Feeling European: Exploring Old Québec City and Lévis

We’ve used ferries to do a lot of commuting and sightseeing on this trip. While we have previously taken occasional excursion ferries to destinations such as the Apostle Islands of Wisconsin, visiting Raspberry and Madeline Islands, these trips were recreational and involved return journeys on the same vessel. In contrast, this summer’s journey has included regular use of commuter ferries, which serve as essential transportation links for daily travel between major landmasses separated by water. These ferries are integral to local transit rather than being limited to sightseeing. Even for seasoned RV’ers, it’s not that often that the whole rig, monster truck and 5^th Wheel “fit” onto a ferry. But there are ferries that are large enough to accommodate commercial trucking, and if the ferry is big enough for a 68-foot-long tractor trailer, then it’s large enough to hold “the Beast” and “Neil the Northpoint”.  That’s exactly what we used to travel from St. John, New Brunswick to Digby, Nova Scotia. This 2 ½ hour ferry crossing of the Bay of Fundy eliminated more than 250 miles of driving up and around.  And whilst we’re on the subject of Nova Scotia, Judy and I were on the ferry multiple times between Dartmouth & Halifax, Nova Scotia. That ferry is a main staple of commuting between the very livable suburb of Dartmouth, and the financial and governing capital of Halifax.

Ferry from Levis to Old Quebec City

If you have never visited Old Québec City, then I should explain that the city is reminiscent of a European city, with narrow streets and very little parking. Not the place we wanted to bring a big truck or try to find suitable parking. And we didn’t have to! Much like the Halifax to Dartmouth ferry, there is a ferry that is a staple for commuting across the St. Lawrence River. The Québec City–Lévis Ferry offers year-round transit across the river. The crossing takes just 12 minutes, the terminals are modern and easy to navigate, and the ferry ride provides for spectacular views of Old Québec and the Château Frontenac. The RV park in Lévis was a short drive from the ferry terminal and parking was easy, so we rode the ferry multiple times to commute into Old Québec City. 

What we Did, Saw, or Participated In in Old Québec City:

We took a walking tour of Old Québec City, led by our knowledgeable local guide, Pierre. The tour provided expert navigation through the city’s lively streets and shopping districts and served as an excellent introduction to the area. Notable stops included the Basilique-Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Québec and the charming pedestrian lanes of the Petit-Champlain District. Utilizing the funicular, we efficiently travelled from the lower city to the upper city, where the tour continued with visits to historic landmarks such as the Château Frontenac and City Hall. In just 2-hours, we visited a lot of the city, had a couple of restaurant suggestions, and were better equipped to make a return visit on our own.

We returned to Old Québec City to join up with a cousin of mine who lives in Montréal. Dann, who has lived in Montréal for close to a decade, traveled by Canadian Rail to Québec City, and we met him at the historic Gare du Palais train station. Built in 1915 by the Canadian Pacific Railway in a distinctive châteauesque style, it has an impressive exterior. Unfortunately, the building is in the midst of a massive restoration, and the inside was not nearly as impressive as the exterior. We entered expecting soaring ceilings and instead were met with construction barriers and a cramped waiting area. It was a bit of a disappointment.

If you ever find yourself in Old Québec City, I would strongly recommend you take an afternoon to visit The Musee de la Civilisation. This is a modern cultural museum that explores human experience and society through original and interactive exhibitions. The museum offers a fresh look at the human condition and the history of Québec, featuring exhibits on topics such as Indigenous nations, the Titanic, and the Human Story. It’s a fabulous building located in the lower city, and we stayed all afternoon and were literally asked to leave at closing time.

Umbrellas - Le Petit Champlain

Old Québec City is so captivating that we had to return to spend an afternoon just wandering the streets. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site because it is an example of a fortified colonial town, with a significant role in the European settlement of North America. We were drawn to its authentic European ambiance and its connection to 17th-century New France. We spent time in the upper city, walking along Dufferin Terrace, then up hill to the Plains of Abraham battlefield and the Citadel of Québec. It’s a beautiful European looking city which just happens to be located on the North American continent.

