DK Travel : Montréal and Québec City : History & Culture

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Parc des Champs-de-Bataille, Québec City

This park is a commemoration of the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, in which the generals of both sides, English General Wolfe and French General Montcalm, died during a fierce engagement lasting only 30 minutes (see British Takeover). The element of surprise was on the side of the British as no army had ever before managed to scale the Cap Diamant escarpment. A visit Maison de la Découverte (Discovery Pavilion) at 835 rue Wilfrid-Laurier will explain more on this important event and its resulting effect on Canadian history (see Parc des Champs-de-Bataille).
Parti Québécois

René Lévesque’s separatist Parti Québécois (PQ) was in power from 1976 to 1985 and ensured French-language dominance in Québec with Bill 101, alarming the province’s Anglophone minority.
Paul-Émile Borduas

The painter Borduas (1905–60) is one of Québec’s most legendary artists and also one of its greatest political activists. Born in St-Hilaire, just outside Montréal, he made his name when he criticized the established social and political norms in 1948 by writing a scathing manifesto entitled Refus Global . He was a founding member of the abstract Automatistes school of art, which eventually included Jean-Paul Riopelle.
Place de l’Hôtel de Ville

In the 18th century this square was the site of the Notre-Dame market and is still a popular gathering place for locals. During the summer it is often jammed with visitors who come to enjoy free music concerts and performances by local actors. The Romanesque architecture, as seen in the Hôtel de Ville (town hall) immediately beside the square, lends the area an imposing air.
Place Jacques-Cartier & Place de la Dauversière

Two famous names in Canadian history have beautiful squares directly across from each other. Place Jacques-Cartier (see Place Jacques-Cartier, Montréal) celebrates the French discoverer of Canada (see Jacques Cartier), while Place de la Dauversière honors Jerome le Royer, Sieur de la Dauversière of La Flèche in Anjou, France. Dauversière was the Royal Tax Collector whose idea it was to build a colony here, eventually called Ville-Marie.
Place Jacques-Cartier, Montréal

The magnetic center of VieuxMontréal, this square offers a variety of stores, clubs and restaurants, whilst being enlivened by street performers and horsedrawn calèche rides. This is a wonderful spot to arrange meetings, take breaks from sightseeing, sit in the sun with a good book or simply people-watch. Look out for an entertaining troupe called the Old Montréal Ghost Trail located just south of the square, who offer tours of the city’s eerier past (see Place Jacques-Cartier & Place de la Dauversière).
Place Royale

In 1642 settlers built a stockade where Montréal was founded (see Place Royale, Montréal).
Place Royale

The site of Nouvelle-France’s first settlement, built by Samuel de Champlain in 1608, has been the hub of the city’s cultural activities throughout its history. Shipbuilders, merchants, clergy and everyday citizens once gathered here to conduct commerce, celebrate harvests, marry, drink and bury their dead. Today, festivals such as Les Fêtes de la Nouvelle-France (see Fêtes de la Nouvelle-France) rekindle the days of the early settlers with theatrical performances incorporating period costumes and traditional music. Don’t miss Église Notre-Dame-des-Victoires with its paintings by Van Dyck depicting French victory over the British in 1690.
Place Royale, Montréal

Montréal’s oldest public square (1657) is located on the site where the city was originally founded in 1642. It features the Pointe-à-Callière museum (see Musée Pointe-à-Callière), a gift shop and outdoor events. The residence of Louis-Hector Callière, a French governor, was also once located here, as was the 19th-century Royal Insurance Building and Montréal’s first Customs House.
Quartier Petit-Champlain

Home to artisans in the 17th century and dockworkers in the 19th century, the houses in this area have now been renovated and adapted into a range of eclectic gift shops, turning what is the oldest part of the city into today’s liveliest quarter. Maple butter, French macramé, and sculpted cherrywood cribs are just a few of the many unusual treats you can purchase here. Along the way you can eat and drink in the bars and cafés lining the pedestrianized streets.