Let's play...Help the Mod. - Quebec?

Angelo

Hey all...

time for me to ask some "location" advice...

I have a whole bunch 'o airline miles just burning a hole in my travel wallet that I need to use before they all expire.

I've been thinking I'm overdue for a return trip to Florence or Paris or Stuttgart but time constraints and the headaches associated with travel these days I decided I'd try Montreal
a) it's close, it's pretty and I can make a "domestic" trip
b) I haven't been to Montreal in 25 years
c) it's like our own little Paris on the North American continent.

So, I'm thinking of flying from LA to somewhere like Vermont
(to maintain "domestic" flight status) and drive over the border and back. This gives me the opportunity to visit two beautiful places.

I thought about Buffalo, NY (for the "Falls" and the concentration of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture) but it may prove a bit too far a drive to Montreal.

Anyone have solid advice about the area and tackling such an outing? Thanks.

wxwax

I hear Quebec is a beautiful historic city, I'd want to shoot there as well.

Angelo

wxwax wrote:

I hear Quebec is a beautiful historic city, I'd want to shoot there as well.

Indeed. I meant Quebec City. That's actually the more "French" city. I don't know why I typed Montreal.

wxwax

Angelo wrote:

Indeed. I meant Quebec City. That's actually the more "French" city. I don't know why I typed Montreal.

Just make sure you program the autopilot correctly!

Never been to Quebec City.

Here's a thread at the other joint that might help you.

Angelo

wxwax wrote:

Here's a thread at the other joint that might help you.

wow, those people are mean!!! I'm glad I spend my days here at the grin

wxwax

Angelo wrote:

wow, those people are mean!!! I'm glad I spend my days here at the grin

wxwax

I stumbled upon this tonight.

Angelo

wxwax wrote:

I stumbled upon this tonight.

Wow, thanks. Those are great.

Well seems this thread has become the "Sid & Angelo Show" because 80 other viewers have not said a word!

Art Scott

it might just be that the other lukers...like me...{i have peeked in 3 or 4 times}...do not have anything to actually add and if they landed upon that other group, and agree with you on their friendliness.....as I do, but see no reason to chime in with those kinda comments

Having never travelled to the C above us I have nothing to offer, so that this brief break from tha Angelo and Wxwax Show is over I will return to the you to the
regularly
scheduled
program.............................................................................:D

Angelo

And we're back from our brief commercial break. I have Sid in studio with me today and we're talking about the Big C, the great Land North, Home of Universal Health Care and specifically traveling to Quebec...

Sid, nice to have you with us. So tell me, which of those trompe-l'oeil images did you like best?

wxwax

Oui.



I like the first one, the dissected house.

Mr. 2H2O

I've travelled to Montreal, Toronto, Edmonton, and Quebec City. For photography, I would recommend Quebec City. You should brush up on your French, some places don't do English there.

- Mike

Angelo

wxwax wrote:

Oui.



I like the first one, the dissected house.

me too


so you think anyone has any suggestions about traveling from Vermont or New Hampshire to Quebec?

Mr. 2H2O

Angelo wrote:

so you think anyone has any suggestions about traveling from Vermont or New Hampshire to Quebec?

Last time I went we drove from Montreal to Quebec - just a straight, raised highway across beautiful countryside.

- Mike

Ann McRae

Hi Angelo

First time viewing this thread, sorry for the delay.

I know we have actual quebecois on this board, so mabe your title needs to be a bit more specific.

I have traveled fom Toronto to Montrel by car and also from Montreal to Quebec by car. However, my last visit there was in 1990, so my info is very dated. My advice would be to travel along the highway on the south side of the river, rather than the large commuter highway - much more charming, if more time consuming.

Montreal is a very modern, chic city. It has a historic area, which is gorgeous. You will be able to get by with English only in downtown Montreal. There will be art and architecture and food oh, the food in Montreal. I think Montreal is more the NA Paris than Quebec City. Quebec City is the 'sleepy cousin'. if you will.

Of course, there will be this plus lots of historic sites in Quebec City as well. Just tune up your french a bit.

Looking at a map, it seems that if you travel through Vermont, it would be natural to travel on the south side of the river to Quebec City.

ann

Angelo

Mike, Ann:

Thank you both for those tips!

Justiceiro

Angelo,

I travel to Quebec about 6 times per year on business. It's a great place- You should definitely take the drive up to Quebec City. The Chateau Frontenac there is a massive 17th century beauty- the natural setting of quebec city is unparalleled. Montreal is OK as far as nature goes, but it doesn't hold a candle to Quebec.

I would hesitate to spend your frequent flier miles to go, however. Montreal itself is an expensive destination, by both buffalo and (closer) Burlington VT are serviced by Jet Blue, and therefore everybody has lower prices. For example, I had to buy A ticket up htere last thursday to fly next tuesday. Montrel was $700 from New York, whereas Burlington was anly $200. With advanced notice it would be cheaper, and the LA-NYC leg of the flight ought to be cheap. It's only 6 hours of a nice drive from NYC anyway. I would save the miles for an expensive destination.

I have never used frequent flyer miles to go to Canada, but I believe it counts as domestic- ask the airlines.

Hell, Thye charged me the same rate to go to Uzbekistan as they normally do to Portugal, so their geographical ideas are a little odd (Apparently, Central Asia is, according to Continental, part of Europe).

