Chateau Frontenac and the Fortifications of the Citadel. (Photo by Luc-Antoine Couturier)

By Dave Zuchowski
CNHI News Service

After an all-night cruise on the St. Lawrence from Montreal, the Maasdam slipped into its berth in Old Port Quebec so silently that I slept through the entire docking maneuver.

Awakened by an announcement over the loud speaker by Captain James Russell-Dunford about our arrival in our cruise’s first port of call, I hurriedly dressed, grabbed a quick cup of java and headed out to renew acquaintance with Quebec City’s antique core, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a place I hadn’t revisited for six years.

After a casual stroll through Basse-Ville (the quaint lower section of town), I caught the funicular to the Place d’Armes, with a spectacular view of the St. Lawrence in one direction and the Haute-Ville (upper section) in the other. Still majestic in spite of restoration work being done on its turreted roof, the 618-room Hotel Frontenac, is the city’s most familiar landmark and dominates the skyline.

After a hurried walk past the gorgeous hotel and through Haute Ville, I hastened to reach the Citadel in time for the 10 a.m. changing of the guard.

The 45-minute ceremony by the Royal 22nd Regiment, the only Francophone infantry regiment in the CF Regular Forces, is colorful, carefully choreographed and includes the regimental band and regimental mascot, Batisse, a well behaved goat and a descendant of one presented to Queen Elizabeth II in 1955.

Since its founding in 1608, Quebec City, 600 miles up the St. Lawrence from the Atlantic, has been under siege six times. To protect the town, settlers built 4.6 kilometers of stone walls, much of which still exists today as do the four gates that lead through the fortification walls.

Following the defeat of the French by the British in 1754 on the Plains of Abraham, a plateau just outside the walls of the Old City, the British were determined to safe guard their new colony and, in 1820, began construction of the star-shaped Citadel, which proved to be the largest British fortress in North America.

The Citadel remains an active military installation. However, guided tours open to the public are offered daily and tell about the history of the fortress, including the American attacks in 1775, and the development of the fortifications and buildings.

After my tour, I roamed through the Citadel Museum whose collections and artifacts are located in an old 1750 French gunpowder magazine and an 1842 military prison.

One relates the succession of different regimes in Quebec City, and the other focuses more on the battle exploits and peacekeeping missions of members of the Royal 22nd Regiment.

The museum’s collection of over 12,000 artifacts include medals and insignia, uniforms, weaponry and fine and decorative arts, donated mostly by members of the Royal 22nd Regiment and their families, as well as other Canadian or foreign military personnel and civilians.

Since 1872, the Citadel has also been home for part of the year to the Governor General of Canada. The residence is located in a two-story Neoclassical building as part of the 1831 Officer’s Barracks.

Public tours of the residence include a look at the State Room, Dining Room, Ballroom and modern Sun Room.

Just outside the Citadel, Parliament Hill is dominated by the provincial National Assembly, whose architecture is particularly stunning when floodlit at night. Nearby, the beautiful Grande Allee is the Champs Elysee of Quebec with outdoor cafes, restaurants and beautiful architecture. Come evening, the Allee is a center of night life with a string of restaurants, bars and nightclubs.

Something I wish I’d have had time for during my visit is a look at the world’s largest video projection, screened on the huge Bunge grain elevators on Quebec’s waterfront. Created for Quebec City’s 400th anniversary, the projections are free to the public and offered Tuesday through Saturday from the end of June to the beginning of September.

Fortunately, I was able to watch some of the projections at home on my computer by googling Christie Videos and clicking on the Quebec 400th anniversary link.

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Dave Zuchowski is a travel writer for CNHI News Service. Contact him at owlscribe@yahoo.com.

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If You’re Going For more information on Quebec, phone 418-641-6654 or visit website www.quebecregion.com.