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 What better time to visit Québec City than when it is enjoying a summer-long celebration!
Throughout 2008, celebrations will take place in and around Québec City commemorating its founding by Samuel de Champlain in 1608.
When Samuel de Champlain chose to settle at Kebec (“where the river narrows” in Algonquin), he would have had no idea of what the future held for what is now the beautiful, historic Québec City, Canada. In 1985, Old Québec became the first North American urban center to be listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Celebrating its 400th anniversary in 2008, Québec City has preserved it glorious past while fashioning its unique brand of modernity.
A year after its founding, in 1609, the French writer Marc Lescarbot wrote, “We should go to Canada, land of avid and enterprising people desirous of bringing honor to themselves through actions that are as extraordinarily beautiful as they are difficult to carry out.”
Summer in Québec City will be one long birthday party. July 3rd will commemorate the day of the founding of Québec City and will lead to two more days of wall-to-wall festivities. Many major events will take place at Bassin Louise around the Old Port. This site will also be the focal point, as well as meeting point, for visitors to explore and orientate themselves. Don’t miss Espace 400e and its major exhibition “Passengers” as well as the Image Mill, the world’s largest architectural projection and multimedia show, which will play for 40 nights from June 20 to July 29.
Much of Québec, including Baie de Beauport, Pointe a Carcy and Anse Brown, has seen embellishments, making the city look better than ever. A walk along the St. Lawrence River on the new Promenade is probably the best vantage point to take it all in.
The magic of Québec City also lies in its many narrow cobblestoned streets lined with bistros, boutiques, art galleries and restaurants that remind one of Europe. The mix of vitality and tradition is captivating. Culture abounds through its many city stages. Québec has it all, and there is probably no better time to take it than right now in 2008!
The anniversary celebration is a once in a lifetime event that we should all be happily celebrating with our French-speaking Canadian neighbors to the north.
There is a saying that everyone should have two cities in their heart, their own and Québec City. Québec will linger on in your heart long after the celebrations are over . . .
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