Lower Town (Basse-Ville)
Lower Town (Basse-Ville)
4.5
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The location of the city's original settlement, historic Lower Town is situated on the banks of the St. Lawrence.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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Neighbourhood: Downtown Quebec City
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
2,419 reviews
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637
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Michel_Louise_2013
Quebec City, Canada28,288 contributions
Feb 2024 • Friends
Chemin du Foulon, Lower Town of Quebec: This winding street, running along the St. Lawrence River, at the foot of the Sillery cliffs, owes its name to the presence, between the coast of Gignac and the coast of the orchard, of a mill to fulling (action of strongly pressing fibers to give them a firm and dense texture) wool. Built in 1710 by the Seminary of Quebec, it was fed by the Saint-Denys stream, which flowed into the river in a cove called “Anse au Foulon”. This mill would have been used until 1734 and was mainly used for the manufacture of thick fabrics. Lord of our hikes along the Promenade Samuel-de-Champlain from the Quai des Cageaux, we often take the Chemin du Foulon to return to the starting point because there are many old houses there that have retained their style of yesteryear , including the popular Maison des Jésuites (museum).
Written February 15, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helena-Francisco
Quebec, Canada21,491 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
We went walking during the summer of 2023 in the neighborhoods of Petit-Champlain, Place Royale, Batterie Royale, Place FAO as well as the Old Port of Quebec.
Some interesting information:
-Near the cruise terminal at Place des Canotiers, a small room is set up for the summer period and we can watch a short video on the main attractions of Quebec "Discover La Capitale". I find it a great way to discover the attractions of Quebec and to ask questions to the resource person. Take advantage of the Promenade located opposite the river to watch the cruise ships, the Quebec-Lévis ferry and the numerous pleasure boats.
-If you take Dalhousie Street, #103 Dalhousie, you will be able to see the main facade of the old fire station no. 5 which dates from 1912. It is part of Quebec's cultural heritage. During the restoration to accommodate the premises of Ex-Machina, the facade was preserved. Ex-Machina has now moved to Le Diamant, a performance hall). In 2025, the Barracks site will house the Les Gros Becs youth theater.
-The Petit-Champlain district, for its part, is connected to the Côte de la Montagne by the Casse-Cou staircase. This 59-step staircase was first built in 1635. It is the oldest staircase in the city. It was restored several times, including in 1889 by Charles Baillargé, architect-engineer. It is called Casse-Cou staircase because its slope is steep.
-At Quai Chouinard, rue Dalhousie, you can admire a magnificent bust dedicated to Clarence Gagnon (1881-1942). It is the work of sculptor Chanh Trung Truong. Clarence Gagnon is a painter who mainly painted winter scenes and luminous landscapes in the Charlevoix and Quebec region.
Some interesting information:
-Near the cruise terminal at Place des Canotiers, a small room is set up for the summer period and we can watch a short video on the main attractions of Quebec "Discover La Capitale". I find it a great way to discover the attractions of Quebec and to ask questions to the resource person. Take advantage of the Promenade located opposite the river to watch the cruise ships, the Quebec-Lévis ferry and the numerous pleasure boats.
-If you take Dalhousie Street, #103 Dalhousie, you will be able to see the main facade of the old fire station no. 5 which dates from 1912. It is part of Quebec's cultural heritage. During the restoration to accommodate the premises of Ex-Machina, the facade was preserved. Ex-Machina has now moved to Le Diamant, a performance hall). In 2025, the Barracks site will house the Les Gros Becs youth theater.
-The Petit-Champlain district, for its part, is connected to the Côte de la Montagne by the Casse-Cou staircase. This 59-step staircase was first built in 1635. It is the oldest staircase in the city. It was restored several times, including in 1889 by Charles Baillargé, architect-engineer. It is called Casse-Cou staircase because its slope is steep.
-At Quai Chouinard, rue Dalhousie, you can admire a magnificent bust dedicated to Clarence Gagnon (1881-1942). It is the work of sculptor Chanh Trung Truong. Clarence Gagnon is a painter who mainly painted winter scenes and luminous landscapes in the Charlevoix and Quebec region.
Written December 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Helena-Francisco
Quebec, Canada21,491 contributions
Sept 2023 • Couples
We went for a walk in the summer of 2023 in the Petit-Champlain, Place Royale, Batterie Royale, Place FAO and the Old Port of Quebec.
Some interesting information:
-Near the cruise terminal at Place des Canotiers, a small room is set up for the summer period and we can watch a small video on the main attractions of Quebec "Discover La Capitale". I think it's a great way to discover the attractions of Quebec City and ask questions of the contact person. Take advantage of the Promenade facing the river to watch the cruise ships, the Québec-Lévis ferry and the many pleasure boats.
-If you take Dalhousie Street, # 103 Dalhousie, you can see the main facade of the old fire station # 5 which dates from 1912. It is part of the cultural heritage of Quebec City. During the restoration to house the premises of Ex-Machina, the facade was preserved. Ex-Machina is now moved to the Diamond, a performance hall). The Barracks site will house the Les Gros Becs youth theatre in 2025.
-The Petit-Champlain district is connected to the Côte de la Montagne by the Casse-Cou staircase. This 59-step staircase was first built in 1635. It's the oldest staircase in town. It was restored several times including 1889 by Charles Baillargé, architect-engineer. It is called the Casse-Cou staircase because its slope is steep.
-At the quay Chouinard, rue Dalhousie, you can admire a magnificent bust dedicated to Clarence Gagnon (1881-1942). It is the work of sculptor Chanh Trung Truong. Clarence Gagnon is a painter who painted mainly winter scenes and bright landscapes in the Charlevoix and Quebec City areas.