Overlooking the Lower City

What we Did, Saw, or Participated In in the City of Lévis:

One of the biggest surprises of this stop was our visit to a regional park in Lévis called Parc des Chutes-de-la-Chaudière. Located on the Chaudière River, this urban park has it all, and we took advantage of as much as we could. There are miles of paved trails, a 370-foot-long suspension bridge, and a 115-foot-tall waterfall. This entire park was designed around the re-building of a “run of the river” hydroelectric plant which generates 24 megawatts of clean energy. Walking through the park, placards tell the story of the old hydroelectric plant destroyed in 1970, as well as the reimagined new facility, built in 1999, which combined the falls with power generation and the setting of a regional park. A fantastic example of industrial power generation interwoven into an expansive park with plenty of recreational activities.

 

Black-Eyed-Susans on Parcous de Anses

The city of Lévis is a premier destination for recreation, offering a comprehensive range of facilities and activities. We loved Fontaine du Quai Paquet, which is a large-scale water feature and splash park, offering water elements that looked very inviting on a hot August day. Adjacent to the fountain is the The Parcours des Anses which is a 9.5 mile long scenic, paved bike path and walking trail, offering beautiful views of the St. Lawrence River and Québec City. We had a nice walk, stopped to smell the flowers, and enjoyed the scenery.

Ostara Market, Levis

Last but not least, we took, along with cousin Dann, a Historic Walking Tour of Lévis with a stop and tasting at the local farmers’ market called the Ostara Market. We are just suckers for historic walking tours, and we had a wonderful time with our guide, Guy. We started our tour at the oldest church in North America called the Old Lady of Victory Catholic Church. It is a beautifully adorned neoclassical church built between 1830 and 1860. We continued on through the streets of Lévis, hearing about the rich history, as well as the current state of the city, and concluded our journey at an overlook called the Terrasse du Chevalier-de- Lévis, which offered splendid views of the St. Lawrence River and Old Québec City. We did a little shopping at the farmers’ market, got a sampling of some of the available homemade sausages and fresh vegetables, before returning Dann to the Québec City–Lévis Ferry, for his trip back to Montreal.  

Dann, Judy, and Steven at Terrasse de Chevalier de Levis

We did not confine our sightseeing to just Lévis & Québec City. Our 9-day stop provided ample time to venture outside the immediate metropolis areas to a town called Wendake in Québec. Wendake refers to the community, urban reserve, and territory where the Huron-Wendat Nation lives. It is the only recognized Huron-Wendat community in Canada, and it has an “immersive experience”, the likes of which Judy and I have never seen before. We were advised by our daughter, Morgan, that this was one nighttime adventure we had to make time for, and she was absolutely correct. The experience is called Onhwa' Lumina, and it is an immersive, poetic night walk, that uses light, sound, and video projections to tell the stories, symbols, and rhythms of the Huron-Wendat Nation. We journeyed through an illuminated ³/₄-mile forest trail, after sundown, and experienced multimedia installations and an original soundtrack that
explored themes like the creation myth, the cycle of life,
and the connection to all living things, all rooted in the rich creative traditions of the Huron-
Wendat culture. The entire experience was so remarkable that we chose to walk the ¾ mile loop again, finding features we missed the first time through. 

Onhwa' Lumina Immersive Night Walk

The official language of Québec is French, which imparts a distinctly European atmosphere within close proximity to the United States border. Despite not speaking a word of French, both Judy and I found communication straightforward, as individuals we encountered were able to transition seamlessly to English following a simple greeting. The bilingual environment in Québec proved both accommodating and reassuring. As this marks the conclusion of our travels in Canada, we will now proceed southward to re-enter the United States, with our next destination being Greenville, in northern Maine. While English is the official language in Maine, it is noteworthy that local dialects may present unique linguistic variations as we continue our journey and tell… the Rest of the Story.