Quebec General Information Area: 1,357,812 sq km (524,252 sq miles). Population: 7,334,000 (official estimate 1998). Population Density: 4 per sq km. Capital: Québec City. Population: 700,197 (official estimate 1998). GEOGRAPHY: The Province of Québec is in the east of Canada, with coasts on the North Atlantic and Hudson and James Bays; the St Lawrence Seaway, the major shipping channel of the Canadian east coast, cuts through the populous south; the cities of Québec and Montréal (Canada’s second-largest) stand beside it. In the north, the Laurentians resort area has snow-covered mountains in winter and scenic lakes. The far north is a spread of forest and lakes forming one of the largest areas of wilderness in Canada. Language: French is the official language and 82 per cent of the population speak it as a first language; 35 per cent of the population speak English either as a first language or in addition to French. Time: GMT - 5 (GMT - 4 in summer). Note: Summer officially lasts from the first Sunday in April to the Saturday before the last Sunday in October. Public Holidays Public holidays are as for the rest of Canada (see general Canada section) with the following dates also observed: Jan 2 2003 New Year. Jun 24 Quebec National Day or St Jean Baptiste Day. Jan 2 2004 New Year. Jun 24 Quebec National Day or St Jean Baptiste Day. Travel - International AIR: Air Canada (AC) and other international carriers fly into Montréal. Commuter services between Montréal and Toronto, Québec City and New York also exist. Air Canada offers services from Montréal and Québec City to other Canadian business centres. Local air services operate between the cities in the south and float planes serve the lakes and parkland of the north. Other airlines serving Québec are Air Alliance, Air Creebec, Air Inuit, Air Nova, Air Ontario, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, First Air, Northwest Airlines and US Air. International airports: Montréal has two international airports, Dorval (YUL), 25km (15 miles) southwest of Montréal, and Mirabel (YMX), 53km (33 miles) northwest of Montréal (website for both airports: www.admtl.com). All international scheduled flights were transferred from Montréal Mirabel to Montréal Dorval in September 1997. Charter flights remain at Montréal Mirabel. Several daily trans-border US services also operate from Montréal Dorval. A regular shuttle service connects the two airports. Buses leave Dorval every 20 minutes (every 30 minutes 2300-0100 and at weekends) and Mirabel every 90 minutes (0100-2330 and until Thurs 2200) for Montréal and its major hotels. Taxi and limousine services are also available for a fixed flat fee. SEA: Québec City and Montréal are the most important Canadian ports on the St Lawrence Seaway, which links the Atlantic Ocean with the Great Lakes and the industrial heartland of Canada and the USA. Several international passenger carriers sail to both ports; European carriers dock only at Montréal. Most of the province’s lakes and rivers (notably the Saguenay, the Richelieu and the Ouatouais) are served by local ferries, some of which are able to take heavy lorries. For schedules and fares, enquire locally. RAIL: VIA Rail connects Montréal and Québec City to Toronto with fast, regular services. It also offers services to Halifax from Montréal and Québec City. Links to the USA are with VIA Rail and Amtrak. VIA Rail connects all major provincial towns, and Amtrak operates two daily trains to the USA. VIA Rail services also connect the major cities in the south of the province, with thrice daily mainline services from Montréal to Québec. ROAD: The best way of travelling into and around Québec by road is by long-distance coach, especially Orléans Express. The services in the southern region are especially frequent. Motorhomes and campers are best for seeing the northern parklands, and the area is connected to the south by several good highways, although the most extensive network is around the populous areas in the south. URBAN: Montréal’s bus and metro services are fully integrated and operate on a flat-fare system. Tickets for single journeys are not usually issued unless a transfer is required. For transfers from metro to bus, transfer-tickets should be obtained from machines before leaving the underground. If transferring from bus to metro, ask the bus driver for a ticket. Passes and multi-ticket books are sold and metro fares are the lowest in North America. Québec city’s bus services operate on a flat-fare system. No change is carried on board. Pre-purchase passes are available. There are good bus services in other towns. Accommodation HOTELS: The majority of the population live in the south of the province, where all the large cities offer an extensive choice of hotel accommodation. Some of the best hotels in the country