Some interesting information:
-Near the cruise terminal at Place des Canotiers, a small room is set up for the summer period and we can watch a small video on the main attractions of Quebec "Discover La Capitale". I think it's a great way to discover the attractions of Quebec City and ask questions of the contact person. Take advantage of the Promenade facing the river to watch the cruise ships, the Québec-Lévis ferry and the many pleasure boats.
-If you take Dalhousie Street, # 103 Dalhousie, you can see the main facade of the old fire station # 5 which dates from 1912. It is part of the cultural heritage of Quebec City. During the restoration to house the premises of Ex-Machina, the facade was preserved. Ex-Machina is now moved to the Diamond, a performance hall). The Barracks site will house the Les Gros Becs youth theatre in 2025.
-The Petit-Champlain district is connected to the Côte de la Montagne by the Casse-Cou staircase. This 59-step staircase was first built in 1635. It's the oldest staircase in town. It was restored several times including 1889 by Charles Baillargé, architect-engineer. It is called the Casse-Cou staircase because its slope is steep.
-At the quay Chouinard, rue Dalhousie, you can admire a magnificent bust dedicated to Clarence Gagnon (1881-1942). It is the work of sculptor Chanh Trung Truong. Clarence Gagnon is a painter who painted mainly winter scenes and bright landscapes in the Charlevoix and Quebec City areas.
Automatically translated
Written September 2, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KangKang
Tainan, Taiwan17,915 contributions
Jun 2023 • Family
The lower part of Quebec City is close to the St. Lawrence River, where the French came ashore and settled here in the 17th century. The European-style houses along the narrow stone road are closely adjacent to each other. The appearance has not changed much so far, and it is still full of early European style. In addition, there are many specialty restaurants, shops and buildings with historical value, attracting many people to come here. tour. Compared with the high-ranking officials and nobles in Shangcheng District, this place is filled with the vitality of common people.
Written December 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sebastian_FLBillmar
Sebastian, FL277 contributions
Jun 2023 • Couples
We stayed in the lower part of town in the historic area and were happy that we decided to stay here vs in the upper part of town. There was great restaurants, shopping, accommodations, and the waterfront all nearby. When we wanted to visit "uptown", the funicular or starts were close-by. Our stay here in QC was great and it was a wonderful get away! (and PS no smoke from the wild fire in Nova Scotia).
Written June 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
FlyAtNight
Brooklin, Canada3,642 contributions
Sept 2021
The Lower Town should be on every first time visitor's list of things to do in Québec City. There is so much history in this area which dates back to the early 1600s. Lots of restaurants and beautifully restored buildings. It is easily accessible form the Upper Town on foot, or by the funiculaire. Best of all, it costs nothing to explore this area.
Written October 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Terry M
Hamilton, Canada4,920 contributions
Aug 2022
The Lower Town has no grand chateau nor entry gates. It does provide, however, a more intimate experience. Quartier Petit-Champlain is a gem, a small street lined with shops of great variety. Place Royale is a charming square, anchored by Notre-Dame des Victoires, a church and its foundation rich in history.. Stroll along Rue Notre-Dame for many art shops. Carry on along Rue St Paul for many meal options. Check out the less traveled Rue Saint Pierre for the UNESCO park. Whether you get here from the Upper Town by funicular, steps or the Cote de la Montagne road, it will be a journey well rewarded.
Written August 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thomas V
Oakland, CA18,490 contributions
Jun 2023
We spent a lot of time in this part of town during our stay because there are so many historical attractions here, plus some very good restaurants. There are also lots of tourists, especially when a cruise ship docks nearby. Great place for a long walk. This is where the city was originally settled.
Written June 15, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Michael A
Toronto, Canada636 contributions
Oct 2022
I love old Quebec. The lower town is as spectacular s the upper. Old, grand, but unpretentious bldgs line every street, many conversions to apartments of warehouses and commercial bldgs give the old lower town a new sense of place, of neighbourhood, and liveability. Wonderful place to stay, stroll, eat, and daydream.
Written October 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Margaret H
5 contributions
Feb 2020
We didn't make the journey until later in the trip and missed out It was very cool. We loved the old buildings, even in the freezing cold. It felt like we had traveled back in time especially since there were few tourists out and about. It is well worth the trip.
Written February 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Works great! Much better than walking.
Written October 22, 2019
Hi, I'm planning to visit this old town, but mainly want to visit the drama scene places....^0^. One day trip is it enough?
Written July 19, 2019
You can surely view lots in the Old Quebec City in one day. But keep in mind you won't be able to see everything.
Written July 23, 2019
What is the best way to get from Hotel 71 to the airport?
Written September 19, 2018
What is the best way to get from Hotel 71 to the airport?
Written September 19, 2018
A cab is easiest but there is fast link train as well but we used taxi it is a fixed fare
Written September 19, 2018
What are the best things to do in four days n Quebec in the rain?
Written June 3, 2016
Don't let the rain (or snow) deter you.
The city, with its narrow streets and cobblestones, and hilliness becomes a reflective canvas, with sparkles of light from many sources. It can be quite magical to be out and about.
Written June 5, 2016
Yes and u can take your car on it. Also there is an awesome French market for lunch several good restaurants and an amazing ice cream place. The town is call Levi. But less well spoken English on that side. No tourists. More locals
Written October 19, 2015
Is it easy to use the public transportation around Quebec City, I plan to take the bus, my hotel is 4 miles away from old quebec
Written July 31, 2015
Transportatiob by public bus in Quebec City is very easy to use. I suggest you buy one of the daily or multi-day card passes so you have the freedom of taking any bus without worrying about using coins to pay for the bus fare.Google maps helps with recommendation for the best bus routes between points you want to visit.
Written July 31, 2015
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