ALPHABET TRAVEL CHALLENGE

Old Fashioned Christmas in Quebec City — In Black and White

A to Z of my favorite travel destinations — Q is for Quebec

Home for Christmas doesn’t hold the same magic as it did when I was younger. Since the deaths of my parents, I have searched for ways to create new holiday traditions.

A few years ago, before the pandemic, I was lucky enough to get a block of time off work, in the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. But what to do?

I could travel back home to share it with my sisters, my nieces, and their families, but they would be busy preparing for Christmas and their own getaways to someplace sunny and hot, their new Christmas tradition. I was feeling nostalgic and wanted something that would remind me of Christmases past, and renew the magic of the holidays.

I stumbled across a CNN article that focused on the best places in the world to celebrate Christmas and there on the list was Quebec City. I have never been but always wanted to visit. I have seen numerous photos and got the impression that it is North America’s most European city, plus it’s only about an hour away from Toronto by air.

The old city dates back to the 17th century and the photos suggested a picturesque Christmas village, lots of snow, narrow streets lit up with holiday displays, and even horse-drawn carriages, like something from a Courier and Ives Christmas card.

I decided to book it and luckily I was able to book the flight on points. As I searched for a place to stay I found a former monastery that has been converted into a spa-like hotel. I booked my trip and prepared for my holiday in Quebec City.

My flight arrived on Christmas Day at about 5:30 and I quickly grabbed a taxi to get my holiday started as quickly as possible. The taxi from the airport, at the time, was a fixed rate of $34 to the downtown and old city areas.

As we drove through the streets of the old town it was hard not to be enchanted by the 17th and 18th-century buildings and the narrow hilly streets. It’s hard to believe I wasn’t in Europe.

There were skaters out in the icy cold weather, taking a turn around the rink and as I passed through the iconic portes (gates) I was transported back in time.

The traffic reminded me of what century I was in, but we also had to share the roads with horse-drawn buggies which were transporting the tourists, luckily there wasn’t much car traffic to scare the horses.

I arrived at the hotel fairly quickly because of a lack of traffic on Christmas Day. I was greeted by an austere building, a former monastery for the Augustine nuns, and there are even some nuns who live there in a separate wing.

The architecture is a combination of old and new, combining modern glass elements with the centuries-old building. It is very well-kept and clean, although it just opened as a hotel in 2015. As I made my way through the halls to my room I passed by 18th-century religious-based art; oil paintings and statues, all part of the nuns’ collection, and there were lounges and window seats for people to sit and meditate, pray, read or contemplate.

Patrons can stay in one of the original, traditional monastery rooms, or you can choose to stay in a contemporary room that includes an en suite bathroom. The rooms are sparse and austere. No phones and no TVs. Guests are also encouraged to “unplug” during their stay although there is free wifi. Breakfast is included in the price and in keeping with its surroundings is held in silence.

While the furnishings are sparse the beds are still luxurious. It was one of the most comfortable beds I have ever slept in, with four fluffy soft pillows and a full, comfortable duvet.

The hotel maintains a holistic philosophy- mind body and spirit. It is not intended to be a religious experience and welcomes people of all faiths. There are meditation and yoga sessions offered as well as various types of healing massage, lifestyle and dietary consultations. I have traveled the world and stayed in every type of accommodation but have never experienced a hotel quite like the Monasteries Des Augustines.

I’m not surprised that St. Augustine is credited with a quote that I live my life by, “The world is a book, and those who do not travel, read only one page.”

First on the agenda was getting quickly settled in my room so I could find someplace to enjoy a Christmas dinner.

The obvious choice was the Christmas feast at the iconic Chateau Frontenac but the prix fixe was more than $150 and that was just a little too rich for my budget. I decided to take a quick stroll through the old town streets and see what was open and was pleasantly surprised by the number of restaurants and bars that were open on the holiday, so I had quite a few to choose from.

I settled on a busy tavern called Les Freres de la Cote on Rue Sainte Jean, just a couple of blocks from my hotel. It was a busy place but they found me a seat at the bar and despite the crowd, the bartender was attentive and made me feel welcome.

They had a number of specials on the menu and I decided my Christmas dinner would be Butternut Squash soup and Bison with potatoes and vegetables. The bison was cooked perfectly medium rare and was still moist and tender and I couldn’t get enough of the rich gravy. I wanted to lick my plate when I was finished it was so good. I wasn’t planning on having dessert but when I saw that they were offering Tarte au Sucre (or maple sugar pie), a traditional Quebec specialty, I couldn’t resist. It was just as I remembered, creamy, rich, and sweet.

Quebec’s old town is pedestrian friendly but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t cold. While the temperature read minus 9c (+15f), it felt much colder, with the wind gusting to 50 kilometers an hour, it created a windchill of minus 20c. Still, I managed to get a feel for the area, enjoyed the sights, and even considered going for a skate. I decided to leave that for a warmer day (that’s my story, and the fact I hadn’t skated in more than 50 years, had nothing to do with it.)

I found the narrow streets were dangerously icy when I was there. People warned me about that, but the biggest lesson was watching people sliding past me while holding onto each other to avoid wiping out. There were signs warning people about falling ice and I saw workers on rooftops shoveling snow and ice.

Even though this was my holiday trip, I still couldn’t justify spending the money for a room at the historic Chateau Frontenac. And I’m not convinced it would be better than where I was staying. Nevertheless, I still wandered through the lobby, admiring all the Christmas decorations set up.

Outside there was a winter festival underway. Families, all bundled up in their winter gear, were able to ride down a man-made ski slope on a toboggan. Nearby, a couple of Canadian lumberjacks were serving up traditional maple taffy by pouring fresh, boiling maple sap on snow creating a sticky, sweet treat enjoyed for generations in Quebec and in other parts of Canada.

The cold weather restricted my sightseeing for the rest of my short trip. I did do a bit of shopping in the small stores throughout the old town.

It was like being sent back 200 years, with the old stone buildings and cobblestone streets and of course the horse-drawn buggies. The old town or Vieux Quebec was established as a World Heritage Site in 1985.

I also came upon an indoor Christmas Market, set up next to the frozen marina and along the shore of the St. Lawrence Seaway.

Despite the cold, ice, and snow, or because of it, I had a wonderful, magical Christmas in Quebec City. Now I can’t wait to go back in the summer when I can enjoy more of it.

Thank you for reading. For more of my favorite travel destinations, you can check out my list of stories: