Québec City
Vieux-Québec Basse-Ville (Lower Town)
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Below the cliffs — Place Royale, rue du Petit-Champlain (oldest shopping street in North America), the Old Port and Musée de la Civilisation.
Lower Town is the oldest European-settled district on the continent — Place Royale, where Champlain founded New France in 1608, is now a UNESCO-protected stone-fronted square. Rue du Petit-Champlain is the oldest commercial street in North America and arguably the most photographed in Canada. The Funiculaire connects Upper and Lower Towns in 60 seconds. Musée de la Civilisation is the city's top museum. The Old Port hosts the Marché du Vieux-Port farmers' market.
Scores
Walkability
Transit
Price
Local feel
Nightlife
Family-friendly
Centrality
What you gain
- ↑Rue du Petit-Champlain — most photographed street in Canada
- ↑Place Royale and Musée de la Civilisation at peak New France heritage
- ↑Lower hotel rates than Upper Town for the same Old City experience
What you sacrifice
- ↓Cruise ship crowds packed into the Old Port and Petit-Champlain in summer
- ↓Funiculaire queues during Carnaval and Festival d'été — use l'Escalier Casse-Cou instead
Best for
Avoid if
Other Québec City neighbourhoods
Inside the walls on the cliff — Château Frontenac, Plains of Abraham, the Citadelle and the postcard view of the Saint-Lawrence.
The city's "Champs-Élysées" — terrace restaurants, Parlement de Québec, nightclubs and the bulk of mid-range hotels.
The locals' creative quarter — gentrified working-class district with third-wave coffee, design studios and Quebec's best chef-driven restaurants.
Know where to stay — now find when to go.
Best time to visit Québec City →