Quebec City Tour

              

The Elegant and Fascinating
City of Quebec

August 16 – 20, 2011

     A charming, informative tour
arranged for The Volunteers' Circle of
The National Gallery of Canada		  



  Immerse yourself in the incredible historical architecture of North America’s oldest city, with easy guided walking tours of Upper and Lower Town and the Old City.

See the National Battlefields Park, Joan of Arc Garden and the Montmorency Falls.
Visit the National Museum of Fine Arts of Quebec, the Saint Roch district and artists’ studios,
the Museum of Civilization, the contemporary Canadian art collection at the Governor General’s Residence, Saint-Pierre Church and the Anglican Cathedral.

Accommodations at the Hilton, dining at l’Initiale, the Moulin de Saint Laurent and the Garrison Club.		  
  Your Executive Worldwide Travel Tour Itinerary 
 

Tuesday, August 16

Early morning departure for Quebec City from the National Gallery of Canada on Sussex Drive.

Check in at the Hilton Hotel, positioned at the entrance of the Old Walled City, with panoramic views of North America’s oldest city and of the Laurentian Mountains.

    Lunch in a private room, followed by a talk by David Mendel, architectural historian, tour guide and author of Quebec, World Heritage City, a richly illustrated guided tour of the main institutions of Old Quebec.
After lunch, transfer to the Chateau Frontenac for a walking tour of the Upper Town.

Along the way, we’ll see the Parliament building, which features the Second Empire architectural style that was popular for prestigious buildings both in Europe and the United States during the Victorian era.

Other sights of interest are the fortification walls built by the British in 1760 and the historic buildings along Saint-Louis Street.

The walking tour will include entrance to the Ursuline Chapel and Notre Dame Basilica, the primate church of Canada and seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Quebec, the oldest see in the New World north of Mexico. It has been located on this site since 1647.

At the end of the walking tour, transfer back to the Hilton.

Welcome Dinner at Le Saint-Amour. LD





     		 



  







Wednesday, August 17

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to Lower Town for a walking tour.

The oldest part of Old Québec, Lower Town is clustered on the narrow streets between the ramparts of Haute-Ville and the Old Port.

At its center, you’ll find Place Royale, the historical market square that has been faithfully restored to its former glory.

Observe the 17th- and 18th-century houses surrounding the square, now in pristine condition.

The cradle of North American French civilization, Lower Town is again stylish with boutiques, popular restaurants and chic galleries. This community is home to about 850 people who welcome visitors looking to step back into the 1700’s.

Lunch at l’Initiale, a unique restaurant in Old Quebec regarded as one of the elite restaurants of Eastern Canada's fine dining scene. A member of the Relais & Châteaux group, it is known for its sophistication and gracious service.

Following lunch, transfer to the Museum of Civilization, located close to the Place Royale. This museum is characterized by its innovative and daring outlook. It defines itself as a seat of knowledge and ideas, a museum endowed with valuable collections, an education centre and a living memory.

The Musée de la Civilisation says it “links the past, the present and the future. While remaining strongly rooted in the reality of Québec, it projects a new, attentive and dynamic outlook on all of human experience... and on civilizations from the world over.”

After a guided tour at the museum, transfer back to the hotel.

Dinner on your own and evening at leisure. BL

  


   Thursday, August 18

Following breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the National Museum of Fine Arts of Quebec, located within National Battlefields Park.

Private viewing of the exhibit: “Art of the Ballets Russes,” prior to the opening of the museum, followed by a guided tour of the permanent collection.

The most important collection of paintings and sculpture by Québécois artists is held by the Musée National des Beaux-Arts du Québec. More than 22,000 selections of works are displayed in three chronological exhibitions.

Lunch at the Museum restaurant, a unique setting in Québec City, offering a magnificent view of Battlefields Park.

After lunch, transfer to the Plains of Abraham, also known as National Battlefields Park, for a tour of the park and Joan of Arc Garden. The site of many clashes for supremacy between the French and British Empires, the park, which groups together the Plains of Abraham and the Des Braves Park, was developed to honour the memory of both French and British combatants.

Apart from its historical past, the park is to Québec what Central Park and Hyde Park are to New York and London: a city park of outstanding value, the lungs of the city.

Created in 1938 by landscape architect Louis Perron, the Joan of Arc Garden has its own special style: rectangular in shape and built slightly below ground level, it combines the French classical style with the British-style beds.

Visitors have an opportunity to admire over 150 species of annuals, bulbs and, especially, perennials.













Continue our exploration of Quebec city with a visit to the Saint-Roch district and artists’ studios. Nouvo Saint-Roch, as it is known now, is one of the oldest neighbourhoods of Quebec, revitalized as an arts and culture incubator.

Famed multidisciplinary artist Florent Cousineau, known for his work in the integration of art and architecture, his ephemeral intervention in urban areas and his contribution to the development of the Saint-Roch quarter, will accompany us. 

Trendy restaurants, bars, boutiques, cafés, artisan bakeries, brew pubs, art galleries and teahouses now line the streets, creating a truly lively neighbourhood.

Early steps in the renewal of the quarter focused on the promotion of arts education and apprenticeship centres such as the School of Visual Arts of Laval University and the Arts and Crafts House, which clusters schools of ceramics, sculpture, textiles, and book binding.

The City used a range of incentives to foster the creation of "artist spaces" for an artists' community. Artists’ residences can be bought and sold only to working artists to assure that artists would not be pushed out of the space as the economy of the district improved.

The Medusa Project, a housing co-op built in 1995, houses several producers and exhibitors and also provides space for visiting artists and the productive exchange of talent and ideas. Now more than a hundred artists’ workshops can be found in the area.

Return to hotel.
Dinner on your own and evening at leisure. BL

  Friday, August 19

Breakfast at the hotel, followed by a visit at the Governor General’s Residence to see the collection of contemporary Canadian art. Located in the heart of the Citadelle of Québec and overlooking the St. Lawrence River, this splendid heritage structure has served as the second official home and workplace of Canada's governor general since 1872.

All artists represented at the Citadelle are Canadian; many have received honours awarded by the governor general. Fine examples of modern and contemporary 20th-century works of art are displayed in the State rooms. The residence also showcases a fine collection of Inuit artwork.

Depart by bus for the Montmorency Falls. Measuring 83 meters high - 90 feet higher than Niagara Falls - the Montmorency Falls are an amazing natural wonder. The falls are located in front of the Island of Orléans and were named by Samuel de Champlain for his patron, the duke of Montmorency.

Lunch at the Moulin de Saint Laurent, a fine cuisine restaurant situated in an old flour mill dating back to 1720, followed by a visit to Saint-Pierre church, the oldest country church in Quebec (circa 1720).

Return to hotel with free time to explore Quebec on your own.

Transfer to the Garrison Club for our Farewell Dinner in the Hughes Lapointe room. BLD




    

   



  Saturday, August 20

Breakfast at the hotel, followed by a talk on British and French influences on the architecture and urban planning of Quebec City.

Transfer to the Old City for a walking tour focusing on British influences, including domestic architecture, and a visit to the Anglican Cathedral.

Lunch on your own before our departure for Ottawa. B 		  



   Travel Agency: Executive Worldwide Travel
Agent: Jean Sheikh, C.T.C.
(613) 236-5555
Or 1-800-267-5552
Registration No.: 1892605

Coordinators:
Anne Duncker
Melanie Turcotte 		For more details on this tour or to request a brochure,
please feel free to contact us at 613-236-5555
or email Jean Sheikh at [email protected].

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