Things to do in Québec
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Beaver Club
The original Beaver Club was formed in 1785 by a group of Montréal fur barons, and to join you had to have wintered in the Northwest Territories. Membership is still elite – ask to see the pic of Bill Gates in trapper’s furs – but anyone with the right currency can reserve in the impeccably serviced, old-fashioned dining room to enjoy a cross-section of Canadian luxury edibles. The menu découverte is a multicourse meal highlighting Québec produce like Îles de la Madeleine scallops, Marieville foie gras and Île d’Orléans raspberries. Reservations and proper attire are essential (no jeans; a jacket for men).
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Musée d’Art Contemporain
This showcase of modern Canadian and international art has eight galleries divided between past greats (since 1939) and exciting current developments. A weighty collection of 6000 permanent works includes Québec legends Jean-Paul Riopelle, Paul-Émile Borduas and Geneviève Cadieux, but also temporary exhibitions of the latest trends in current art from Canadian and international artists. Forms range from traditional to new media, from painting, sculpture and prints to installation art, photography and video. The sculpture garden is also worth a look. The pleasant restaurant upstairs has a great dining terrace.
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Complexe Aquatique de L’île Ste-Hélène
Originally constructed in 1953, this outdoor pool complex was completely demolished and rebuilt when Montréal scored the 2005 World Aquatic Championships. The state-of-the-art facilities are now open to the public. The diving pool (complete with underwater viewing windows) and competition pool are mainly reserved for hosting competitions or for training competitive swimmers and athletic teams. But the championships’ magnificent 55m-by-44m warm-up pool is open for recreational swimming. There’s also a bay-like portion of the pool with a shallow, gently sloping bottom that’s great for kids and families.
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L’Échaudé
This classic little bistro has a refreshingly relaxed and nonstuffy waitstaff. All the classics are on offer – including duck confit, steak frites (steak with French fries), fresh fish of the day and braised lamb shank –along with more daring options like Cornish hen with braised shrimp, and pan-fried foie gras with grilled mushrooms. All come beautifully plated to the table and bursting with flavor, which is why L’Échaudé is one of the rare places in the Old Town where locals regularly outnumber tourists. The terrific wine list favors bottles from France.
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Musée du Fort
Not really a museum at all, the Musée du Fort houses a 30-minute multimedia show on the many attempts over the centuries to take Québec City. It’s all played out on a model/diorama that lights up in the middle of a minitheater. The breathless narration and anemic smoke-puffs that pass for special effects are a bit hokey but it does give a quick, enjoyable, easy-to-grasp audiovisual survey of the city’s battles and history, making a good introduction to it. English-language shows are held on the hour (French-language versions on the half-hour).
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Westmount Park & Library
The lovely Westmount Park encompasses pathways, streams and concealed nooks that recall the whimsical nature of English public gardens. At the western boundary the Westmount Public Library stands stolid, with its Romanesque brickwork, leaded glass and delightful bas-reliefs dedicated to wisdom. Two fine buildings are attached: the Westmount Conservatory (a Victorian greenhouse) and the Victoria Jubilee Hall, fronted by a beautiful floral clock. Both can be visited during business hours.
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Lémeac
A well-respected name among the well-heeled Laurier crowd, Lémeac has a light and airy setting with huge windows overlooking the street, a lively ambience and beautifully turned-out plates. Culinary standouts include salad of smoked salmon (made on-site), lobster ravioli, Angus beef filet mignon, duck leg confit and the veal liver with caramelized onions. It’s a popular brunch spot on weekends, and at night –the after-10pm three-course prix-fixe menu is an excellent value at $22.
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Queue de Cheval
This mecca of expense-account carnivores serves up delectable prime beef that’s dry-aged on the premises. Order from a dozen varieties of mammoth-sized steaks that span filet mignon, T-bone and thick slabs of marbled tenderloin, and then watch as it’s char-broiled in the pyrotechnics of the open kitchen. Service is impeccable, with attention paid to little details – chunky-handled steak knives for male clientele, thin and sleek models for women. Reservations are a must.
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Montréal Canadiens
The Canadiens of the National Hockey League have won the Stanley Cup 24 times. Although the team has struggled in recent years, Montrealers have a soft spot for the ‘Habs’ and matches at the Bell Centre sell out routinely. Scalpers hang around the entrance on game days, and you might snag a half-price ticket after the puck drops. Bring your binoculars for the rafter seats. The center also hosts big-name concerts, boxing matches, Disney on Ice and visits by the Dalai Lama.
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La Ronde
Québec’s largest amusement park, La Ronde has a battery of impressive rides, including Le Monstre, the world’s highest wooden roller coaster; and Le Vampire, a corkscrew roller coaster with gut-wrenching turns. For a more peaceful experience, there’s a Ferris wheel and a gentle minirail that offers views of the river and city. Concerts and shows are held throughout the summer, and fireworks explode overhead on weekend evenings (when the park stays open later).
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Old Québec Tours
This tour operator has a variety of tours from three-hour walking tours (adult/child $22/11) to 4½-hour tours out of town that take in the Montmorency waterfall and Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré (adult/child $49/23) or Île d’Orléans (adult/child $65/38). There are also adventure excursions, including whale-watching from June to October and dogsledding and visits to the ice hotel in the winter. You’ll be given the rendezvous point when you make your reservations.