are in Montréal and Québec City. Outside the cities, accommodation takes on a more rural flavour; lakeside lodges and cabins are very popular. Accommodation is often possible in private homes. The tourism authorities in Québec have recently introduced grading schemes for hotels and gîtes. Participation in the schemes is voluntary; pariticipating institutions carry the label ‘Hébergement Québec’. Hotels are awarded one to six stars according to their facilities and level of comfort, while gîtes are awarded one to six suns for their atmosphere, architecture and welcome. For further information, contact Tourisme Québec (see Contact Addresses section). BED & BREAKFAST: There are numerous organisations in Québec that provide information regarding Bed & Breakfast accommodation, including Réseau des Gîtes Classifiés, 10 Rue de la Chapelle, La Malbaie, G5A 3A3 (tel: (418) 665 2323; fax: (418) 665 6996; e-mail: aggite@gites-classifies.qc.ca; website: www.gites-classifies.qc.ca); or Fédération des Agricotours du Québec, 4545 avenue Pierre de Coubertin, PO Box 1000, Succ. M, Montréal H1V 3R2 (tel: (514) 252 3138; fax: (514) 252 3173; e-mail: info@agricotours.qc.ca; website: www.agricotours.qc.ca). CAMPING/CARAVANNING: Northern Québec is a vast area of forest and lakes and one of the best areas for wilderness camping in Canada. A number of companies can arrange motor camper rentals, with a range of fully equipped vehicles. For further information, contact Canadream Campers (website: www.canadream.com). Full details can be obtained either from Tourisme Québec or from the Fédération Québécoise de Camping et de Caravaning, 4545 avenue Pierre de Coubertin, PO Box 1000, Succ. M. Montréal H1V 3R2 (tel: (514) 252 3003; fax: (514) 254 0694; e-mail: cdcp@fgcc.gc.ca; website: www.campingquebec.com). Introduction Outside the major centres of population in the southwest, Canada’s largest province consists of hilly agricultural land along the banks of the St Lawrence and vast tracts of barren mountains in the north. The one-hour drive along St Lawrence from Québec to the outskirts of Charlevoix follows along a breathtaking route of towering rock faces, looming canyons and craggy fjords. More than 100,000 lakes provide excellent fishing (chiefly for trout and salmon) whilst in the northern tundra of Québec’s Far North (Nouveau-Québec), caribou and other game are hunted. Information on itineraries, equipment, transport and accommodation in this region can be obtained from La Fédération des Pourvoyeurs du Québec Inc, Suite 270, 5237 Boulevard Hamel, Québec G2E 2H2 (tel: (418) 877 5191; fax: (418) 877 6638; e-mail: fpq@fpq.com; website: www.fpq.com). Montréal Canada’s second-largest city, on a 48km-long (30 miles) island, is a sophisticated cosmopolitan metropolis with a 65 per cent francophone population. Careful central planning for Expo ’67 and the 1976 Olympic Games have produced a spacious and beautiful modern city. A series of underground shopping and recreation complexes, linked by walkways and the metro, is centred on Place Ville-Marie. The Place des Arts is the home of the Montréal Symphony Orchestra and several theatres offering year-round drama, music, ballet and opera. Both the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts and the Museum of Contemporary Arts have good collections. Vieux-Montréal, the historic waterfront section, has been carefully restored. Main places of note here are: Place Jacques-Cartier, the former French governor’s residence; Château Ramezay; the city’s oldest church, Notre-Dame-de-Bonsecour; and Pointe-à-Callière, the Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History. Another museum of note is the Stewart Museum, which is dedicated to the exploration and discovery of the New World. It is located on the Ile Sainte-Hélène, in Montréal’s only fort. Mont-Royal Park is the city’s highest point, offering an excellent vista from the centre of Montréal. Behind-the-scenes tours of the Olympic Park, site of the 1976 games, are available. The park is also home to the world’s tallest leaning building, Botanical Gardens and Biodôme. The area around St-Denis is renowned for its many jazz cafes and small restaurants. Québec City With its old city walls, the characteristic green copper roofs and fortified Citadel, the provincial capital is one of the most European cities in North America; in 1985 it was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. It is the cradle of French culture in Canada with a 95 per cent French-speaking population. The city is split into two levels, connected by stone stairways and a municipal lift. Surrounded by the old city walls is the ‘Upper Town’ with some fine 18th- and 19th-century architecture, notably the Place D’Armes and the Château Frontenac. The latter is a first-class hotel. In front of the Château Frontenac