Walking Tour 2

Lower Town (Vieux-Québec: Basse-Ville & Vieux-Port)

Start: Either in Upper Town at Terrasse Dufferin, the boardwalk in front of Château Frontenac, or, if you're already in Lower Town, at the funicular, the cable car that connects the two parts of the Old City.

Finish: Place-Royale, the restored central square of Lower Town.

Time: 1 1/2 hours.

Best Times: Anytime during the day. Early morning lets you soak up the visual history, though shops won't be open.

Worst Times: Very late at night or when it's very cold.

The Lower Town (Basse-Ville) part of Old Québec (Vieux-Québec) encompasses the city's oldest residential area -- now flush with boutique hotels, high-end restaurants, and touristy shops and cafes -- and Vieux-Port, the old port district. The impressive Museum of Civilization is here, and if you have time, you may want to take a pause from the tour for a visit. We start at the cliff-side elevator (funiculaire) that connects Upper and Lower towns.

If you're in Upper Town, descend to Lower Town by one of two options:

1. Funicular (Option A)

This cable car's upper terminus is on Terrasse Dufferin near the Château Frontenac. As the car descends the steep slope, its glass front provides a broad view of Basse-Ville (Lower Town).

Or, if you prefer a more active (and free) means of descent, use the stairs to the left of the funicular, the:

1. L'Escalier du Casse-Cou (Option B)

"Breakneck Stairs" is the self-explanatory name given to this stairway. Stairs have been in place here since the settlement began. In 1698, the town council had to forbid citizens from taking their animals up and down the stairway.

Breakneck Stairs and the funicular arrive at the intersection of rues Petit-Champlain and Sous-le-Fort. At the bottom of the last set of stairs on the left is the:

2. Verrerie La Mailloche

In the downstairs room, craftsmen give glass-blowing demonstrations -- intriguing and informative, especially for children who haven't seen that ancient craft. The glass is melted at 2,500°F (1,350°C) and is worked at 2,000°F (1,100°C). There are displays of the results and a small shop in which to purchase them.

Outside the glass-blowing shop, look at the building from which the funicular passengers exit:

3. Maison Louis Jolliet

Built in 1683, this was home to Louis Jolliet, the Québec-born explorer who, with a priest, Jacques Marquette, was the first person of European parentage to explore Mississippi River's upper reaches. The building is now the funicular's lower terminus, and full of tourist trinkets and geegaws.

Walk down the pretty little street here:

4. Rue du Petit-Champlain

Allegedly North America's oldest street, this pedestrian-only lane swarms with restaurant-goers, cafe-sitters, strolling couples, and gaggles of schoolchildren in the warm months. Many of the shops listed in chapter 18 are here. In winter, it's a snowy wonderland with ice statues and twinkling white lights.

Take A Break

Though it's early in the stroll, there are so many eating and shopping options here that you might want to pause for a while. Look for the sign with the flying rabbits for Le Lapin Saute, at 52 rue du Petit-Champlain, a country-cozy bistro with hearty food in generous portions. Smoked mackerel salad and grilled pork chop with maple syrup are both terrific. A lovely terrace overlooks a small garden and, in the warm months, street musicians serenade diners.

At the end of Petit-Champlain, turn left onto boulevard Champlain. A lighthouse from the Gaspé Peninsula used to stand across the street, but it has been returned to its original home, leaving just an anchor and cannons to stand guard (rather forlornly) over the river.

Follow the street's curve; this block offers pleasant boutiques and cafes. At the corner is the crimson-roofed:

5. Maison Chevalier

Dating from 1752, this was once the home of merchant Jean-Baptiste Chevalier. Note the wealth of windows, more than 30 in front-facing sections alone. In 1763, the house was sold at auction to ship owner Jean-Louis Frémont, the grandfather of Virginia-born John Charles Frémont (1813-90). John Charles was an American explorer, soldier, and politician who mapped some 10 Western and Midwestern territories. He also was a governor of California and Arizona, a candidate for U.S. president in 1856, and a general during the U.S. Civil War.