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Byblos
This Iranian café does such good food and is so charming, people who come here tend to make a day of it. The big windows and tables invite lingering and though there are wonderful main courses, most people end up grazing on the Iranian tapaslike dishes all day and into the evening. The feta omelet is by far the most popular followed by the eggplant or chickpea purees. It’s all served with pita bread perfect for dipping. The mint tea is the perfect way to finish it all off.
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L’Avenue
This self-consciously hip restaurant is a magnet for the young, post-party brunch crowd. Over a dozen different types of omelets, plus all the classics – French toast, waffles, eggs Benedict – all arrive nicely prepared. Lunch and dinner, with middling veggie burgers and salads, are less of a draw. Electronic music plays overhead at all hours, and artwork and urban murals adorn the walls. The surreal multimedia-infused washroom is an experience in itself.
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L'Express
This place is so fantastically French, you'd half expect to see the Eiffel Tower out the window, especially after guzzling too much of the excellent wines. The food's classic Parisian bistro – think steak frites, bouillabaisse, tarragon chicken – and so is the attitude. Reservations essential.
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Café Cherrier
Locals flock to the shady, wraparound terrace of this comfy café with the long marble serving counter that wouldn’t be out of place in Paris. This is an especially lively place after a performance at the nearby L’Agora de la Danse. A huge percentage of the audience usually swings by here for dinner or a drink, setting the whole place abuzz. Breakfast is popular as is classic French bistro fare like steak frites.
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Le Taj
Proving that Montréal is more than just a bistro and brasserie kind of town, Le Taj throws down the gauntlet for some excellent Indian dishes. The time to go is at lunch, when downtowners line up for a succulent buffet featuring a bounty of rich flavors from the East – tandoori chicken, vegetable korma, palaak paneer and tender lamb, along with steaming piles of naan bread, custardlike desserts and many other temptations.
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Marché Jean Talon
The gem of Little Italy, this kaleidoscopic market is perfect for assembling a gourmet picnic or partaking in a little afternoon grazing. A great stop is Marché des Saveurs, devoted entirely to Québec specialties such as wine and cider, fresh cheeses, smoked meats and preserves. The market sprawls south of Rue Jean-Talon between Blvd St-Laurent and Rue St-Denis.
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Le Café du Monde
This Paris-style bistro is the only restaurant in town directly on the St Lawrence River. Bright, airy and casually elegant, it has been a local favorite for years, swearing by bistro classics like steak frites and saucisse de Toulouse. The menu is authentic and there’s a great choice of other dishes like roasted pork rack with honey and lobster ravioli. The accent is on local Québec products.
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Phó Bang New York
Near the gateway to Chinatown, Phó Bang New York has decor and service geared more toward Westerners who want to have their pho (noodle soups) in swisher digs. The food here is still good and regularly makes people’s ‘top’ lists, but it lacks the kind of manic energy that makes the other Vietnamese places on this drag so atmospheric. The pho here tends to be leaner than at other Chinatown spots.
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Milos
Rock stars, socialites and business leaders flock to this fashionable restaurant with Mediterranean stucco, big urns filled with dried flowers and refrigerated counters of mouthwatering fish and fruits. Dinner for two (eg range of Greek appetizers, grilled loup de mer (seabass), fried veggies with tzatziki and honey-laced milk yogurt) could set you back $150 with wine. Reservations are essential.
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Ja Moisan Épicier
Established in 1871, this is considered the oldest grocery store in North America. The store is beautifully set up and fun just to browse – ever seen black-and-white, zebra-striped bow pasta? The products do generally fall on the ‘You’ve got to be kidding!’ side of expensive but there will be products here you’ve never seen before along with heaps of local goods.
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Conti Caffe
Set on busy Rue St-Louis, the handsome Conti Caffe features an impressive selection of flavorful Italian classics. Start off with prosciutto and melon or the house antipasto, before moving on to penne with gorgonzola, apples and walnuts or the grilled halibut with mango salsa. The dining room is a warmly lit retreat, with exposed brick walls trimmed with art and big windows overlooking the street.
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Boutique Kettö
Illustrator Julie St-Onge-Drouin started up Kettö after her illustrative designs kept finding their way onto ceramic surfaces. Now at this big, bright and beautifully set-up boutique, they’re on everything from plates and mugs to ceramic jewelry and necklaces. Great gifts, her designs are sold in small boutiques throughout Québec, but here you’ll find the best selection.
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Chez Ashton
For a break from fine dining, head to Chez Ashton, a Québec City fast-food institution with dozens of restaurants across town. Some Québec City boosters swear it’s the best poutine in the province (Montrealers, of course, would quickly dismiss such an idea). Though poutine is the draw, Ashton also whips up burgers and roast beef sandwiches.
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McLean's Pub
If you're after great pub fare you can't go wrong at McLean's. It does an excellent line in chicken wings, Reuben sandwiches and burgers with a mountain of crispy fries. Dark wood, dim lights and high ceilings make it easy to lose track of time at this Irish pub. The beer list features beers like Keith's and Euro-brews like Stella and Leffe. There's live music some evenings.
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