A UNESCO World Heritage City and the cradle of the French language in North America, the city of Québec is renowned for its picturesque charm and incomparable quality of life. An average-sized city – 700,000 inhabitants – the capital of Québec is a city where life is good:
- Its crime rate is one of the lowest in North America.
- Its friendly and welcoming population is always open to meeting new people.
- It has a lively downtown core: cafés, bistros, restaurants of international fame, boutiques, street theater, etc.
- Its European charm blends with its North American culture.
- It abounds with a wide variety of entertainment, cultural and sports activities.
- Its road system, mass transit and cycle paths serve the city well.
A rich and vibrant cultural life
The city of Québec has something to offer you whether you're a music enthusiast, movie fan, or history or art lover. A city brimming with history and lots to discover at every turn, it has a solid cultural reputation. Its theaters, opera, symphony, museums, historical sites and many world-class festivals, winter or summer, mean your entertainment agenda will never be empty!
A walkable fortified city
Wander through the Quartier-Latin and admire its ramparts, its old historical houses, its prestigious buildings and its commemorative monuments. A calèche ride through Vieux-Québec will take you to the Plains of Abraham, the Citadel, the Basilica and the celebrated Château Frontenac, adjacent to the Dufferin Terrace. This overlooks the St. Lawrence River, and a ride on a funicular will take you down to Petit Champlain – the oldest commercial neighborhood in North America, with cobblestone sidewalks and narrow alleyways – not to mention the famous Place-Royale in the Old Port.
Nature just 30 minutes from downtown
Surrounded by the St. Lawrence River and Laurentian Mountains, brimming with lakes and rivers, the area surrounding the city of Québec is known for its sports facilities and national parks. Sports fanatics and nature lovers are seduced by the many pleasures available year round: skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, golf, hunting and fishing, sea kayaking, sailing, mountain biking, etc.
An education that opens all kinds of doors
Québec has made a considerable investment in educating its young people. Its system of education is very affordable. Many schools and junior colleges offer international or specialized programs (business, sports, arts, languages, computing). Université Laval, the largest French-language university in North America, has a well-earned reputation for the quality of its teaching, its research centers and its lively campus.
For more information
Visit the official City of Québec Web site.