Often referred to as ‘The Paris of North America’, Montreal is an intriguing mix of tradition and innovation.
The vast province of Quebec occupies the eastern part of Canada, with coasts on the North Atlantic, Hudson and James Bays, and the Lawrence Seaway. The major cities of Quebec and Montreal are both situated in the more populated south, on the banks of the St Lawrence River.
In the most northern reaches, the wilderness prevails, with thick forests and clear lakes dominating the landscape. This gives way to the snowy mountains of the Laurentians, a popular resort country, while down south is the urban sprawl of Canada's French-speaking cities and the rolling pastures of the farmlands. Quebec has 22 national parks and a variety of stunningly beautiful natural landmarks, including Montmorency Falls outside of Quebec City and the Gaspé Peninsula on the St Lawrence River.
Quebec has a uniquely French flavour and preserves and encourages its Francophone identity. In Quebec, French is the official language and is spoken by more than 80% of the population. However, don’t worry about dusting off your high school French as English is spoken in the larger cities.
If you would like to discover the magic of Quebec, pop in-store to speak to one of our Canada travel experts today.
Quebec observes Eastern Standard Time which means that they are five hours behind the UK, so remember to wind your watch back.
The capital city of Quebec province is Quebec City while Montreal is the largest city of the province.
The origins of the name Quebec can be traced to a word from the First Nations Algonquin people meaning “narrow passage”.
Contrary to what you might think, the Scottish didn’t invent the popular late-night dish of chips and cheese with gravy. Rather, the tasty dish can trace its origins to Quebec where it’s called, poutine.