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Two nights QC?


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Just asking opinions....again.  Would you do two nights precruise before the cruise leaving out of Quebec City?  Or do you think that is a bit much with having an overnight before sailing anyway?  The airfare is $130 cheaper leaving for the two night precruise and I get the hotel for free using points.  But is there enough for me to do?

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There is lots to see and do in and around Quebec. Rent a car and drive around Ile D'Orleans and/or the Beaupre area.

Take a tour of Quebec City (walking or horse and buggy). There are various themed tours. Walk around on your own exploring historic buildings, shops, cafes, etc. Take a tour in the Chateau Frontenac hotel.

 

There are some wonderful restaurants. Enjoy a different on each evening.

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Just to be totally clear here - you're genuinely asking if there is enough to do to keep you busy for three days in Quebec City?

 

It's going to be really hard to answer here without sounding facetious or condescending but I'll do my best - yes. A thousand times yes! Go to your nearest library and find a guidebook - doesn't matter if it's a decade or more out of date, most of the best stuff in Quebec has been around for at least a century so only entry prices change. Hit up TripAdvisor to see what the most popular things to do are among Joe Q Public, read your way down the extensive listings and start your own list of which seem best to you.


Three days in almost ANY city you can be running around like the proverbial blue-*rsed fly from dawn 'til dusk - Quebec has literally more continuous history from a eurocentric colonial perspective than anywhere else in North America; it's the only walled city on the continent; it has churches and museums and art galleries; plenty of restos & shopping - Quebec still has a pretty active fashion sector, designing & making clothes that can be hard to find elsewhere in Canada let alone in the US or further abroad but are readily found in some of the boutiques of Quebec City and Montreal; and if for some insane reason you get bored in the city proper you can take short trips out into the surrounding countryside to see waterfalls, mountains, and if it's an autumn cruise better leaf-peeping than you'll get if you just restrict yourself to the cruise.

 

Take the earlier flight!!!

Edited by martincath
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We had no trouble deciding to fly in on the Friday night before our (Oct Snowbird) cruise leaves on Tuesday after an over night on Monday. Really looking forward to being in this new (to us) port city.

 

Quick question: We're staying at Auberge Place d' Armes should arrive at the hotel around 6-7pm..is there anything close by to get an easy bite to eat that first night...nothing fancy just basic...we'll be tired after all day flight from the west coast.

Edited by Ashland
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2 hours ago, Ashland said:

We had no trouble deciding to fly in on the Friday night before our (Oct Snowbird) cruise leaves on Tuesday after an over night on Monday. Really looking forward to being in this new (to us) port city.

 

Quick question: We're staying at Auberge Place d' Armes should arrive at the hotel around 6-7pm..is there anything close by to get an easy bite to eat that first night...nothing fancy just basic...we'll be tired after all day flight from the west coast.

Your hotel has a Brasserie on-site (Chez Jules) which stays open until 10pm for dinner. While it looks like a slightly-fancy menu, there are some excellent, simple, comfort-food items buried in the lingo: croque-monsieur = grilled cheese & ham sammich; braised beef cheek a la bourguignonne = beef casserole on mashed taters; and ravioli doesn't really need de-Frenchifying 😉

 

If the 'seven hour lamb' they list is the same core recipe as the one I make (ask if they add anchovies) then that's just the sort of thing that works beautifully on a crisp Fall evening, simple and filling but richly-flavoured.

 

Lapin Saute is pretty close if you take the Funicular down, or a rather more roundabout walk if you don't, but has been one of my consistent 'go to' restos in QC: as the name suggests they are big on serving bunnies, in various forms, but they do have non-rabbit options and cook until after 10pm on Fridays. Menus on the website don't seem to have an English translation, but Google can do it for you if you want to check things out in detail - they also have a fancy grilled cheese, the duck lasagne is great, but I can never say no to the cassoulet at dinner time (the bunny & duck & bacon version!), which is to me one of the ultimate comfort food plates.

 

If you want actual fast food, there's a Mickey D's (they were not allowed to use the typical corporate design on the exterior, so it's about the classiest McDs you'll find anywhere!) a short walk away - but I'd rather push a local popular spot, Chez Gaston, for poutine (open until 4am so even if your flight is suuuuuuuuper late it'll work - no website, they're a total hole-in-the-wall spot, but they do have a Facebook page - but they are about a mile away, so good if you feel like stretching your legs but too far if you just want to stumble inside somewhere really close).

 

In general I tend to be more of a 'hit the fancy places' diner when in Quebec so that's about all I can suggest with any degree of confidence close to your hotel; @Twickenham doesn't seem to have been on for a few days but might have more suggestions on their return; and hopefully a few other past cruisers might recall some restos for you. The area right around your hotel does have a somewhat deserved rep as a 'roll the sidewalks mid-evening' kind of area, especially outside Summer, but you don't need to go very far to find plenty of kitchens still serving until at least 10pm - and if your flight is roughly on time you'll find that the only places that won't be serving are the 'daytime only' diner/cafe/bakery type spots.

Edited by martincath
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10 hours ago, martincath said:

Your hotel has a Brasserie on-site (Chez Jules) which stays open until 10pm for dinner. While it looks like a slightly-fancy menu, there are some excellent, simple, comfort-food items buried in the lingo: croque-monsieur = grilled cheese & ham sammich; braised beef cheek a la bourguignonne = beef casserole on mashed taters; and ravioli doesn't really need de-Frenchifying 😉

 

If the 'seven hour lamb' they list is the same core recipe as the one I make (ask if they add anchovies) then that's just the sort of thing that works beautifully on a crisp Fall evening, simple and filling but richly-flavoured.

 

Lapin Saute is pretty close if you take the Funicular down, or a rather more roundabout walk if you don't, but has been one of my consistent 'go to' restos in QC: as the name suggests they are big on serving bunnies, in various forms, but they do have non-rabbit options and cook until after 10pm on Fridays. Menus on the website don't seem to have an English translation, but Google can do it for you if you want to check things out in detail - they also have a fancy grilled cheese, the duck lasagne is great, but I can never say no to the cassoulet at dinner time (the bunny & duck & bacon version!), which is to me one of the ultimate comfort food plates.

 

If you want actual fast food, there's a Mickey D's (they were not allowed to use the typical corporate design on the exterior, so it's about the classiest McDs you'll find anywhere!) a short walk away - but I'd rather push a local popular spot, Chez Gaston, for poutine (open until 4am so even if your flight is suuuuuuuuper late it'll work - no website, they're a total hole-in-the-wall spot, but they do have a Facebook page - but they are about a mile away, so good if you feel like stretching your legs but too far if you just want to stumble inside somewhere really close).

 

In general I tend to be more of a 'hit the fancy places' diner when in Quebec so that's about all I can suggest with any degree of confidence close to your hotel; @Twickenham doesn't seem to have been on for a few days but might have more suggestions on their return; and hopefully a few other past cruisers might recall some restos for you. The area right around your hotel does have a somewhat deserved rep as a 'roll the sidewalks mid-evening' kind of area, especially outside Summer, but you don't need to go very far to find plenty of kitchens still serving until at least 10pm - and if your flight is roughly on time you'll find that the only places that won't be serving are the 'daytime only' diner/cafe/bakery type spots.

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply...sounds good except for the "bunny" suggestion 🐰

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