Quebec Turning Big 400

Celebrating History With '08 Festivities

What city is the French speaking capital of the Western Hemisphere?

What is the only walled city in North America - outside Mexico?

What historic city center was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985?

And, What city is marking its 400th anniversary with a 10 month long celebration in 2008?

The answer to each of these questions is -- Quebec City, Canada.

Discovered by French explorer Jacques Cartier in 1535 on an expedition to find a passage to China and the treasures to be found there, it's easy to see why this spot was later chosen as the site for a permanent settlement. It's located several hundred miles from the Atlantic Ocean at a point where the St. Lawrence River narrows and is joined by the St. Charles River with its plentiful supply of fresh water. A high promontory with sheer stone cliffs dropping to the rivers allowed for defense of the city and control of river traffic.

Kebec - an Algonquin word meaning "where the river narrows"- was settled by Samuel de Champlain and 32 colonists in 1608 as a fur trading post. They built a fortified structure they named the "Habitation" on the flats along the riverbank at the base of Cap Diamant and the city was born.

This location became the center for exploration of the interior continent, with one pair of historical names especially well known in the Midwest. Louis Joliet, a trader and "hydrographer," was commissioned to map the northern part of the Mississippi River and Father Jacques Marquette, a Catholic missionary, was asked to be chaplain for the expedition. Their 2,500-mile journey took them across Lake Michigan and along the Fox, Wisconsin, Illinois and Mississippi Rivers as far south as the mouth of the Arkansas River. Louis Joliet's home in Quebec City's Petit-Champlain Quartier still stands and has been recycled into the base station for the funicular.

New France prospered as a result of the exportation of furs and lumber and its strategic position became a prize in the struggle between France and England for control of the region. Because of the two countries repeated conflicts in the early 18th Century residents moved to the Upper City and the three mile long stone wall was built encircling Cap Diamant to help secure the city. Ultimately, Quebec fell to Britain in 1759 and The Paris Treaty of 1763 ceded all French holdings east of the Mississippi and in Canada to England. Eleven years later the English Parliament passed The Quebec Act giving this English colony administrative control of all lands west of the Appalachian Mountains and north of the Ohio River -- another item on the long list of grievances the 13 "American" Colonies had with England.

Quebec was granted a great deal of latitude in its own governance. Language, culture, traditions, and French civil code were officially recognized for use in Quebec, but English law prevailed in criminal matters. Recognition of the Roman Catholic Church in Quebec was also an important factor because Catholics were previously ineligible to hold public office under English law.

All this history sets the stage for what a traveler experiences on a visit to the modern capital of the Province of Quebec. The ambiance of this delightful city transports you to an earlier time and reminders of that past are visible everywhere.

French remains its official language and all laws are passed in French and then translated into English. Most signage is printed first in French and then English and the first language of most of the population is French, though people interacting with travelers are usually bilingual.

The charming 17th Century squares and stone residences of the merchants and traders dominate both the Place-Royale and Quartier Petit-Champlain at the base of Cap Diamant, as well as the walled Old Quebec on its summit. Many of the structures have been converted for use as art galleries, shops, restaurants, and boutique hotels. Some have been restored as museums so we can see what it was like to have lived here hundreds of years ago and others remain private residences.

The winding cobblestone streets still resound with the sound of horse drawn carriages, though now the caleches ferry visitors thru the narrow lanes with the drivers regaling the riders with details of the past.

The changing of the guard at la Citadelle, a low-profile star shaped fortress, continues to take place every clear summer morning at ten o'clock, complete with a parading of the regimental mascot, a goat named Batisse. Currently home to the Canadian Armed Forces' Royal 22nd Regiment, construction for this hill top fort wasn't begun until 1820 -- long after the city was last besieged.

And, the Chateau Fontenac remains the city's landmark silhouette and Canada's best-known hotel. Designed for the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1893, the copper roofed castle has turrets, crenels, towers and parapets and rises from the spot where the 17th Century governor of New France was headquartered.

With half million people now calling Quebec City home, the geographical boundaries of the city spilled outside the walls and down the hill to the north and west many years ago. Because of the hilly terrain there are 29 public outdoor staircases to allow easier access from one level of the city to another. The longest of these is the 398 steps linking the Plains of Abraham to the Cap-Blanc neighborhood.

The Plains of Abraham, where the twenty-minute 1759 battle that changed the history of North America was fought, has been preserved as a public park. It was there that 300,000 people heard a free concert by Paul McCartney in his only American performance of 2008, and where singer and Quebec native, Celine Dion is scheduled in late August.

Many of the 400th anniversary festivities are focused along the waterfront at the Old Port and the new, glass-faced interpretation center, Espace 400e, offers information about daily events, exhibits and presentations.

The Image Mill, conceived and designed by Robert LePage, is one of the most unique multi-projection and sound displays ever created, using 81 grain silos measuring 90 feet high and a total of 1800 feet in length as its screen. With twenty-seven video projectors and 329 speakers, the history of the city comes to life in sight and sound every night thru the end of August.

Other highlights of this year of special activities include an exhibit of art and sculpture from the Louvre Museum of Paris at the Musee des beaux-arts, the New France Festival, the International Festival of Military Bands, the Quebec City Marathon, the Visionaries Garden on the rooftops at the Musee de la civilization, and, the specially designed Cirque du Soleil show honoring their Quebec roots.

When you're tired of being on your feet and want to sit back and relax there are several options you might consider. Dupont Tours offers a variety of bilingual full and half-day tours.

One you might consider is to the 275 foot high Montmorency Falls, the garden Island d'Orleans and the basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre, where each year over a million people visit that world famous shrine.

Another activity you might enjoy is a Croisieres AML cruise on the St. Lawrence River. They offer adventures that range from whale watching in a zodiac and fiord viewing via seaplane to sightseeing cruises and a four-hour love-boat evening with dinner and dancing.

When it comes to food, Quebec is considered a culinary mecca. Sidewalk cafes and bistros abound along rue Saint-Paul in the Old Port; the pedestrian only rue du Petit-Champlain in the lower city; the Grande Allee nicknamed the "Champs ƒlysŽes" of Quebec City; the colorful and Bohemian rue Saint-Jean, where you'll also find the oldest grocery store in North America dating from 1871; and, rue Saint-Joseph in the trendy Saint-Roch area.

It's in Saint-Roch that I found one of the unexpected pleasures of the trip -- a four star Best Western having amenities to compete with the more "upscale" chains. With wi-fi, an indoor pool, hot tub, fitness center and restaurant it provided a very comfortable setting for my stay.

An added bonus of this residential location was that when I ran out of dental floss there was a drug store diagonally across the street, when I wanted to exchange money the bank was two blocks away, and, as I was walking to the harbor I happened on a martial arts presentation on the steps of a neighborhood church.

There is still time to participate in the myriad and diverse activities of Quebec's 400th anniversary celebration. You can discover "The Most European of American Cities" for yourself. It's just two hours away on the recently inaugurated United Airlines non-stop flight from O'Hare -- all you need is a long weekend to become part of the excitement in this time capsule of American history with European overtones.