Québec Town and Country: History, Arts, Landscapes, Flavors
Program No. 20512RJ
Discover the story of French Canada by train, learning about renowned artists, unusual politics, stunning vistas and world-class cuisine as you voyage from Montréal to Québec city.
Learn about French Canada's history and way of life as you visit three of its most fascinating destinations by train: the multicultural metropolis of Montréal, the historic capital of Québec city, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the rural Charlevoix region along the St. Lawrence River, a World Biosphere reserve. Find an amazement of art, history and culture as you take in the views of Québec’s rustic countryside on this remarkable journey by bus and train.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
I like to spend much of the day exploring. Whether walking through historic neighborhoods at a moderate pace or out and about on a coach, I prefer to keep my days full. Stairs don’t bother me, and I love to keep up with the group.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Best of all, you’ll…
Journey along the spectacular mountains and seashore of Québec on a scenic train ride from bustling Québec City to the rural charms of Charlevoix.
Discover great Canadian artists, Inuit and modern, while exploring the region’s museums and art galleries, and attend a classical music concert.
Learn about Canada’s unique “shared monarchy” at the residence of the Governor General.
Suggested Reading List
(5 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
This novel sweeps across the centuries, from the French royal court to the founding of Québec City in 1608, from the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918 to the FLQ Crisis. Against this rich panorama, the daily lives of the Tremblay family unfolds over generations.
Montreal & Quebec City Guide – Lonely Planet
by Montréal-based authors
Montréal and Québec City really serve it up. You've got old-world grandeur, new-world sensibilities and big-city charms - there's enough neighbourhoods, restaurants and festivals to keep you mon-dieu'ing for months. This guide, penned by Montréal-based authors, gets you straight to the action. The Lonely Planet website has options to buy and download individual digital chapters from this book in addition to the full guide.
Champlain's Dream
by David Hackett Fischer
In this enthralling biography, acclaimed historian David Hackett Fischer brings to life the remarkable Samuel de Champlain—soldier, spy, master mariner, explorer, cartographer, artist, and Father of New France.
Shadows on the Rock
by Willa Cather
Set in seventeenth-century Canada, an evocation of North American origins highlights the men and women who struggled to adapt to the new world even as they clung to the one they left behind. The novel covers one year of the lives of Cecile Auclair and her father Euclide, French colonists in Quebec.
A People’s History of Quebec
by Jacques Lacoursière and Robin Philpot
A People’s History of Quebec is a lively guide to a little-known part of North American history. It tells of the settlement of the St. Lawrence Valley, as well as the Montreal and Quebec-based explorers and traders who travelled, mapped, and inhabited most of North America.
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