is a wide promenade with 310 wooden steps leading up to the Citadel which affords incredible views across the St Lawrence River. Small street cafes, cobblestoned streets and shaded squares emphasise the European air of the ‘Upper Town’. In the ‘Lower Town’, the network of 17th-century streets centred on Place Royale has recently been restored. The Rest of the Province Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts, 100km (60 miles) north of Montréal, is the hub of a resort area providing some of the best skiing in North America. Further north, the Mont-Tremblant Park provides boating, hunting and camping as well as wintersports. Northwest of this is La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve, a protected lakeland wilderness; and further on, the mining territory centred on Rouyn-Noranda. L’Ile d’Orléans, east of Québec City, is a region of picturesque Québécois villages. In front of the Ile d’Orléans are the Montmorency Falls and further east, the Shrine of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré and Mont Sainte-Anne. The latter is the main ski resort in the famous Laurentians (or Laurentides) skiing region, which is also a provincial park. Heading northeast from Québec along the southern bank of the St Lawrence, the main route leads first through the farming region of Bas-Saint-Laurent and from there to the Gaspé Peninsula. The major attractions here are the Rocher Percé in the Gaspé Provincial Park and Forillon National Park. Across the mouth of the river is the Duplessis Peninsula, site of some of the earliest landfalls in the New World. Remains left by these Viking sailors can be seen in the museum at Sept-Iles, the largest city in the area. The bizarre geological formations of the nearby Mingan Archipelago are best explored by boat. The Magdalen Islands, 215km (134 miles) east of the Gaspé peninsula in the Gulf of St Lawrence, offer miles of white sandy beaches and a host of unspoilt fishing villages. Sport & Activities Outdoor pursuits: At roughly 1.5 million sq km (524,252 sq miles), Québec is Canada’s biggest province. Its landscapes are diverse, with 6000km (3750 miles) of coastline, numerous rivers, mountain ranges and countless lakes and forests. The province’s 20 natural parks and 16 wildlife reserves provide opportunities for all types of outdoor activities. A variety of watersports can be practised, from whitewater rafting to gentle boating, and canoes, kayaks, sailboards and other equipment can be hired in the parks. Detailed maps of canoe-camping itineraries are available at information centres. Excellent watersports facilities exist on the St Lawrence River, especially for sailing, swimming and water-skiing. Several different species of whale can be observed in the mouth of the river at different times of the year, and whale-watching dinghy trips are available for visitors wishing to observe these creatures at close hand. The St Lawrence River Valley is also good for moderate cycling, while the terrain in the Laurentides region is more challenging. There are many marked cycling routes, and plans for a cycling network (the ‘Green Circuit’ or ‘Route Verte’) of 3000km (1850 miles) of cycling routes are well underway. Mountain bike enthusiasts will find plenty of trails in the parks and nature reserves, especially Parc de la Jacques-Cartier and Mont-Sainte-Anne near Québec City. Wintersports facilities are outstanding. There are around 200 downhill and cross-country ski centres in the province. The season is long and there is plenty of snow. International downhill skiing competitions are held to the north of Montréal at Mont-Tremblant and at Mont-Sainte-Anne near Québec City. Cross-country skiing is very popular, and trails are extensive. La Traversée de Charlevoix is the most challenging trail east of the Rocky Mountains. There are ample opportunities for snowmobiling on some of these trails. Other winter activities include snowshoe trekking, dog sledding, ice fishing and ice climbing. Various activities are available in the far north of the province, including wildlife viewing and air safaris. Gastronomy: Québec people take their food very seriously, and there are many opportunities to partake in the delights of the local cuisine. Several food and drink festivals take place each year. One of the highlights of the culinary year is the maple harvest which takes place from March until the end of May. Québec produces some 80 per cent of Canada’s maple syrup total. Érablières (maple farms) and cabanes à sucre (sugar shacks) are situated all over the province and most are open to the public in the season. Visitors can watch the harvest and sample maple toffee (made by pouring molten syrup onto fresh snow). Barn dance parties are held and meals featuring local specialities are served. These celebrations are popular