Quebec City, Charlevoix and the Eastern Townships

A walled city, a mountain coast with whales, and a lake district with its own cider route.

City
Food
Winter
Wine
Lakes
Indigenous-led

Best in February–March · September–October

About this place

Three places within two hours of each other. Quebec City is the only walled city north of Mexico; Charlevoix is where the Laurentians drop into the St. Lawrence, with whales offshore; the Eastern Townships are lakes, hills and orchards along the Vermont border. Carnival in February, sugar shacks in March, and foliage at the end of September are the moments to aim for.

Things to do

Old Quebec
Walk the walls, Petit-Champlain and Dufferin Terrace. The Carnaval de Québec runs from late January to mid-February with ice sculptures, night parades and the ice-canoe race across the river.
Montmorency Falls and Île d’Orléans
A waterfall higher than Niagara 15 minutes from the city; in winter its spray builds an ice cone at the base. The island across the bridge sells strawberries in June, apples and cider in autumn.
Charlevoix Flavour Trail
Cheesemakers, cideries and bakeries between Baie-Saint-Paul and La Malbaie, most open year-round. Le Massif has the highest vertical drop east of the Rockies; the Train de Charlevoix runs along the river shore in summer and autumn.
Whales at Tadoussac
Belugas live in the Saguenay fjord year-round; humpbacks, fin and occasionally blue whales feed offshore from June to October. Boats and sea kayaks run from Tadoussac and Baie-Sainte-Catherine, a free ferry ride beyond Charlevoix.
Eastern Townships
Magog on Lake Memphrémagog, the Benedictine abbey at Saint-Benoît-du-Lac for cheese and cider, the Brome-Missisquoi wine route around Dunham, and Nordic spas at Bromont and Sutton.
Wendake
The Huron-Wendat Nation’s town inside Quebec City’s limits, with the Ekionkiestha’ longhouse, the Huron-Wendat Museum and a hotel run by the Nation. Winter stays include storytelling by the fire.

When to go

February
Carnival, snow on the old city, skating and tobogganing on Dufferin Terrace, and −15°C that feels worth it. Hotels inside the walls are far cheaper than in summer.
March and early April
Sugar-shack season. Cabanes à sucre around the city and in the Townships serve the maple feast; the snow holds for snowshoeing until early April.
Late September to early October
Foliage peaks in Charlevoix and the Townships about a week before Montreal. Harvest markets, the last whale boats, and clear cold mornings.
Late November and December
The German Christmas Market in Old Quebec and the first snow. January is the coldest month and the quietest.

How to get there

Fly to Montreal (YUL) or Quebec City (YQB)
Montreal has several daily nonstops from Paris plus London, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Zurich. Quebec City has seasonal nonstops from Paris and year-round connections through Montreal and Toronto.
Train between the cities
VIA Rail runs Montreal to Quebec City in about 3 h 15 min, several times a day, arriving in the Lower Town.
A car for Charlevoix and the Townships
Charlevoix is 90 minutes east of Quebec City on Route 138; the Townships are 90 minutes east of Montreal on Autoroute 10. Winter tires are mandatory in Quebec from December 1 to March 15.

Trips here

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6 packages

Featured
Quebec City, Charlevoix and the Eastern Townships2 nights
Wendake Longhouse Winter Experience
Two nights in a Huron-Wendat longhouse-style lodge with storytelling, snowshoe walks and traditional cuisine.
- Indigenous
- Culture
- Guided
From $640 per person
approx. £340 / €397
Featured
Quebec City, Charlevoix and the Eastern Townships4 nights
Old Quebec Winter Carnival Long Weekend
Four nights inside the walls during Carnaval, with an ice-canoe race viewing, night parade and Hôtel de Glace visit.
- Culture
- Guided
From $1,280 per person
approx. £680 / €794
Quebec City, Charlevoix and the Eastern Townships3 nights
Quebec City Christmas Market & Ice Hotel Break
Three nights in Quebec City for the German Christmas Market, old-town lights, skating and an Hôtel de Glace visit.
- Culture
- Food
From $820 per person
approx. £436 / €508
Quebec City, Charlevoix and the Eastern Townships3 nights
Laurentians Dog-Sledding & Cabin Escape
Three nights in a log cabin north of Mont-Tremblant with a full-day mushing expedition and snowshoe evening.
- Adventure
- Guided
- Wildlife
From $990 per person
approx. £526 / €614
Quebec City, Charlevoix and the Eastern Townships4 nights
Sugar Shack & Snowshoe March Break
Four nights timed to the maple harvest with a cabane à sucre feast, snowshoeing and a Quebec City day.
- Food
- Culture
- Self drive
From $1,090 per person
approx. £579 / €676
Quebec City, Charlevoix and the Eastern Townships5 nights
Charlevoix Nordic Spa & Snow Train
Five nights between Baie-Saint-Paul and La Malbaie: thermal circuits, a ski day at Le Massif and a winter train along the St. Lawrence.
- Wellness
- Food
- Rail
From $1,740 per person
approx. £925 / €1,079