Situated along the narrowing of the Saint Lawrence River, Québec City was founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain. As one of the oldest cities in North America, it has the 10th largest population in Canada. The city has a rich history, which becomes evident if you look at the old photographs along the walls in one of the city’s most famous landmarks, the Château Frontenac. One of the first explorers to stay here for a few nights (not in the Château Frontenac) was French explorer Jacques Cartier who built a fort at the site in 1535.
“Je me souviens”
“I remember”
Street artists are also making the city a pleasant place to walk around in. It’s not hard to find them in the old city where they sit for hours hoping for a few handouts by passing tourists.
Don’t hesitate to contribute some money as these people are hardworking in a depressing economy where it is hard to make ends meet.
The Château Frontenac Hotel is perched on top of a tall cape overlooking the Saint Lawrence River. Looking from across the Saint Lawrence River towards the Quebec City skyline, the hotel is the most prominent building.
The Château Frontenac is a true-life castle of many people’s dreams. The moment you walk through the big front doors, you will be overwhelmed by its grandeur with seemingly no boundaries.
Not surprisingly, the hotel has a rich history with some very famous people staying here over the years. Back in 1943, Winston Churchill (UK), Franklin D. Roosevelt (USA), and William Lyon Mackenzie King (Canada) joined a conference here to discuss their strategy for World War II. Countless famous personalities have graced the Le Château Frontenac with their presence.
Designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1980, the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac hotel opened its doors in 1893. It is one of a series of “château” style hotels built for the Canadian Pacific Railway company across Canada. Other hotels in this series can be found in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary, Lake Louise, Banff, Edmonton, Jasper, Vancouver, and in Victoria.
Prior to the building of the Frontenac, the site was occupied by Château Haldimand, a castle constructed between 1784 and 1786. The castle was damaged in an 1834 fire and eventually demolished.
The Saint Lawrence flows in a roughly northeasterly direction, connecting North America’s Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean to the east. The distance from the outflow at Lake Ontario to the ocean is 1,197 km.
The river is an important commercial seaway and is kept open during the cold winter months when much of the river’s surface is covered in drifting snow and ice.
☛ Read more: Posts of Canada
Blog post and photos by Peter who has been travelling almost full-time since 2005 and has been to over 122 countries. He visited several countries, such as Japan, more than 20 times. Peter is Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of GlobeRovers Magazine, an independent travel magazine focused on intrepid destinations.