October 4, 2023: More Exploration of Quebec City.
Marie Legrouix’s morning lecture was entitled “War and Peace” which focused on the various wars the area has endured over the years.
There was another 30 minute break before meeting at 9:59 (note- exact time) AM for our morning walking tour. It was again another (unexpected) warm day in Quebec, temperatures in the mid 70s were expected. It should have been in the 50s this time of year, but no one was complaining. This morning’s tour was of the “lower town”, the original location of Quebec City. It is a lovely location (my favorite) as all the streets are pedestrian only, and lined with small shops, homes and restaurants!
On our walking food tour the other day we visited Boulangerie Paillard and enjoyed one of their croissants. Today our tour group is having lunch there. We had each been given a crisp $20 Canadian bill to buy whatever we wanted on the menu. It turned out to be a bit of a hassle as the bakery did not have the staff to handle all 30 of us (and other regular walk in customers), but it all worked out; we simply had to wait a bit to place our orders and wait for them to deliver our dishes (soups, salad, or sandwiches). This has been the only disconnect we have experienced on the tour.
After lunch we walked to the nearby Ursuline Museum, where local docents led us on a guided tour. Three Ursuline missionary nuns came to Quebec in 1639, led by Marie de l’Incarnation. There they created a school for girls, which still exists today. The museum is dedicated to explaining the role of the nuns and what they taught the girls who either were interested in joining the convent or studied as boarders of families living in the area.
After the tour we boarded a good old fashioned yellow school bus that took us outside the city walls to see other parts of the “modern city” and the Plains of Abraham, where the September 13, 1759 battle between the French and English took place. The name is not a biblical reference; it is named after the person who owned the land, Abraham L’Écossais. The British, under the command of General Wolfe, executed a surprise attack on the French army led by Marquis de Montcalm. The battle was over in 30 minutes, won by the British, which resulted in them taking control of all of Quebec by 1760. Both Wolfe and Montcalm died during the battle.
The group dinner this evening was at L’ Entrecôtes, a traditional French steakhouse where we enjoyed steak frites. From the looks of the bar area Gerry and I assumed we might finally be able to get a decent Manhattan. Au contraire. Gerry swears they used a maple enfused bourbon for the basis of the drink. At least they were not expensive!
Having experienced last night’s after-dinner stroll with Chantal we decided to pass on tonight’s walk, choosing instead to find the ice cream shop where you can get cones dipped in one of many toppings, recommended by Chantal earlier in the week. Mission accomplished!
It was another busy walking day as we completed 10,301 steps! Needless to say, we all slept well that night.