The Perfect Ingredients for a Weekend of Simplicity & Joy in Québec City
When the hustle of life becomes too much and you’re in need of a few days away, consider an escape to Quebec City, Canada.
Located a few hours’ drive from the northern New England states and accessible via plane, train, bus, or road trip from other areas of the United States, you’ll arrive feeling like you’ve landed in Europe-without the jetlag.
Rich in culture and steeped in history, this walled city was settled in1608 by French explorer Samuel de Champlain. As the only province in Canada where French is the official language,you’ll feel like you’re walking the streets of a quaint town in France.
With my hubby by my side, I set off for a weekend of simplicity and joy in Old Quebec. Much in need of a break from the responsibilities of family and work, we looked forward to a weekend of rest and relaxation.
Although our trip was just a few days, we found just what we needed…and you can, too. Whether you visit for a day or a week (or even longer), here are the perfect “ingredients” for a weekend of simplicity and joy in Quebec City.
Relaxation & Wellness
Our “home” for this visit was Le Monastère des Augustines, a wellness haven located the historic wings of the Hôtel-Dieu de Québec monastery. Our simple, nourishing, retreat experience at Le Monastère des Augustines, provided the perfect place for us to let go of the responsibilities of life and focus on wellness. Whether traveling alone, with a loved one, or with a group of friends, a stay at Le Monastère des Augustines immerses you in an environment completely focused on nourishing your mind, body, and soul. Read all about our stay at Le Monastère des Augustines here.
Outside the walls of Le Monastère des Augustines, we found the perfect mix of history, culinary delights, shopping, and sightseeing. As someone who appreciates simple places and slow travel, I focused on finding simplicity and joy throughout the city's hilly, cobblestone streets.
Culinary Delights
Throughout the weekend, we experienced a delicious sampling of the localgastronomy.
Our first stop, in the heart of Old Quebec, was at Paillard for lunch. As their website says, “everything begins with bread” at the Café Boulangerie Paillard. This must-visit bakery (that’s so much more than a bakery) is a quick, 5-minute walk from Le Monastère des Augustines. With a menu full of warm sandwiches, mouth-watering pastries, gelato, and even pizza, you’re guaranteed to find plenty to fill you up.
This was our first “taste” of Quebec City and I easily could have come back for every meal. With our Mont-Ferrēol Kombucha and Boylan Bottling Company Root Beer Racinette in hand, we settled in at the family-style tables to enjoy our warm sandwiches. We decided on the Porchetta on Ciabatta bread (pulled pork with barbeque sauce, cheddar, and lettuce-I skipped the tomatoes) and the Beef Bistro on Paillard bread (roast beef, blue cheese, caramelized onions, horseradish cream sauce, and lettuce) which came with sides of pasta salad. After a morning of traveling, dessert was a must so we chose to share Le framboise (a decadent combination of raspberry, sponge cake, and white chocolate cream) and Gâteau aux carottes (the freshest carrot cake I’ve had in years).
We could have sat and enjoyed the bright, funky atmosphere for hours, but we had a relaxing room at Le Monastère des Augustines beckoning us back to rest and retreat. We’ll most certainly be back to continue working our way through the sandwiches and sweets on the menu.
Equally worth the visit was le Chic Shack. Located in the Musee du Fort building, it's just off the end of the Dufferin Terrace, near the popular Chateau Frontenac. With six different poutine dishes (including a vegan option) and nine burger options, plus salads, fries, and homemade chips, it’s hard to decide which to choose.
We went with La Classique Poutine (with house-made poutine gravy, cheese curds, fresh herbs, and shredded cheese) and Le Chic Burger (with maple-smoke bacon, local cheddar, bib lettuce, tomato, house pickles, and chic sauce) plus the Signature Périgord Fries with truffle oil, parmesan, and fresh herbs.
Whether you go with a burger or poutine (or something else), make sure you leave room for a boozy milkshake. We chose the 70% Dark Chocolate with Baileys and the Maple Salted Caramel with Coureur des bois (maple whiskey). Both were rich and creamy, mixed with the perfect amount of sweet booze.
With all ofthis goodness, we didn’t have room for dessert, but I’m sure it’s as deliciousas everything else. This will be one ofour first stops on our next trip back to Quebec City!
We also made a quick stop into Cafe La Maison Smith on rue Saint-Jean during our stay where we settled into the quaint, French vibe, enjoyed fresh croissants and lattes, and people watched.
We also enjoyed a bit of Irish fare at Pub St. Patrick, a short walk from Le Monastère des Augustines. I enjoyed hot cauliflower wings and a Caesar bacon salad while my hubby indulged in traditional Irish bangers and mash. Luckily, it was only a short walk back to our accommodations-we were stuffed!
We ended our visit with a sweet treat of fudge from Le Fudgerie on Petit Champlain-delish!
These meals perfectly complimented the nourishing breakfasts and dinner that we also enjoyed at Le Monastère des Augustines.
Historical & Cultural Exploring
Every city has a story. A major part of enjoying a city is learning about how it came to be, who settled it, what it's been known for over the years, and how it's people and products have made an impact.
We enjoy taking tours of cities, especially with locals, to get tips and stories you won’t find in the guidebooks. Our lovely local tour guide, Michelle, provided us with an informative private tour of the city on a cold, but sunny morning. Our tour provided us with a wealth of information.