The Chevalier House was sold in 1806 to an Englishman, who in turn rented it to a hotelier, who transformed it into an inn. In 1960, the Québec government restored the house, and it became a museum about 5 years later. It's overseen by the Musée de la Civilisation, which mounts temporary exhibitions here. Entrance is free.

Just past the Maison's front door, turn left and walk up the short block of rue Notre-Dame to rue Sous-le-Fort. Turn right, and walk 1 block to the:

6. Royal Battery

Fortifications were erected here by the French in 1691 and the cannons added in 1712 to defend Lower Town from the British. The cannons got their chance in 1759, but the English victory silenced them and eventually, they were left to rust. Sunken foundations were all that remained of the battery by the turn of the 20th century, and when the time came for restorations, it had to be rebuilt from the ground up.

From the Royal Battery, walk back up rue Sous-le-Fort. You'll find a good photo opportunity at the imposing Château Frontenac framed between ancient houses.

Turn right on rue Notre-Dame. Half a block up the grade is the heart of Basse-Ville, the small:

7. Place-Royale

Occupying the center of New France's first permanent colony, this small and still very much European-feeling enclosed square served as the town marketplace. It went into decline around 1860 and by 1950 had become a derelict, run-down part of town. Today, it has been restored to very nearly recapture its historic appearance. The prominent bust is of Louis XIV, the Sun King, a gift from the city of Paris in 1928 that was installed here in 1931. The striking 17th- and 18th-century houses once belonged to wealthy merchants. Note the ladders on some of the steep roofs used to fight fire and remove snow.

Facing directly onto the square is:

8. Eglise Notre-Dame-des-Victoires

Named for French naval victories over the British in 1690 and 1711, Québec's oldest stone church was built in 1688 after a massive Lower Town fire destroyed 55 homes in 1682. The church was restored in 1763 after its partial destruction by the British in the 1759 siege. The white-and-gold interior has a few murky paintings and a large model boat suspended from the ceiling, a votive offering brought by early settlers to ensure safe voyages. On the walls, small prints depict the stages of the Passion. The church is open to visitors 9am to 5pm from May through October.

Walk straight across the plaza, passing the:

9. Centre d'Interprétation de Place-Royale

For decades, this space was nothing but a propped-up façade with an empty lot behind it, but it has been rebuilt to serve as an interpretation center with shows and exhibitions about this district's history; it's good for kids as well as adults.

At the corner on the right is the:

10. Maison Lambert Dumont

This building now houses Geomania, a store selling rocks and crystals. In earlier years, though, it was home to the Dumont family and one of several residences in the square. To the right as you're facing it once stood a hotel where U.S. President William Taft would stay as he headed north to vacation in the picturesque Charlevoix region.

Walk about 15m (50 ft.) past the last building on your left and turn around; the entire end of that building is a trompe l'oeil mural of streets and houses and depictions of citizens from the earliest colonial days to the present, an amusing splash of fool-the-eye trickery. Have your photo taken here -- everyone else does!

Return to Place-Royale and head left toward the water, down two small sets of stairs to the:

11. Place de Paris

This plaza contains an undistinguished white sculpture that resembles three stacked Rubik's Cubes; it's called "Dialogue avec L'Histoire" and was a gift from the city of Paris in 1987.

Continue ahead to rue Dalhousie and turn left. A few short blocks up and on the left is the:

12. Musée de la Civilisation

This wonderful museum, which opened in 1988, may be housed in a nondescript gray-block building, but there is nothing bland or traditional about it once you enter. Spacious and airy, with ingeniously arranged multidimensional exhibits, it's one of Canada's most innovative museums. If there is no time now, put it at the top of your must-see list for later.