with locals and visitors alike. For further details, contact Tourisme Québec (see Contact Addresses section). Other: Excellent golf facilities exist throughout the province. For further information contact the Association des Terrains de Golf Publics du Québec (tel: 514) 633 8494; fax: (514) 633 8519) which publishes an annual guide, the Guide Golf, available free of charge. Facilities for other sports, including tennis and fishing are very good. For general information about sport and activities in Canada, see the main Canada section. Social Profile Food & Drink: Québec proudly reflects a tradition of French culture, never more so than in the restaurants and cuisine of the province. French food here is as excellent as anywhere in Europe. Immigrants from many countries provide a vast selection. Italian, Greek, Japanese, Spanish and English cuisine are all available in Montréal and Québec. International menus are found at all the larger hotels, but the best food is found by wandering around the small backstreets of the cities and sampling the small but excellent restaurants scattered throughout both cities. Specialist dishes include ragoût de boulettes (pork meatballs with seasoning) and cretons du Québec (chilled minced pork). The Île d’Orléans is an island northeast of Québec City that provides abundant fruit and vegetables for the city. Québec follows French tradition in having excellent standards of wine and spirits to complement the high standards of cuisine. Some spirits and rarer wines are imported from Europe. Wines and spirits based on maple sap are a speciality of the region, among them maple cider and maple whiskey. Local mead is said to be good. Taverns and brasseries serve alcoholic beverages from 1200-0300 every day. Cocktail lounges and cabarets stay open until 0200 and 0300 respectively in Montréal. The minimum drinking age is 18 years old. Nightlife: Québec City and Montréal offer some of the best nightclubs and cabarets to be found anywhere in Canada. In Montréal the action seldom begins before 2200 and usually continues until 0300 the next morning. Nightlife is concentrated in the western part of the downtown area along Crescent and Bishop Streets and around Ste-Catherine Street, where there are many bars, restaurants and clubs of all kinds. For a particularly French flavour, try the many clubs, bars, restaurants, cafes and bistros further east around Saint-Denis and Saint-Laurent. Shopping: Québec City and Montréal have excellent shopping facilities, both in large department stores and small street markets. Specialities include furs, Native American crafts, haute couture, antiques, specialist fashion boutiques and discount retail outlets. Shopping hours: Mon-Wed 0900-1800, Thurs-Fri 0900-2100, Sat 0900-1700. Most shops are open on Sunday. Special Events: For further details and exact dates of special events, contact one of Québec’s tourist offices (see Contact Addresses section). The following is a selection of events held in Québec during 2003: Jan 25-Feb 3 Montréal International Autoshow. Jan 25-Feb 9 La Fête des Neiges (including ice sculptures, skating and sliding), Montréal. Feb 13-Mar 1 Montréal High Lights Festival (lively arts performances). Mar 13-23 International Festival of Films on Art, Montréal. Apr 25-27 Summer Holiday, Flower and Plant Show, Québec. May 17-19 and 24-25 La fête du chocolat de Bromont, (chocolate festival), Bromont. Jun 27-Jul 29 Festival Internationale de Lanaudiére (classical music event), Joliette. Jul 10-20 Just for Laughs Festival, Montréal. Aug 9-17 Hot Air Balloon Festival, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. Sep-Nov La Biennale de Montréal (celebration of contemporary artists), Montréal. Business Profile Commercial Information: The following organisation can offer advice: Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montréal, c/o Info Entrepreneur Centre, Suite 12500, Plaza Level, 5 place Ville Marie, Montréal, Québec H3B 4Y2 (tel: (514) 496 4636; fax: (514) 496 5934; e-mail: infoentrepreneurs@cbsc.ic.qc.ca; website: www.infoentrepreneurs.org). Conferences/Conventions: Montréal is a major meeting and convention centre and an extensive information booklet is available from Tourisme Montréal, Suite 600, 1555 Peel Street, Montréal, Québec H3A 3L8 (tel: (514) 844 5400; fax: (514) 844 5757; website: www.tourisme-montreal.org). For information about conferences and conventions in Québec City contact Tourisme Québec or Greater Québec Area Tourism & Convention Bureau, Second Floor, 399 St-Joseph Street East, Québec City, Québec G1K 8E2 (tel: (418) 522 3511; fax: (418) 529 3121; website: www.quebecregion.com). Climate Summer months (Jun-Aug) are hot with cooler evenings. Autumn and spring are cooler and winters are very cold and snowy. Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.