Tour Quebec City
We were picked up at our campsite and on the road by 8 am. Our campsite is across the river so we have to cross the St. Lawrence on the west side on Pont Pierre LaPorte to head to old Quebec. We were dropped off in front of Chateau Frontenac to get on another bus at 9am to start our tour. Chateau Frontenac is getting a face lift and new roof so the roof is presently brown since the copper hasn’t oxidized yet and turned green. The statue in front is Samuel de Champlain, he found Quebec. He crossed the Atlantic 17 times. Then we hopped on the bus for a 2 hour tour of old Quebec City which included The Plains of Abraham, the Citadel and Place Royale, the Government building and restaurant alley.
Chateau Frontenac
City Wall
Plains of Abraham
We were dropped off in front of Portofino for an Italian lunch. Very good.
Pizza is cooked in a wood fired brick oven. We had time to walk around before another bus
picked us up at 1 pm to start the country tour along the Beaupre Coast. A visit to the Island of Orleans with its
rural atmosphere discovered by Jacques Cartier in 1535 is very nice, no high
rises. A quick stop at the Island’s
Chocolate factory it also sold ice cream, then back over the bridge which was
built in 1935. Next stop Montmorency
Falls which is higher than Niagara Falls but not as wide. There are approximately 478 steps to the top
of the falls then you can walk to the bridge over the falls and look down. If you don’t want to walk up steps you can
pay $15 and take the tram to the top. We
didn’t have time to visit the house at the top which used to belong to King George. Of course it burnt down and was rebuilt like
everything else in the east. Now it is a
restaurant. 
Bridge to Isle d'Orleans
Heading
down the stairs, 10 minutes
Our tour guide Francois grew up in this area, Ste Anne de Beaupre, so he
gave us interesting little stories as we passed the house his grandfather lived
in. Couche Tard means goes to bed late
so then on a corner store it means open late and has a picture of a “Night Owl”;
Demi Tour means U-Turn. The Senioral
System was used to divide land which you notice when driving past fields; it
looks like ditches between fields. We
stopped at Cuives D’Art or Copper Art Museum.
It is run by the daughter and family members of Albert Gilles who loved
to do copper carvings. He created the
doors for the St. Anne Cathedral. Then a
quick stop at Chez Marie Bakery to pick up coffee and baked goods which included
fresh bread with maple butter!
Copper creation
Doors carved of copper by Albert
Gilles
Inside the main Basilica
That was definitely an amazing tour and our tour guide put a personal touch
on his narrative. Then it was a mad rush
back at the Chateau Frontenac to get everyone on their buses back to hotels and
campsites. Our bus driver flew us home. To finish the evening Marg and John had a
bottle of wine to celebrate their new grandson.
We toasted to Justin and Jenni and the new addition to the family!!
Daily Stats:
Today's distance: Tour bus from campsite Weather: Sunny; High: 24 degrees; Lo: 17 degrees
Wildlife: Ducks
Campsite: Camping Transit @ Levis, QC $49/night full service
Walking: 2 km
Tour Fee: $69.95+15% tax+$18(lunch @ Portofino) per person
Note: Quebec charges tax on tax eg. 5% GST then 10% PST on top of everything.
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