Southern Quebec
Quebec City, Charlevoix and the Eastern Townships
A walled city, a mountain coast with whales, and a lake district with its own cider route.
- Best months
- February–March · September–October
Three places, two hours apart. Quebec City is the only walled city north of Mexico; Charlevoix is where the Laurentians drop into the Saint 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 in early October are the moments to aim for.
Things to do
Old Quebec
Walk the walls, Petit-Champlain and Dufferin Terrace. The Carnaval de Québec fills ten days in early-to-mid February with snow 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, many open year-round. Le Massif has the biggest vertical drop in eastern Canada; the Train de Charlevoix runs along the river shore roughly June to early November. Check the season dates.
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 around Magog.
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, tobogganing on Dufferin Terrace, skating at Place D’Youville, and −15°C that feels worth it. Outside the Carnival weekends, hotels inside the walls cost far less 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 mid-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 a year-round nonstop from Paris (more flights in summer) and 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
Baie-Saint-Paul 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.
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