Across the street from the museum is:

13. Vieux-Port (Old Port)

In the 17th century, this 29-hectare (72-acre) riverfront area was the port of call for European ships bringing supplies and settlers to the new colony. With the decline of shipping by the early 20th century, the port fell into precipitous decline. But since the mid-1980s, it has experienced a rebirth, becoming the summer destination for international cruise ships. It got additional sprucing up for Québec's 400th anniversary in 2008.

Take A Break

If you're doing this stroll in the colder months, you might want to head indoors at this point. Le 48 Saint-Paul, named after its address, is just steps from the corner of rue Dalhousie and rue St-Paul, 1 block from the museum. It's sleek and affordable, with creative burgers and pizzas, most costing less than C$10 (£5), and a good selection of local beer. To continue the tour, head back to rue Dalhousie and cross over toward Terminal de Croisières to the waterfront.

From the museum, head across the parking lot to the river and turn left at the water's edge. After Terminal de Croisières, the cruise terminal, you'll pass the Agora, an outdoor theater that has been under renovation, and, behind it, the city's Customs House, built between 1830 and 1839.

Continue along the river's promenade, past the Agora, to the small, landscaped:

14. Pointe-à-Carcy

The bronze statue of a sailor here is a memorial to Canadian merchant seamen who lost their lives in World War II. From the point, look out across Louise Basin to the Bunge of Canada grain elevator, which stores wheat, barley, corn, and soybean crops that are produced in western Canada before they are shipped to Europe.

The bridge to rural Ile d'Orléans can also be seen. Ile d'Orléans is the island that supplies Québec with much of its fresh fruits and vegetables and is an easy day trip from the city.

The water below is the launch area for a wild canoe race across the ice floes during Carnaval de Québec.

Follow the walkway left from Pointe-à-Carcy along the Louise Basin. You'll pass the free Musée Naval de Québec, renovated in 2007, and the city's Navy School. In the warm months, you can board a scenic river cruise here.

At the end of the basin, take a short jog left, then right along the water's edge. Up ahead is a modern glass building, the:

15. Espace 400e

Occupying the location that used to be the Vieux-Port Interpretation Center, this new, expanded pavilion was the central destination for Québec's 400th-anniversary celebrations. It's now a Parks Canada discovery center.

From Espace 400e, go to the road that fronts it, rue St-André. Turn right and walk 1 block to:

16. Marché du Vieux-Port

This colorful market has jaunty teal-blue roofs and, in summer, rows of booths heaped with fresh fruits and vegetables, regional wines and ciders, soaps, pâtés, jams, handicrafts, cheeses, chocolates, fresh fish, and meat. Go to the cafes and kiosks inside to get a meal or sweet treat.

Farther down the street is the 1916 train station, designed by New York architect Bruce Price, who designed the Château Frontenac in 1893 and used his signature copper-turned-green spires here, too. You'll walk toward this landmark on your way to your next stop.

Leaving the market, cross rue St-André at the light and walk a short block to:

17. Rue St-Paul

Turn left onto this street, home to galleries, craft shops, and about a dozen antiques stores. They include Maison Dambourgès, at no. 155, which sells folk art and pine furniture, and l'Héritage Antiquité, at no. 109, which has old postcards, bits of china sets, Hummel figurines, and the like. Rue St-Paul manages to maintain a sense of unspoiled neighborhood.

Take A Break

Mistral Gagnant, at 160 rue St-Paul, is a sunny Provençal restaurant that features hearty food from omelets to escargots to bouillabaisse to outrageously good lemon pie. Café le Saint Malo, at 75 rue St-Paul, has low ceilings, rough stone walls, and storefront windows that draw patrons in.

From here, return to the heart of Lower Town -- Place-Royale and the funicular -- by turning right off rue St-Paul onto either rue du Sault-au-Matelot or the parallel rue St-Pierre. Both are quiet streets with galleries and restaurants. Meander along and settle into the relaxed pace of this nook of the city.