We are back from our holiday trip to Canada! Our visit to French Canada started off in Québec City and ended in Montréal. We have been to Yukon and British Columbia before, but this is our first time to Québec, where French is the official language. Historic Québec City is a UNESCO World Heritage site, held in high esteem for its colonial era fortress structures and preserved ramparts.
Initially I was concerned the language would be a substantial barrier as my French skills are very poor. But I do recognize many shared vocabulary words from the English and Spanish languages, making it easier to slough through transportation change posters, and menus. It didn’t really matter in the end because in literally every retail and hospitality situation we found ourselves in, we encountered bilingual staff. So I wouldn’t make it an imperative to re-learn all the French you studied in high school and college. A local to Montreal suggested on TikTok that Americans simply say Bonjour without an emphasis on French pronunciation when entering a place of business to signal that we are respectful to the local language, but identify ourselves as English speakers. I said “bonjour-hello” as a rule, and always showed gratitude with “merci beaucoup”. That also seemed to work.
We planned this trip to see colonial architecture and to check out the German Christmas Markets where we were delighted to find warm drinks, sweet treats. We tried rabbit poutine and rabbit leg at Le Lapin Sauté, and had desserts at Smith Café. The markets were busy, and festive, and just cold enough (highs of 30-39F). While we were expecting snow on the ground, we were met instead with a few frozen-melt snow berms. The hills of the city were unrelenting, so we were ultimately pretty grateful the streets and sidewalks were clear.
We also explored the Musée des plaines d’Abraham, Montmorency Falls, and had amazing French Onion soup. We shared a ride up the hillside tram with a couple from Round Rock of all places, and the world felt small, but only briefly. I would recommend the Musée de la civilisation to learn more about First Nations, and for the Children’s playhouse on the basement level (recommended ages approximately 0-9).
Québec City is timelessly beautiful, with incredibly nice and helpful locals, and tons of amazing food. It’s also exceedingly interesting from a historical perspective.
Travel often brings out a few threads of curiosity in each of us. This time Isaac and I both became equally enamored with New France, and Acadian history. We watched Barkskins on the tablet in the hotel after the kids went to sleep, and listened to a couple of podcast episodes about the Great Peace of Montréal in 1701 and then the expulsion of the Acadians from 1755-1764.
Every day (especially while traveling) I learn something new, and learn how little I actually know!
Yea Yea Pueblo 