We learned about the architectural styles inside and outside the walls of Old Quebec. We explored the financial district and discovered where the locals like to shop and eat. We heard the stories of how the city was established as we stood looking over the St. Lawrence River from the Plains of Abraham (also known as Battlefields Park). We toured the theater district, saw the Parliament Building, and passed museums and cathedrals scattered throughout the city.
We ventured out into the other boroughs of the city, and from a distance, learned about the rural borough of Isle of Orleans and its significance for agriculture. And finally, we wrapped up our time with a tour of Montmorency Falls. It was an enlightening morning of exploring and learning about the history and stories of this significant Canadian city.
Nature Immersion
When you live a life focused on choosing experiences over things, youlook for nature when you travel. Natureoffers countless ways to slow down, engage your senses, embrace simplicity, andfind joy.
Although it was unseasonably cold during our visit, we were still able to venture out and enjoy nature. We enjoyed the open space and river view at Battlefields Park, and we experienced our first blast of winter for the season during a snow squall that passed through as we walked around Old Quebec. But the highlight of our time in nature for this trip was our visit to Montmorency Falls.
Located just 15 minutes outside of Old Quebec, in the Beauport borough (there are six boroughs of Quebec City), on the St. Lawrence River, is Parc de la Chute-Montmorency. At 272 feet tall, this waterfall is 99 feet higher than Niagara Falls. With a historical record dating back to 1613 that includes war battles, housing for the Duke of Kent, a sawmill, a cotton factory, an electric train, a senior home, a fire, and more, this site has many stories to tell.
Walk the foot trail to cross the suspension bridge above the waterfall, zipline across it, or just take in the scenery from the cable car. Or maybe you’ll take the 487 steps down the side to view it from the foot of the falls.
This site offers rich opportunities to engage in experiences over things. Whether you choose to immerse yourself in the history or experience the thrill of climbing stairs, crossing the bridge, ziplining, or just sitting on the porch and taking it all in peacefully, there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
Sightseeing
After learning so much about the city during our tour, we chose to do more exploring and take in the sights around town from a few other perspectives.
For the best view of the entire city, we took a 15-minute walk from Le Monastère des Augustines to the Observatoire De La Capitale. Once inside the easy-to-find building, a quick elevator ride brings you to the Horizons Discovery Experience on the 31st floor. Here you’ll find “…a vivid, fast-paced exposé of [the] city’s history and the roots of Québec’s identity, in addition to the highest and best views in the city.” With trivia-like data scattered throughout and views for miles, you’ll want to plan at least 1 hour to take it all in. This is a great activity for a clear day at the beginning of your trip. I highly recommend this as a must-do for your stay in Old Quebec.
Just as they do in the cities in Europe, we walked everywhere inside the walls and even outside of them. It's easy to get your steps in. Just went we thought we’d reached the top of a hill, we’d turn the corner and find another. While we appreciated the workout, we were also happy to take a ride on Le Funiculaire, which provided a much-needed reprieve from the steps!
This 3-minute ride takes you between the Dufferin Terrace alongside the Chateau Frontenac at the top and Quartier Petit-Champlain, Place-Royale, and the Old Port at the bottom. We enjoyed traveling down the 282-foot, 45-degree angle cliff to take in the sights while saving our energy for even more walking and sightseeing.
Simple Shopping
As a simple living enthusiast and someone who focuses on living a life of experiences over things, I don’t spend much time shopping. While visiting new places, and wandering streets with beautifully decorated, tempting storefronts, I choose to enjoy them in uncharacteristic ways, such as:
- Browsing the window displays (especially when decorated for the holidays).
- Searching for a Christmas ornament (we collect ornaments from our travels and reminisce about our trips each year at Christmas) – check out La Boutique de Noel for a large selection of ornaments.
- Learning about products native to the area and local artists then studying their art (think of a boutique as a museum, instead of a store where you have to purchase something).
- Strolling the picture-perfect street of Petit de Champlain, site of the first French settlement in North America and home to an artist and merchant co-op of more than 30 years.
- Visiting a bookstore - browse books in different languages, buy a journal, a coloring book, or maybe even a coffee table book that reminds you of your travels.
- Purchase a map of the city to frame - we have a collection of maps in our dining room which spurs lots of conversations and trips down memory lane during meals.
Our weekend was full of opportunities to experience simplicity and joy. Part of enjoying slow travel is acknowledging that you can’t do it all in one trip. As you embrace slow travel, you begin to appreciate the JOMO (joy of missing out), knowing that by choosing to skip some experiences, you were able to more fully enjoy others…and come home from your trip feeling more relaxed and not like you need a vacation from your vacation.
With so much to enjoy in Quebec City, you have plenty options to choose from as you craft your ideal trip. If you’re planning your first visit and want to experience a weekend of simplicity and joy, I encourage you to check out some of what I shared here.
And when you’re ready for more, here are 14 more simple and joyful things to do in Quebec City:
- Sip coffee and tea at a new location each morning and afternoon
- Take the ferry across the river
- Explore nearby Isle d'Orleans
- Visit Strom Spa Nordique
- Get your foodie fix at Le Grande Marche
- Explore the German Christmas market (seasonally)
- Attend a theater performance
- Visit a museum
- Do the Immersion Quebec experience
- Walk (or run) the city (find the streets off the tourist path, where the locals live, eat, work, and play)
- Visit the Citadel
- Explore the Chateau Frontenac
- People watch
- Walk the Promenade Samuel-De Champlain
There's so much to see and do in Quebec City during every season. Visit the official Quebec Cite website for even more ideas.
Whatever you choose to experience, I wish you much simplicity and joy on your visit to Quebec City!