Old Québec is where French North America began. Its stone walls, steep lanes and copper roofs sit on a cliff above the St Lawrence River, and for more than four centuries the city has been fought over, rebuilt and lived in, almost entirely in French. Here are the facts and stories that make it special.
10 fun facts about Old Québec
- Founded in 1608: Samuel de Champlain set up his trading post, the Habitation, at the foot of the cliff in 1608, making Québec one of the oldest European settlements in North America.
- Still walled: Québec is the only city north of Mexico whose fortifications still stand, and its historic district was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1985.
- A railway hotel turned symbol: the Château Frontenac was opened in 1893 by the Canadian Pacific Railway, to a design by the American architect Bruce Price. Its towers dominate almost every view of the city.
- A wartime summit: in 1943 and again in 1944, Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt met here with Canadian prime minister Mackenzie King for the Quebec Conferences, at the Citadelle and the Château Frontenac.
- A Holy Door in the Americas: in December 2013 the Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral opened the first Holy Door outside Europe, for the 350th anniversary of its parish.
- A lift up the cliff: since 1879 a funicular has linked the Lower Town with the Upper Town, saving a steep climb next to the Petit-Champlain quarter.
- Breakneck Stairs: the Escalier Casse-Cou, first built in 1635, is the city's oldest stairway. Its name tells you everything about how steep it is.
- City Hall on a college site: the Hôtel de ville was inaugurated in 1896 on the land where the Jesuit college had stood, and it has been a National Historic Site of Canada since 1984.
- A waterfall taller than Niagara: Montmorency Falls, just outside the city, drops 83 metres, about 30 metres more than Niagara Falls.
- A snowman for a host: the Québec Winter Carnival has been held every year since 1955, presided over by Bonhomme, a smiling snowman in a red cap and a colourful sash.
The battle that changed a continent
On the night of 12 September 1759, during the Seven Years' War, British troops under General James Wolfe climbed the cliffs west of the city at the Anse-au-Foulon. By the morning of the 13th they were lined up on the Plains of Abraham, just outside the walls. The French commander, the Marquis de Montcalm, attacked at once. The battle was over in well under an hour: Wolfe was killed on the field and Montcalm died of his wounds the next day. Québec surrendered a few days later, and in 1763 France ceded New France to Britain. Today the battlefield is a large park where locals jog, picnic and go cross-country skiing.
Upper Town and Lower Town, explained
Old Québec is built on two levels. The Upper Town, on top of Cap Diamant, holds the Château Frontenac, the cathedral, City Hall and the Citadelle, all inside the walls. The Lower Town, squeezed between the cliff and the river, is where the city started. Its heart is Place Royale, where Champlain built his Habitation, with the small stone church of Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, begun in 1688. Next to it, the narrow Rue du Petit-Champlain is lined with boutiques and cafés.
What to eat in Old Québec
- Poutine: fries topped with fresh cheese curds and hot gravy, born in rural Quebec and now eaten everywhere. The curds should squeak.
- Tourtière: a spiced meat pie, traditionally served at Christmas and New Year.
- Soupe aux pois: a thick yellow pea soup with ham, a dish going back to the early French settlers.
- Tire d'érable: hot maple syrup poured onto snow and rolled onto a stick as it sets, a treat of the sugar shacks in spring and of the Winter Carnival.
- Tarte au sucre: a very sweet sugar pie made with brown sugar or maple syrup and cream.
Good to know before you go
- The Upper and Lower Town are linked by steep streets, stairs and the funicular. Wear shoes with good grip, especially in winter when the streets are icy.
- For the classic view of the Château Frontenac and the cliffs, take the ferry across the river to Lévis and back.
- Montmorency Falls and the farms and villages of Île d'Orléans make an easy half-day trip from the city.
- Winters are long and cold, with plenty of snow. The Winter Carnival usually runs from late January into February; summer and early autumn are the busiest seasons.
Explore Old Québec with World City Trail
Our Old Québec scavenger hunt turns these sights into a game you play on your phone. The route links 10 stops and takes around two hours, with about 35 minutes of walking, past sights such as City Hall and the Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral.
At each stop you solve a puzzle and hear a short story, at your own pace. You can start whenever you like.
Play the Old Québec scavenger hunt →
Facts checked in October 2026.