC, they immediately switched to English. Even if all I said was "Bonjour!" My accent isn't perfect, but it's not that bad—lol.
Posted by: Karen | July 11, 2024 at 07:30 AM