Monument of Samuel de Champlain, by sculptor Paul Chevré in September 1898...
Samuel de Champlain, was born in Brouage (Charente-Maritime ) between 1567 and 1574. He died in Quebec on December 25, 1635. Champlain is at the same time a great navigator, a cartographer, a soldier, an explorer, a geographer, a commander and a writer of French travel stories. He is the founder of Quebec City.Champlain was the first European to explore and describe the Great Lakes, and published maps of his journeys and accounts of what he learned from the natives and the French living among the Natives. He formed relationships with local Montagnais and Innu and later with others farther west (Ottawa River, Lake Nipissing, or Georgian Bay), with Algonquin and with Huron Wendat, and agreed to provide assistance in the Beaver Wars against the Iroquois.
An information plaque about the Chateau Frontenac (see English on bottom half)...
Fabulous views from the terrace of the St. Lawrence River and City...
Winter adrenaline junkies line up by the thousands at Les Glissades de la Terrasse to experience the rush of zooming downhill from 270 feet high (82 meters) in a toboggan speeding up to 60 mph (90 kilometres per hour) to the bottom, 500 feet (152 meters) away. Located on the Dufferin Terrace overlooking the St. Lawrence River behind Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, the ride is open from mid-December through late March.
A Walkway to Commemorate Quebec's 350 Years
In 1958, the federal government built the Governors' Walkway to commemorate Quebec's 350th anniversary.With 310 steps and 655 metres long, the panoramic walkway honours the Canadian representatives of the monarch and the role they played in the development of the country.
Since the French regime, governors have lived close to the site of today's promenade: first in the Saint-Louis forts and chateaux whose ruins still hide beneath the Dufferin Terrace; in the Chateau Haldimand where the Chateau Frontenac currently stands and finally behind the protective walls of the Citadel where the governor general's second official residence is located today.
Managed by Parks Canada, the walkway climbs Cap Diamant from the Dufferin Terrace to the Plains of Abraham. It offers striking views of the majestic St. Lawrence River and the Quebec City greater area.
So guess what we did? Yup, we walked all of the way up!
A few interpretive boards along the way...
Abraham Martin
(B. 1589-D. 1664)
Arrived in New France on or around 1620. He pastured his livestock on land belonging to the Ursulines which was thenceforth known as the Plains of Abraham. In the course of the 18th century, this designation was made official in military records and is the name still used today.
Honouring the Governors General
In Canada, the role of governor general is an institution that dates back to the French regime. Until the 1950s, all of the monarchy's representatives in Canada, with the exception of one, were European. In 1952, Vincent Massey became the first Canadian since the Marquis of Vaudreuil in the 18th century to assume the responsibilities of governor general. In 1957, Massey was succeeded by Major General Georges Philias Vanier who became the first French Canadian to receive the title.
At the time of governor general Vanier's mandate, Quebec City was preparing celebrations for the 350th anniversary of its founding by Samuel de Champlain. The modest festivities took place from June 21 to July 6, 1958. To commemorate the occasion, the federal government announced the construction of a walkway that would link the Dufferin Terrace to the Plains of Abraham. On September 9, 1960, Canadian prime minister John Diefenbaker inaugurated the Governors' Walkway. He declared that the promenades's spectacular view was among the most beautiful in the world and a visit to Quebec City was "like a pilgrimage to the cradle of our nation."
We finally made it to the top and the Citadel at the Plains of Abraham where the French and British fought in 1759...
The Citadelle of Quebec...
In 1958, the federal government built the Governors' Walkway to commemorate Quebec's 350th anniversary.With 310 steps and 655 metres long, the panoramic walkway honours the Canadian representatives of the monarch and the role they played in the development of the country.
Since the French regime, governors have lived close to the site of today's promenade: first in the Saint-Louis forts and chateaux whose ruins still hide beneath the Dufferin Terrace; in the Chateau Haldimand where the Chateau Frontenac currently stands and finally behind the protective walls of the Citadel where the governor general's second official residence is located today.
Managed by Parks Canada, the walkway climbs Cap Diamant from the Dufferin Terrace to the Plains of Abraham. It offers striking views of the majestic St. Lawrence River and the Quebec City greater area.
So guess what we did? Yup, we walked all of the way up!
Abraham Martin
(B. 1589-D. 1664)
Arrived in New France on or around 1620. He pastured his livestock on land belonging to the Ursulines which was thenceforth known as the Plains of Abraham. In the course of the 18th century, this designation was made official in military records and is the name still used today.
In Canada, the role of governor general is an institution that dates back to the French regime. Until the 1950s, all of the monarchy's representatives in Canada, with the exception of one, were European. In 1952, Vincent Massey became the first Canadian since the Marquis of Vaudreuil in the 18th century to assume the responsibilities of governor general. In 1957, Massey was succeeded by Major General Georges Philias Vanier who became the first French Canadian to receive the title.
