Quebec City Private Tours
Join historian and author David Mendel for an inspiring, in-depth, exploration of Quebec City and its region.
With its dramatic cliff-top location overlooking the St. Lawrence River, its fortifications, narrow winding streets and wealth of historic buildings spanning four centuries, Quebec City is unlike any other city in North America.We will begin our walking tour on the Dufferin Terrace, a magnificent boardwalk overlooking the St. Lawrence River. Learn about the history and architecture of the Château Frontenac, then visit the Governors' Park, and walk in a residential quarter to see how the houses of Quebec City have evolved over the centuries. Our next stop is the Seminary of Quebec, founded in 1663. Now occupied by the Architecture School of Laval University, this institution is a remarkable collection of buildings erected around enclosed courtyards. Then visit the magnificent interior of Notre-Dame-de-Québec Basilica. In the Lower Town, discover Place Royale, where the Government of Quebec has restored merchants’ houses from the time of New France.
Today most people think of Quebec City as the birthplace of French civilization in North America, and this is certainly true. It is often forgotten, however, that this city was also once part of the British Empire and that, at one time, English-speaking citizens made up more than 40% of the population. Indeed, in many ways, it is the combination of French and English influences, that we find in the architecture of the city, which makes Quebec truly unique. Discover how British and French influences shaped urban development, parks and gardens and the domestic architecture of the city. Visit the Anglican Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, the oldest Anglican Cathedral outside the British Isles, to view monuments and stained-glass windows made in London and magnificent silver given by King George III.
It is also possible to join David Mendel for lunch in the exclusive Garrison Club, founded by military officers in the 1870s. The atmosphere remains very British, even though today almost all the members speak French.
Elements from the above tours can be included in custom-made programs, designed according to your interests. Below are some of the themes and sites that can be explored over a few days in Quebec City: