traveldk.com

This striking modern building, married with the more ancient Place Royale setting, vibrates with activity throughout the year, as visitors digest one cultural exhibition treat after another on display inside and outside this museum (see Musée Pointe-à-Callière).

From the 31st floor of the Capital Observatory you can enjoy spectacular views of the entire region. Adding to the experience are the taped interpretation guides offering information about the city in French, English and Spanish. Many city tours begin or end here.

This historic area of the province, west of Montréal, was not settled by white men until the early 19th century, and it remains a largely undeveloped region of lakes and forests. Don’t miss Oméga Safari Park, just outside Montebello with its 1,500 acres inhabited by roaming bison, wapitis, black bear, boar and wolves, then continue on to the Parc National de Plaisance along the Ottawa River, to see flocks of Canada geese. In Montebello itself Manoir Louis-Joseph-Papineau is a 19th-century home filled with a collection of antiques and local artifacts.

Founded in 1695, this area, meaning “beyond the mountain”, is the predominantly French-speaking wealthy residential quarter. It features some of the most luxurious mansions in the city, and the main thoroughfares of avenue Laurier and rue Bernard west of avenue du Parc are peppered with expensive fashion boutiques, exclusive hair salons, and hip eateries serving a clientele more akin to Paris than North America. Don’t miss one of the country’s finest fromageries (cheese-makers), Fromagerie Yannick or the rich cakes at Pâtisserie de Gascogne. The area is one of the few areas in the city where you can actually get lost due to the meandering streets, so keep a mental note of your route.

When the first settlers crossed the Atlantic and sailed up the St Lawrence River to this virgin area, they were greeted by the sight of these powerful waterfalls, which, at 83 m (272 ft), are higher than Niagara. Ride the cable car to the top and visit Manoir Montmorency (1781), with its interpretation center, boutiques, restaurant and terrace with a view of the action. Other vantage points are also scattered about the park (see Montmorency Falls).

More than 50,000 years ago the Wisconsin Glacier started to melt giving birth to the Coaticook Lake and then this river, which dug a cavernous gorge. It now attracts visitors to the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the world (see Parc de la Gorge de Coaticook).

This park, set around a 50-m(165-ft) gorge, offers hiking trails, horse riding, as well as skiing in winter (see Parc de la Gorge de Coaticook).

Located inside a former jail now called the Baillairgé Pavilion, the Battlefields Park Interpretation Center presents an inventive agenda to illustrate one of North America’s most historic sites. The highlight is a multimedia show recounting the battles of 1759 and 1760 that took place here, leading to a French defeat by the British (see Moments in History). An imposing mural by Québec artist Aline Martineau also illustrates the establishment of the park in the 1930s and how it has changed over the 20th century (see Parc des Champs-de-Bataille, Québec City).

This national park is one of Québec’s most beautiful natural monuments. Steep slopes, beautiful natural surroundings, and the unusual course of the Malbaie river make this site unique. The point where the river valley takes a sharp 90-degree turn is a protected UNESCO area. Walk through the valley or in the summer, join a guided cruise along the calm waters. You can also stay at the park overnight.