As I’ve shared before, I’m a big fan of la ville de Québec. Most of my experiences though have revolved around the Old City. And while I still adore (adore … it’s a cognate!) the Chateau Frontenac, le Petit Champlain, and la Place Royale, on a recent trip to the city for a family event, I got to discover a whole new side of the city … When you get out of le vieux Québec (Old Quebec), there is a lot that is nouveau.

We spent our trip to Canada with our cousins. It was the first time we stayed in anyone’s house, and being on the younger side, they live in the hip part of the city. Here are just a few of the great things we discovered on our recent trip.

The Rue St. Joseph

If you like shopping … and dining … the rue St. Joseph (St. Joseph Street) in the lower city is where you’ll want to be. From des vieux livres (old books) to des vêtements d’autrefois (vintage clothing) to la dernière mode (the latest fashion) you can find something for everyone in the boutiques (stores) that line this grand old avenue. In terms of restaurants, you can also find de quoi satisfaire tous les gouts (something for every taste).

Microbrasserie culture

Si vous aimez la bière (If you like beer), there’s never been a better time to visit Québec. There are des microbrasseries (microbrew pubs) popping up all over the city. If you like the new style of hoppy IPA … or if you prefer a non-alcoholic locally made Kombucha, you can find something to quench your thirst on almost every coin de rue (street corner).

Some new music

For your listening pleasure, here are two artists (and three songs) I discovered on our trip representing the sounds of Francophone Canada.

Charlotte Cardin Fous n’importe où (Crazy everywhere)

Jean Leloup Balade à Toronto (Journey to Toronto)

Jean Leloup Je joue de la guitare (I play guitar)

Shopping bis

In last week’s post, I talked about shopping in France. Shopping in Québec can be very similar (The Marché du Vieux Port / The Old Port Market is still one of my favorite destinations!). Here are a few photo from our visit to la boulangerie and to a poissonnerie.

Et pour finir / And finally

I’ve been making regular trips to Québec for almost 20 years. In all that time, I’ve never had poutine (the Québecois specialty of frites, fromage en grains, et de la sauce brune (French fries, cheese curds, and gravy). Well, I can no longer claim ignorance. I have finally had my first poutine … and I can confirm that the cheese really does squeak!

All photos (C) Tim Hildreth, 2019