Recreation and Places of Interest

Québec has long been a popular vacation spot, combining scenic beauty with a colorful history and a unique cultural heritage. Millions of people come to Québec each year to see the diversity of the landscape, which offers something for nearly everyone. People are drawn to the plants and wildlife of the Gaspé Peninsula, the Saguenay River, and the Charlevoix region northeast of Québec City. In addition the province is known for the rustic charm of the Eastern Townships and the appeal of the many secluded lakes in the provincial parks. Québec City and Montréal, with their historic landmarks and French-inspired cuisine, have a European feel that is unique among North American cities.

National and Provincial Parks

Québec has many national parks. Among the province’s largest national parks are La Mauricie National Park in the Saint-Maurice Valley; Forillon National Park on the Gaspé Peninsula; and the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve, a cluster of islands in the strait north of Anticosti Island. The Park Marin du Saguenay-Saint-Laurent is a popular destination for people who come to watch the beluga whales in the lower St. Lawrence River. The national historic parks of Fort Chambly, near Montréal, and Fort Lennox, on Île-aux-Noix near Saint-Jean, contain old fortifications. Other notable parks include Sir Wilfrid Laurier House National Historic Park, at Laurentides, the birthplace of the first French-Canadian prime minister of Canada; and the Cartier-Brébeuf National Historic Park in Québec City, once the winter quarters of 16th-century French explorer Jacques Cartier. National Battlefields Park, also in Québec City, was the site of the 1759 Battle of the Plains of Abraham, where the British defeated the French in the decisive event of the French and Indian War.

Québec also has many provincial parks and wildlife reserves. Gaspésie Park and La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve are noted fishing areas, while Laurentides, Mont Tremblant, and Mount Orford provincial parks are popular resorts for skiing. The Cap Tourmente National Wildlife Area, near Québec City, attracts hundreds of thousands of snow geese in migration season.

Libraries and Museums

The first public library in Canada was the Québec Library, which was established in Québec City in 1779 largely through the efforts of Sir Frederick Haldimand, the British governor of Québec. There are now more than 900 public libraries in the province. Montréal’s municipal library has several branches and is known for its collection of works on Canada. Montréal is also home to the Bibliothéque Nationale du Québec (National Library of Québec), which is administered by the provincial government and serves as a depository for all publications published in Québec. The parliament buildings in Québec City house the National Assembly Library, where various parliamentary papers, public documents, books, charters, and other materials are stored. There are also many academic libraries in Québec. Among the most distinguished are those of Université Laval and McGill University, which are also major depositories for old books and maps.

Québec also has many museums. The Musée canadien des civilisations (Canadian Museum of Civilization) in Hull contains valuable collections on Canadian and indigenous history. The Musée de la civilisation (Museum of Civilization) in Québec City presents original expositions on Québec history and folklore, along with many exhibits from other countries. Also in Québec City are the Musée de l’Amérique Française (Museum of French America), a historical museum that focuses on the development of French culture in North America, and the Musée du Québec (Québec Museum) which houses a large collection of art by Québec artists dating from the 17th century to the present.

In Montréal, the galleries of the Musée des beaux-arts de Montréal (Montréal Museum of Fine Arts) display paintings by European masters and contemporary Canadian artists. The city’s Musée d’Art Contemporain (Museum of Contemporary Art) showcases the works of 20th-century and present-day Québec artists, while the Musée de la Pointe-à-Callière displays artifacts of the city’s early settlement. Other museums in Montréal include the McCord Museum of Canadian History and the Montréal Biodôme, with its replication of four major ecosystems found in the Americas. The Cosmodôme, in Laval, features a space education center and Space Camp Canada, a camp for children and adults that seeks to promote an interest in space science and general science through experiments and simulated experiences of space exploration. There are also numerous regional museums throughout the province.

Other Places to Visit

Tourism is a year-round industry in Québec. Montréal and Québec City are among the province’s most popular tourist destinations. Montréal offers a unique blend of old and new. Historic Old Montréal contains landmark buildings, such as Saint Sulpice Seminary, which dates back to the 17th century. The modern central business district is a thriving commercial and cultural center with world-class shopping, restaurants, and theater. Those seeking a break from the downtown bustle can head to the park atop Mount Royal, which rises 234 m (768 ft) above Montréal and offers spectacular views of the city.

Québec City is the only fortified, or walled, city in North America north of Mexico. The city’s quaint old quarters, with its narrow winding streets and old stone buildings, along with the impressive National Assembly (Québec’s provincial legislature) buildings, make it one of the most beautiful cities in North America. The city’s rich history is reflected in structures such as the Citadel, a fortress that dominates the city, and religious institutions including Québec Seminary, which was built in 1663.

The province’s religious shrines, such as Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Basilica near Québec City and Saint Joseph’s Oratory in Montréal, receive hundreds of thousands of tourists and pilgrims each year. The lush countryside of Île d’Orléans (Island of Orléans), Charlevoix, and the Eastern Townships are perfect for scenic drives. Tourists who like wild nature and wide open spaces may visit the Gaspé Peninsula, the Saguenay, the north coast, or northern Québec. The mountains of the Laurentians and the Appalachians are also scenic places to visit, especially in early fall or winter.

Source: MSN Encarta: Online Encyclopedia