Quebec is a charmer

The ambience and history of an old world city are easy to take

Author: By Jan Shepherd, Globe Staff

Date: SUNDAY, April 13, 1997

Page: M13

Section: Travel

From northern Vermont, it's an easy drive to the province's major cities: Montreal and Quebec City. I had visited Montreal several times, so I chose the provincial capital of Quebec City and its environs. With a longer stay, I could have made it to Montreal because the two cities are about 2 1/2 hours apart via major highways.

Quebec City is not a secret waiting to be discovered, but despite tourist-mecca status, it's an easy place to spend time soaking up history and ambience, particularly in the oldest part known as Vieux-Quebec (Old Town).

Before I went, I should have brushed up on North American history -- the French, British, and Dutch colonists fought over who would control the New World, before and after our Revolution. The historic Plains of Abraham battlefield here is the most visible example of where British and French troops clashed; the British victory meant control of the region and consolidation of Canada, a victory that sowed the seeds of today's French separatist movement. From this part of Canada, the British sent troops into Vermont and New Hampshire, trying to thwart the American colonies' war of independence. After the colonies finally overthrew the British, Benedict Arnold attempted an invasion of Quebec to claim the region for the United States.

Following the European tradition of walled towns, Vieux-Quebec is defined by its original fortifications and narrow, winding steep streets, the steepness the result of its location on a huge promontory overlooking the St. Lawrence River. If you drive into Old Quebec, the best advice is to park your car and then move around on foot.

The city's charm immediately takes over. Part of that charm is its scale -- no skyscrapers inside the walls -- and the Old World atmosphere. Because French is the official language here and in the rest of the province, you sometimes forget you're so close to home. Shopkeepers greet you in French, restaurants offer table d'hote (full dinners at a set price), the street chatter is lyrical. The sidewalk cafes and sidewalk artists add to the French-style ambience.

It's definitely a walking city. People are everywhere, crowding the terrace to get a view of the river, angling for tables at the cafes, crowding the alleyway of Rue de Tresor to see artists' paintings and etchings.

The old city is in two sections: the upper part and the lower. It's a steep walk from one section to the other, so pace yourself, particularly when climbing up the multi-levels of steps. (The funicular/cable car that traditionally operated between the lower city and the upper terrace has been closed since an accident last fall. When we went to press, there was no set date on when a new cable car system would open.)

Quebec City traces its roots to French explorer Jacques Cartier, who first visited the site in 1535, but it wasn't until 1608 that a permanent settlement was established by Samuel de Champlain in the lower section of the area known as Place Royale. For much of its 20th-century life, it was a rundown, undesirable section despite historic landmarks such as the Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, but during the last 20 years, the old stone buildings have been restored and converted into art galleries, cafes, antique shops. The Museum of Civilization is the most modern addition, designed in 1984 by famous Montreal architect Moshe Safdie who created a building that looks like a modern interpretation of its neighbors.

The expansive waterfront is home to cruise ships, sightseeing boats, and a ferry to Levis, a community across the river. Hop on the latter to get an inexpensive and quick view of the city of stone.

The lower section's oldest historic building is Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, built in 1688. In the square outside the church sits a bust of France's King Louis XIV, a.k.a. the Sun King, who reigned when France was colonizing in the New World. The Quebec province was part of New France, a colony stretching to the Gulf of Mexico, some of which it held onto even after losing its control in Canada. In 1803, France sold land to the United States via the Louisiana Purchase, and with that deal the US government gained control of the Missisippi River Valley, including New Orleans, basically ending France's role in the New World.

Champlain, the founder of the original Quebec settlement, is represented in the upper city by a statue overlooking the river, a fitting view of what he started in 1608 and struggled to develop until his death in 1635 as he sought to expand French colonization. Britain and Holland were the other powers in the New World, but it was the French and British who finally faced off in a deciding battle here, on the Plains of Abraham lying just east of the walled city and part of the 250-acre National Battlefields Park.

It was here on Sept. 13, 1759, when British troops defeated the French in a 20-minute battle in which both commanders -- Wolf for the British and Montcalm for the French -- were killed. With the defeat, the French were no longer a power in the New World, although our forefathers would later use French support to help 13 colonies win independence from Britain.

A monument commemorates the two commanding generals at Governors Park, near the Chateau Frontenac, the Old Town's landmark hotel built in 1893. The monument's Latin inscription describes what Wolf and Montcalm had in common, inluding death. For all Canadians, the Battle of Abraham is as important in their history as our Revolution. Today, it's obvious that many French descendants are still trying to rid themselves of British rule by calling for secession-separation from Canada, a rallying cry for the separatist Parti Quebecois.

The battlefield is a special place to visit, especially if you're interested in military history. The key fighting sites are marked; several viewing points overlook the river. It's so peaceful now that it's a shame it preserves bloody memories.

The province remains the most French of all Canadian provinces, and even though the separatism is a divisive issue, it's the French language and food that give the most continental feelng to a getaway here. But unlike some European French, I found most people in the city to be extremely friendly, helpful even when my limited French vocabulary failed me. In addition, one can enjoy wonderful French and Quebecois-style meals at a lot less than you would spend in Paris or even Boston because the US dollar is strong against the Canadian dollar.

My favorite streets were in the lower city, Rue St. Paul and Rue St. Pierre, because they were the least touristy and had numerous art galleries specializing in Canadian artists, antiques shops, and small, stylish cafes and restaurants. The upper city has several points of interest including Chateau Frontenac, which has probably been painted as many times as Rcokport's Motif No. 1. A room in the main lobby is like a mini-museum: memorabilia from the 1893 opening, photographs of famous people who have stayed or dined there, original lavish furnishings.

The upper city also has a Notre Dame church that features a multimedia show. Another historic church, Trinity, has a summer-fall open air craft market in its courtyard.

If you can't travel here in the warm spring and summer months, know that things start to wind down in late fall as the colder days set in, and even when winter arrives the locals don't hibernate -- ice skating and a sled run are set up behind the Frontenac. A major ski area -- Mont Ste-Anne Ski Area -- is an easy drive (about 60 minutes in good weather) from the city. In addition, the city breaks out of any winter doldrums with its famous winter carnival in February.