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A superb multicultural festival each fall at Chapelle du Musée de l’Amérique française in VieuxQuébec (see Musée de l’Amérique Française) offers a sensuous feast of traditional music, dance, crafts, foods and laughter. Share homespun hilarity while watching teams joust during Joute chantée (an improvised singing tournament), or during the culinary fun of Souper chanté (singing supper). Singers come from as far afield as Guatemala, Japan, Greece, Martinique and Senegal.

The spirits of Montrealers are given a boost during the cold winter months in this celebration of life through light. Each night over the festival’s two-week run in February, organizers host a wild combination of attractions, from outdoor light and music (son et lumière ) productions, to indoor concerts, illuminated buildings, theatre and dance performances, culinary soirées of traditional foods, and nightly fireworks. This is a spectacular time in the city.

A large-scale voyage back in time transforms Place Royale and the Basse-Ville section of Québec City into a magical mélange of period costumes, traditional music and dance, and authentic foods, all to celebrate the settling of the city by the French in the 1600s (see Moments in History). Early August crowds are invited to attend over 600 performances by local actors, musicians, dancers and artists. It’s not all about history – there is also a generous element of fun, including games, competitions and concerts.

Iroquoian and nomadic Algonquian peoples had lived in Québec for thousands of years when the first Europeans arrived. “Kebec” is an Algonquian word meaning “place where the river narrows.”

Wildlife abounds for hunters in Québec, whether searching for white-tailed deer, moose, caribou or pheasant. The fishing here has long attracted the rich and famous; it offers some of the best river salmon fishing in the world.

Monday night is the night at Frankie’s, as the live cabaret show combines with a feast of local smoked-meat dishes.

A trendy club with live music shows and a wonderful spot to meet and drink with friends or do your thing on the crowded dance floor. Very popular, particularly on Thursday and Friday nights. Cover charge varies, depending on which band is playing (see Frankie’s Cabaret Club).

A peaceful town at the foot of Mount Pinnacle and near the US border, Frelighsburg’s landscape attracts artists and photographers.

Sit on the terrace here overlooking rue Saint-Denis and sample delightful crêpes, great sandwiches, strong coffee and excellent service.

Born in Manitoba to a French mother, and the youngest of 11 children, Roy (1909–83) escaped her family’s poverty and moved to Québec in 1939, where she began her career as a respected and prolific French-speaking novelist. Her first work, Bonheur d’occasion (The Tin Flute) , was published in 1945, winning her the Prix Fémina award and the first of three coveted Governor General’s awards.