One of the nicest places to stay in Montreal are the relatively inexpensive hotels on Sherbrooke West. It's centrally located for walking. I usually stay at the 4 points, but my company pays- I often get it for aboiut $90 per night. there are cheaper options.

eating

My favorite restaurant in montreal itself is a nice place called Chez Levesque (pronounced "le veck"). 1030 Laurier O
Outremont, QC H2V 2K8
Phone: (514) 279-7355
Not too expensive, depending on how the dollar is doing.

The restaurants in the old port are OK, but overpriced. Better french food can be had for cheaper elsewhere.

For breakfast there is a quebecois "chain" called Chez Cora.

If you get outside of Montreal, in Laval's Vieux Sainte Rose section there is a fantastic place in an old house called "le Saint Cristophe". It's pricey. but it is simply the best french food I have evr had in North America, with a nice canadian influence. Elk Steak, with blueberry reduciton, for example. The cheese selection is outstanding.

94, boulevard Sainte-Rose
Laval, QC H7L 1K4
Phone: (450) 622-796

Things to see

top sites are:

The old Port

The shopping and restaurant street of St. Laurent

The city park on an island just south of the city.

The south shore of Montreal has some great old urban areas, including the molson brewery. Lots of side streets, and it is basicaly empty. If you are at the foot of Place Jacques Cartier in the old port, walk west to see some old grain elevators and canal locks.

Also in the south coast areas is a really interesting building "habitat '67"


More info on habitat 67 and its location on wikipedia.

The basilica of Notre Dame has a fantastic blue interior. Tripods are not allowed, and its a tad dark, so you might want to do the "this isn't a monopod, its a walking stick" trick. If you go, check out the secondary chapel in the back. A lot of folks miss it and see the main hall only.

Near the basilica are the law courts. If you are lucky you might see somebody with one of the cool english law wigs on, they still do that up there, and there is a shop for lawyers that sells them.

Sorry if this is a little rambling, I am writing stuff as I remember it.

If you are, again, at the foot of place Jacques Cartier, you can walk east instead of west, and there is a church with a statue of mary stella maris on top, that faces the sea.

At the head of Jacques Cartier are some great government buildings. If you continue walking north yher is a little park with the ramins of the city walls.

That's all I can rmemember at the moment. Ot's a nice place, you'll hav fun.

Angelo

Wow, great post, thanks.

I'll be back shortly to comment further!

ChatKat

Montreal and Quebec
Hi Angelo,

I was in Montreal and Quebec City in 2003 and I highly recommend it. We actually flew Montreal/Chicago/LAX on American Airlines for routing. The bad part was the Montreal/Chicago because we flew on the commuter jet and all the hand luggage had to be gate checked.

As far as sites to see and places to stay, we stayed at the Ritz Carlton in West Sherbrooke. Now you might think expensive, but, we only paid $135 CDN per night and had breakfast too and the hotel was magnficent, a great location. We walked EVERYWHERE and there was so much to photograph. I highly recommend the Place du Jacques Cartier and the City Park, the port area was pretty nice. We did do the back room at the Notre Dam Cathedral as well.

In Quebec City, we did the steps (the name escapes me) and the funicular, the old city and the new. The light that far north is quite special. You won't lack for things to point your lens at!

On the travel boards, I know several people who have taken the Amtrak Train from NYC to Quebec City - It 's a full day, but scenic. More than that, I can't tell you

Oh - I am editing in that we also saw Ile de Orleans and MontMorency Falls in Quebec. And the thing to eat there is the Smoked Meat 9Montreal) - I will have to remember the name of the place to eat it. And the Chateau Fronteneac is exquisite and a great place to have tea - near the old City

Justiceiro

Keep in mind Angelo that the Canadian dollar ain't what it was in 2003. I think it was .60 US to $1 American. Now its almost at parity. Canada is expensive these days.

Angelo

Justiceiro wrote:

Keep in mind Angelo that the Canadian dollar ain't what it was in 2003. I think it was .60 US to $1 American. Now its almost at parity. Canada is expensive these days.

The US dollar is so weak, EVERYWHERE is expensive.

blalor

So, Angelo, did you ever make the trek up to Quebec City? Spurred by this thread, I'm putting together a little vacation for my girlfriend and myself around President's Day. We'll catch the end of the Winter Carnival and spend a couple of days taking in the sights.

Angelo

No, I visited NYC and several points in CA instead, although I still plan on visiting QC in the near future.

Moni

When you do go to Quebec City, take a look at the history of the place.
Dunno if you know anything about Canadian history but Quebec is full of it.
The most important (historical) place is the Plains of Abraham where Gen Wolfe defeated Montcalm -- the British defeating the French and resulting in Quebec being a province of French in a country of English (to put it simply). This battle is still discussed today, and continues to be a sore spot, although it took place in 1759. Some believe the Quebec license plates that say "Je me souviens" or "I remember" refers to the battle although experts can't agree on what it really means.
The aftermath of the battle also established the country as one of accommodation and compromise. We may not all get along all the time but we try.
I always found the most interesting thing about this battle was that both Wolfe and Montcalm died in it.
There is a really cool diorama of it in the War museum in Ottawa.

I haven't been to Quebec City in many years but it is lovely.
Hope you enjoy it when you go.

Aviator327

Having flown in and out of Buffalo for the past 23 years with the airlline, it can get pretty nasty during the winter months. I remember one year, me and my flight crew got stuck there for five days due to the "Lake Effect" snow Buffalo gets. 35" of snow in two days.