At the time of governor general Vanier's mandate, Quebec City was preparing celebrations for the 350th anniversary of its founding by Samuel de Champlain. The modest festivities took place from June 21 to July 6, 1958. To commemorate the occasion, the federal government announced the construction of a walkway that would link the Dufferin Terrace to the Plains of Abraham. On September 9, 1960, Canadian prime minister John Diefenbaker inaugurated the Governors' Walkway. He declared that the promenades's spectacular view was among the most beautiful in the world and a visit to Quebec City was "like a pilgrimage to the cradle of our nation."We finally made it to the top and the Citadel at the Plains of Abraham where the French and British fought in 1759...
also known as La Citadelle, is an active military installation and the secondary official residence of both the Canadian monarch and the Governor General of Canada. It is located atop Cap Diamant, adjoining the Plains of Abraham in Quebec City, Quebec. The citadel is the oldest military building in Canada, and forms part of the fortifications of Quebec City, which is one of only two cities in North America still surrounded by fortifications, the other being Campeche, Mexico.The Citadelle is a National Historic Site of Canada and forms part of the Fortifications of Québec National Historic Site of Canada.
In 1759, following the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, New France was ceded to England. Though British military authorities continued to worry that France would reconquer the territory, they soon discovered that the real danger lay in the United States. In 1775 and again in 1812, the Americans attacked Canada, each time without success.
For England, the entire colony would be lost if the invaders succeeded in capturing the city of Quebec. This made it essential to protect the city with a fortress capable of resisting a siege until such time as reinforcements could be dispatched to the scene. In 1820, London authorized the building of a permanent citadel, despite the high costs involved in such a project.
At the time of this decision, the Upper Town was already protected on all sides, especially to the west, by an imposing bastioned wall and four Martello towers. In addition, the Cap Diamant cliff was enclosed by a high wall so as to thwart any attempts at scaling it. With a citadel looming over it, Quebec became, for a time, practically impregnable. Indeed, in his American Notes of 1842, Charles Dickens dubbed the city and its cliff "the Gibraltar of America."
As soon as they arrived in Quebec in 1608, the French recognized the defensive potential of Cap Diamant, also sometimes referred to as Cape Diamond. Over the years, they constructed defensive works which were integrated into the enceintes, or protective walls, enclosing the city on the west side. However, or lack of sufficient funding by the King, they were unable to complete their project of building a citadel.
The Cap Diamant redoubt, the oldest remaining masonry work, was originally a part of the 1693 enceinte. Its artillery covered the heights located to the west, on today's Plains of Abraham.
The Cap Diamant powder magazine in another French construction that has successfully survived until our time thanks to its strategic position. It was originally located behind the fortification wall dating to 1745 and from which two bastions were subsequently integrated into the British citadel of 1820.
Then Came the British
Following their conquest of New France, the British military authorities called for the construction of a citadel in Quebec. Initially, London balked at underwriting the significant outlay entailed by a project of this scale, but in 1775 the siege of Quebec by American troops proved that it had become an urgent necessity. Authorization was then given to erect a temporary citadel out of earth and wood.
Work began in 1779 and contained thereafter in both summer and winter, but was interrupted in 1783 when a peace treaty was signed with the united States. At the time, few constructions had been completed and the temporary citadel was left unfinished.
We went inside a took a tour of The Citadel...
Built between 1693 and 1694, this defence work is one of the remains of the first fortifications in Quebec City and one of the oldest military buildings in Canada.
What is a Redoubt?
It is a military work that can have various defensive purposes. In this case Cap-aux-Diamants Redoubt contributed to strengthening the fortified perimeter on the western edge of Quebec City. A part of this redoubt housed rooms used as soldiers' quarters, a stock room, a powder magazine and a prison. It was surrounded by a small rampart topped by a parapet with embrasures for firing cannons.
The redoubt is located on the heights of Cap Diamant. Hundred metres high, this promontory provides an exceptional natural defence against attacks.
Cap Diamant has been given many names over the years but owes its present designation to Jacques Cartier. In 1541, the explorer reported having found stones that he thought to be diamonds. At that time, any hard stone capable of scratching softer stones was called a diamond.
The name "Quebec" is derived from the Algonquin language "Kebec" meaning "where the river narrows." If you look out the loophole, you will be able to see the narrowest part of the St. Lawrence River.
Once the rain let up we walked, and walked, and walked some more! Checking out areas in the Old Quebec area that we had seen from the bus this morning...
To those sons of Quebec who gave their lives in South Africa while fighting for the Empire AD 1899 - 1902.
There are more pictures...yes, believe it or not...if you'd like to see the click on them album...Quebec City Tour (con't).
Lots more coming up tomorrow...stay tuned for Day 2!
Wow that is a lot of walking. Your fit bit is working overtime! Great tour.
ReplyDeleteThanks...yup FitBit is doing a lot of counting!
DeleteI was tired just reading about your adventure even though you did all the walking.
ReplyDeleteThat is a lot of History, lots that i never knew others that I seem to have forgotten.
The scenery is beautiful and the colours vibrant.
Be Safe and Enjoy!
It's about time.
Yes we did a lot of walking, my FitBit tracked close to 20,000 steps!
DeleteWhat a day! It's been about 25 years since we were there when our kids were little. I remember how pretty an majestic it was. I'd love to go back again to see more. You know with little ones you can only do/see so much at a time.
ReplyDeleteOh definitely...I can't imagine traipsing around the city with little kids! We loved Quebec City!
DeleteWow Frontenac is incredible! Not to mention the rest of the area but I cannot believe how big it is....
ReplyDeleteThe Canadian railway companies really went all out back in the day with their hotels. Quebec is a fabulous city
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