Shopping

Vieux-Québec's compact size, with its upper and lower sections, makes it especially convenient for browsing and shopping, and much of the merchandise is of high quality.

The Shopping Scene

Vieux-Québec's Lower Town, particularly the area known as Quartier du Petit-Champlain, offers many possibilities -- clothing, souvenirs, gifts, household items, collectibles -- and is avoiding (so far) the trashiness that can afflict heavily touristed areas. The area is just around the corner from the funicular entrance.

In Upper Town, wander along rue St-Jean, both within and outside the city walls, and on rue Garneau and Côte de la Fabrique, which branch off the east end of St-Jean. For T-shirts, postcards, and other souvenirs, check out the myriad shops that line rue St-Louis.

If you're heading to St-Roch to eat, build in a little time to stroll rue St-Joseph, which, for a few blocks, has new boutiques alongside cafes and restaurants.

Outside the walls, just beyond the strip of eateries and nightspots that line Grande-Allée, avenue Cartier has shops and restaurants of some variety, from clothing and ceramics to housewares and gourmet foods. The 5 blocks attract crowds of youngish and middle-aged locals. The area remains outside the tourist orbit, but it's an easy walk: Head up wide, tree-lined Grande-Allée and turn right onto Cartier.

Most stores are open Monday through Wednesday from 9 or 10am to 6pm, Thursday and Friday from 9am to 9pm, and Saturday from 9am to 5pm. Many stores are now also open on Sunday from noon to 5pm.

Antiques Row -- About a dozen antiques shops line rue St-Paul in Lower Town, near the water and not far from Espace 400e.They're filled with knickknacks, Québec country furniture, candlesticks, old clocks, Victoriana, Art Deco and Art Moderne objects, and the increasingly sought-after kitsch and housewares of the early post-World War II period.

Shopping Complexes -- Shopping malls on a grander scale aren't found in or near Old Town. For mall shopping, it's necessary to travel to the neighboring municipality of Sainte-Foy. The malls there differ little from their cousins throughout North America in terms of layout and available products.

Laurier Québec, at 2700 bd. Laurier in Sainte-Foy (tel. 418/651-7085; www.laurierquebec.com), however, can't be beat for sheer size. It's got 350 shops, including 40 restaurants, and some 12 million shoppers per year.

Inside the city walls, Les Promenades du Vieux-Québec, at 43 rue Buade, in Upper Town across from the Basilique Notre-Dame, is a much smaller complex filled with upscale shops. You'll find a perfumery, shops selling Inuit carvings, cafes, a currency exchange, and clothing for men and women.

Place Québec, just outside the city walls, is attached to the convention center and the Hilton hotel, making it an easy-to-spot landmark. It has dozens of shops as well as a movie theater and restaurants.

The Best Buys

Indigenous crafts, handmade sweaters, and Inuit art are among the desirable items specific to Québec. An official igloo trademark identifies authentic Inuit (Eskimo) art, though the differences between the real thing and the manufactured variety become apparent with a little careful study. Inuit artwork, which is usually in the form of carvings in stone or bone, is an excellent purchase not for its low price, but for its high quality. Expect to pay hundreds of dollars for even a relatively small piece.

You're bound to see a lot of the Inukshuk figurine, which looks like a human figure made of stacked rocks; it's the centerpiece of the logo of the 2010 Winter Olympics, which will be held in Vancouver (visit www.vancouver2010.com).

Maple syrup products make sweet gifts, as do regional wines, mustards, and jams.

Apart from a handful of boutiques, Québec City does not offer the high-profile designer clothing showcased in Montréal.