Walking up to 1.5 miles; some standing on field trips. Getting on/off a funicular to travel between upper and lower town. Dress in layers for winter weather; be prepared for slippery conditions including snow-covered and icy terrain, and some stairs. Extent and duration of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice. While there is no dress code, participants may wish to dress up for Christmas Eve dinner; NO jeans or jean-like material.
At the hotel.
Our historian will lead us through the Lower Town of Quebec. We will visit Place Royale, lined with fine old stone merchant houses and dominated by the church of Notre-Dame-des-Victoires. We’ll walk through the lively commercial district of rue du Petit-Champlain, lined with craft shops and cafés. Next, with an expert, we’ll explore the Musée de la Civilisation, the city's most popular museum, located close to the historic site of Place-Royale. This internationally renowned museum features four permanent and six temporary thematic exhibitions. We will visit the permanent exhibition, “This is Our Story," which aims to familiarize visitors with the aboriginal cultures of today, their diversity, their visions of the world, and their identity processes in relation to their stories. The exhibition offers a reflection on what it means to be aboriginal in the 21st century. The grand narrative of the exhibition is based on aboriginal words. Throughout the process of creating this exhibition, the Museum collaborated with Québec’s 11 aboriginal Nations. The museum’s teams and its partner, La Boîte Rouge Vif, worked closely with aboriginal representatives on the development of the concept, the choice of themes and objects, and their descriptions and meanings. Accompanied by a docent, the visitor “meets” the aboriginals in their territory, through a storyline and through their vision of history, through what they have become beyond romanticism and prejudice, and finally, through their concerns and questions about the challenges of the future.
On your own to enjoy the market or try one of the many bistros and restaurants in the area.
Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration. Take in over 400 years of history in a single glance, from Quebec City's highest point, the Observatory de la Capitale. Remember that winter has much to offer for outdoor lovers, and it is during the cold season that Quebecers express their "Joie de Vivre". Skate in the very heart of Old Quebec, next to Saint-Jean Gate, in Place d'Youville; skate rental available on site.
We’ll enjoy a Réveillon dinner with some traditional foods of Québec at the hotel. The Réveillon de Noël (réveillon means "to stay awake") typically begins a few hours before the Midnight Mass with a traditional feast and lasts well into the wee hours of the night. Friends and relatives, children, and adults join in traditional songs, dances, and exchanges of presents. This French-Canadian tradition, still alive today in many households, stems from centuries-old traditions imported to the New World from France. Experience a “Réveillon de Noël” in the company of newfound friends.
At leisure. Solemn and impressive, filled with hymns of joy, the Midnight Mass reaches its high point with the procession of the Christ Child. Information on local Christmas services will be provided in the arrival package if you wish to attend.
