Quebec City is also known as Quebec. Here are some more interesting Facts About Quebec for you and your kids!
It is found in Quebec, Canada. It is the capital of the province and the second-largest city in the region. Montreal is the capital city of Quebec. You may also be familiar with Newfoundland, Alberta, and Ontario.
Facts About Quebec
1. Quebec is a French-speaking province.
This province’s official language is French. Nearly 80 percent of residents speak French as their first language, and nearly 95% of Quebecers speak French. When you hear the word “Francophone,” it means someone who speaks French as their mother tongue. It is North America’s oldest French-speaking area. Most residents speak English. During my visit, I did not encounter any locals who didn’t speak English.
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2. Quebec City was established in 1608.
Old Quebec is surrounded by fortified city walls and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. This makes it one of my favorite Quebec City facts.
3. The Chateau Frontenac Hotel holds the Guinness World Record for being the most photographed hotel worldwide!
The Chateau Frontenac Hotel was the venue for our conference. Fairmont Hotels currently manages it. The hotel was stunning when I first saw it. It was stunning from the outside as well as the inside. It’s easy to see why it is the most photographed hotel worldwide. If you have the opportunity, plan to stay there.
4. Quebec is home to a lot of maple syrup.
It is a shame that I didn’t know this. Maple syrup is my favorite condiment. I love maple syrup on Belgian waffles, French toast, and pancakes. But I didn’t know that Canada produced 70% of the world’s pure maple syrup. About 90% of that 70% comes from Quebec. Vermont is the main source of maple syrup in the United States. These numbers will give you an idea about how much maple syrup Quebec produces. Quebec produced approximately 7 989 000 gallons of maple syrup in 2010, while Vermont produced around 890,000.
5. Quebec is where poutine was invented.
Although I’ve heard of Poutine in Canada for many years, I have never tried it. It is a Canadian dish that I have seen on American menus, but I was curious to see if it could be found in Canada. Poutine is a Quebec-based dish. It is made up of French fries, gravy, and cheese curds. It doesn’t sound like much, but during the Saint-Roch walking tour in Quebec City, we were able to try it at the first restaurant that offered it-Chez Ashton. It was delicious, and I was surprised to find it tasty! French fries and cheese are my favorite. The gravy didn’t make them soggy. It was comfort food.
6. Quebec is not just French… many people from Ireland live here!
Walking around Old Quebec, I noticed many Irish pubs. I took the photo below right in front of one. After doing some research, Travel and Leisure helped me realize that I was on to something. There is indeed a large Irish community living in Quebec. The 17 century saw the arrival of many French-Irish immigrants to Quebec. According to historians, about 40% of Quebec’s population is Irish.
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7. The largest winter festival is “Carnaval,” the Quebec Winter Carnival Festival.
This festival was attended by 1,000,000 people in 2006, which earned it this distinction.
8. Quebec City boasts close to 30 sets.
It is possible to climb up and down cobblestone streets out of breath. Comfortable walking shoes are a must.
9. In Old Quebec, you can even sleep in a cell of nuns!
In Old Quebec, Augustine nuns founded a hospital in the 1600s. The Hotel-Dieu de Quebec National Historic Site of Canada was the first of its type on the North American continent, north of Mexico. A part of the complex now houses a wellness hotel. My friend from the O.Christine blog, Olivia Christine, stayed in this hotel during the Women in Travel Summit. She wrote about her experience.
10. Paris is known for its Notre-Dame Cathedral, but there’s also the Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Quebec.
It stands for “Our Lady of Quebec City.” This is where you will find the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Rome. It is the oldest among Spanish colonies in New Mexico or Florida. It is a National Historic Site of Canada and a part of Old Quebec’s UNESCO World Heritage Site.
11. Double-check your tee shirts here
I’ve recently enjoyed taking photos of T-shirts in store windows while on vacation. I enjoy reading about the local sayings. The picture was taken in Quebec City while I was there. I loved “Straight out of Quebec.” :-). I don’t speak French, so I didn’t know what the meaning of French sayings meant. My Facebook friends informed me that two of the curse words were, in fact, curse words. After doing some research, I discovered that many Quebec profanities were derived from Catholicism.
They are known as “sacres,” a translation of sacerdotal. French Canadians use the insult “Tabernacle” (derived from tabernacle). It is loosely equivalent to the English “F” word. Calice is the French term for the chalice. Saying “click” alone is equivalent to saying “damn.” “Jen Calice,” which could be translated as “I don’t care a damn” or “I drink my chalice.” These terms can be combined as “Alice de tabernacle.” Now you can swear like a Quebecer.
12. In Quebec City in 1668, Jean-Talon started Canada’s first commercial brewery.
It was known as “La Brasseries du Roi,” French for “the king’s brewery.” There was a shortage of safe drinking water and an excess of grain. In Quebec City and Quebec, the legal drinking age is 18 years old. This compares to 21 in the United States. This is important to remember if you plan a trip for multiple generations.
13. Quebec City has waterfalls.
Montmorency Park’s Montmorency River is where you will find the Montmorency Falls. It is approximately 7.5 miles away from Old Quebec. The falls are approximately 270 feet high, about 100 feet higher than Niagara Falls.
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14. Because I love to travel, I’m ending this post with a fun fact about food. Quebec has its own Shepard’s Pie.
It’s called “Pate chinois,” which means “Chinese pie.” It is not Chinese. There are many theories about how this pie got its name. One theory suggests that Chinese cooks made it for French Canadian workers who built the North American railroads. It was so popular that the French Canadians brought it back to their villages. Although I didn’t get to taste this dish, it is on my wish list for next time.
