5 Ways to See Quebec City’s Great Outdoors

Quebec City is a fantastic city for outdoor lovers in the summertime.  During our visit, we had the fortune of good weather and sunny days most of the trip.  So, here’s our top 5 favorite ways to take advantage of Quebec’s sights.

#1 – Take a stroll in Old Quebec City

 

For those who want to get to know the historic part of Quebec City, the Plains of Abraham is the perfect place to start.  This was a notable battlefield during the French and Indian War, but now it forms an urban park within Quebec City.  Like New York’s City’s Central Park, the Plains are closed to traffic, which make them perfect for a morning run or family stroll in the outdoors.

After enjoying the numerous gardens, statues, and the Martello towers, we walked over to the Citadel.  This historical fort is strategically located at the highest point along the river.  You can take in the views of the St. Lawrence for miles up and down river on a clear day.  There’s also a wide trail encircling the perimeter of the fort, so we set off down the path to admire the centuries-old structure.   

Just beyond the Citadel, we found ourselves on the promenade in Old Quebec City next to the Chateau Frontenac. This magnificent 5-star hotel is actually a UNESCO World Heritage site.  After taking lots of photos, we walked into Old Quebec and were swept in by it’s European charm.  With steep, narrow streets and intimate restaurants, it was the perfect spot to end our tour with a cup of coffee or ice cream cone.

#2 – Visit Montmorency Falls and climb the stairs 

Montmorency Falls is just 15km east of Old Quebec City, and it boasts a waterfall that’s 100 feet taller than Niagara Falls.  Entering the park at the top, you can walk across the suspension bridge that spans the precipice where falls drop off.  

This upper route allows you to see the Montmorency River, where the water crests, and the sheer plunge on the opposite side.  The park also has two zip lines set up across the upper portion of the falls for people who want the thrill of gliding over the 272 foot drop (um, no thanks, I’m fine right here…).

Once you’ve taken in the waterfall from above, venture over to the stairs leading down to the river basin below.  We saw several kids trying to count the stairs during their descent.  I’m not sure any of them got the correct answer, but there’s definitely more than 400 of them.  From the bottom, you can cool off by getting drenched trying to take a selfie with the falls as your backdrop.  

It’s also worth looking back up the stairs along the rock cliff.  You’ll be impressed with distance you just walked down.  For those too discouraged by this sight to walk back up to their parking spot, there’s gondola cable car that will take you back up to the top of the falls.  Otherwise, time to start climbing…

#3 – Enjoy the Trans Canada Trail

 

The Trans Canada Trail (now referred to as the Great Trail) is the longest recreational path in the world at 24,000 kilometers long.  The trail runs through the city and along the St. Lawrence River, providing the Quebecois (and us) with a superb paved path with endless water views.  

This is a multi-use trail, shared by walkers, joggers, cyclists, and even some smaller motorized wheelchairs.  I found it incredibly inspiring to see people of all ages and levels of mobility out on the trail during our visit.  Despite the many approaches people took to enjoy the trail, it never felt crowded or chaotic that way other urban multi-use paths can (I’m looking at you, George Washington Parkway).  

We opted to bring our bikes with us to Montmorency Falls so we could get on the trail after lunch.  Cycling west back toward the city through the littoral corridor, we had the picturesque Chateau Frontenac in the distance for much of the ride.  Our portion of the trail was almost perfectly flat and made for the perfect afternoon adventure.   We also had a bonus stop in the a park called Domaine de Maizerets, were we got to work our way through an enormous hedge maze.

#4 – Run the trails in Parcs des Chutes-de-la-Chaudière

 

This destination is actually two separate parks lining either side of the Chaudière River.  They’re just south of Quebec City, in the town of Lévis.

The scenic waterfall running between the parks draws visitors to watch the water spilling over the dam and onto the rocks below.  The parks are also connected by a very long suspension footbridge over the river gorge.  It’s a bouncy adventure making your way across the bridges, particularly if you have an 11 year old running to the other end.

If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you can opt to take a series of wooden staircases down to the riverbed below the dam.  We saw several different types of rock jutting up at extreme angles and there were small pools of water with little fish and water creatures.  There were even some adventurous fisherman down there casting a line and hoping to catch the unsuspecting fish swimming upstream toward the dam.

Both parks have great running and walking trails in them, which I previously blogged about in another post HERE.  The path also ties into the Trans Canada Trail if you want a longer adventure.  

#5 – Hike or raft in Jacques Cartier National Park

If you have a car during your visit to Quebec, we’d strongly encourage you to head about 30 minutes north of the city and discover Jacques Cartier National Park.  

We loved this park so much, we took two separate trips there.  One to hike the mountains, and the other to kayak in the Jacques Cartier River.  

The hiking is plentiful in the park, and the park provides a brochure with 15 of their recommended hikes.  Some are easy and well suited for all ages, like 1.7 km walk through a delta teeming with wildlife in wetlands habits.  Others are much more challenging, like the extremely steep 11 km loop we did that provided us with the most rewarding views of the valley and river below.

If water sports are more your pace, the park has several guided and independent river runs.  You can rent rafts, canoes, kayaks, and inner tubes to head downriver from various points.  There’s even a section of flat water where you can rent standup paddle boards and work on your balance before taking a swim in river.

So now that you have our list of our top 5 outdoor adventures in Quebec…what are you waiting for?  Get outdoors!