Old Québec is the most popular tourist destination in Québec and features many of the greatest restaurants in the city. In the tradition of Serge Bruyère, many fine chefs in Québec are found in Québec city. Let us mention Jean-Luc Boulay (Le Saint-Amour and Chez Boulay), Arnaud Marchand (Chez Boulay), Daniel Vézina (Laurie Raphaël) and Louis Pacquelin (Panache) among others. Jean-Luc Boulay and Arnaud Marchand from Chez Boulay offer the experience of northern French cuisine while highlighting typical local products. It is located on the ground floor of the elegant Manoir Victoria, on Saint-Jean Street. Close by, Mr. Boulay also presides over the kitchen activities at Saint-Amour, a prominent figure of Québec’s gastronomic scene. Moreover, Saint Amour appears in Trip Advisors’ top 10 fine dining restaurants and it is not unusual to spot a celebrity seated there.

Situated in an old 18^th century warehouse in Vieux-Québec and part of the Auberge Saint-Antoine, the restaurant Panache offers the refined menu of chef Louis Pacquelin. While there, you can discover the artefacts showcased on the walls of the building, recalling the rich history of the French colony.

Tourists will also appreciate Les Anciens Canadiens, a restaurant established in a heritage building, where you can discover or rediscover some of the classics of traditional Québec cuisine. Near Château Frontenac, the Continental is renowned for its flambés. Close by, Le Parmesan offers delicious classics of Italian cuisine

Walking in the streets of Vieux-Québec is like following in the steps of the pioneers who gave birth to this nation. Founded by Samuel de Champlain as a trading post in 1608, the colony first developed around l’Habitation de Québec before expanding into the first streets traced around the Place Royale in the heart of the Vieux-Port. Restored in the early 1970s, this historical district brings us back in time to the capital of Nouvelle-France (New France) at the end of the 17th century. This was the era of Louis XIV, a bust of whom adorns the area. As I myself am a descendant of Mathurin Gagnon, who was one of the first merchants of Québec and whose home and retail store were located at the current site of the Sault-au-Matelot park (or Parc de l’Unesco), walking on the cobblestones of these historic sites is like reconnecting with the history of our roots in this country. A few steps away, Place Royale is the main site of the annual Fêtes de la Nouvelle-France, recreating the French colonial era of its original inhabitants.

In the Vieux-Port, one must absolutely visit the Musée de la Civilisation. The neighborhood is home to many gay-friendly establishments, among them the restaurant Marie-Clarisse, which was opened at the foot of the Casse-Cou staircase by nenowned chef Serge Bruyère.

Heading up to Haute-ville, one can admire the elements of fortification which have made Québec unique, for it is the only still-fortified city in North America. It is the neighborhood commonly reffered to as Vieux-Québec. Built at the end of the 19th century near the Citadelle fort, the hotel Château Frontenac rises above Place Royal on one side of the Terrasse Dufferin. The latter is a splendid walkway offering a spectacular view of the area and is perfect for romantic strolls. One can easily understand why the founders of Québec chose this strategic spot to establish the colony, which would become the capital of New France, then Lower Canada and finally, Québec.

The gay lifestyle took root fairly early in Vieux-Québec. The Sauna-hôtel Hippocampe on Mac Mahon Street, the oldest gay establishment still operating in the province (where some might recognize the interiors used for Robert Lepage’s film Le Confessionnal), has been open for over four decades. The owner, Yvon Pépin, had previously tended bar in many Vieux-Québec clubs, in a time when homosexual life was still mostly underground.

André Gagnon