Citadelle de Quebec
Quebec's citadel was built into the mountain, Cap Diamant, to hide it from the enemy, so you don't really know it's there when you look around you at the city. But it is well worth a visit and guided tour! It was one of the best mornings on my trip. You must do the tour to enter the citadel.
I suggest taking the first tour of the day so you can avoid the crowds- you almost have a personal tour! The tour guide is also in a better mood when he's not hoarding around so many people! The guide I had was a lovely guy, full of jokes and self-deprecating Canadian humor. He gave me a glimpse into Canadian culture- this is the best kind of travel.
You book your ticket online the night before and then in the morning, walk up the street Cote de la Citadelle to get to the guard gate and then continue under the shade canopy into the citadel. The chunky stone walls and bright green grass are already a beautiful sight to behold. The tour guide takes you around the property, telling about the 22nd regiment that was stationed here. The citadel is still used by the military, but it is quite a sleepy station. You may see some soldiers walking around, and if you're lucky, the band will play with their scarlet-colored uniforms and tall, black bear-skin hats. I saw this, purely by chance. The changing of the guard is not done anymore, but there are concerts and drills quite often, to keep the soldiers busy.
The citadel was built in a star shape to confuse the enemy's sense of direction. Quebec was such a strategic location because of its location where the Saint Lawrence River narrows. It was basically the entrance to access to North America.
You walk past the residence of the governor general, the old prison, and the chapel. Inside the prison, you can see a cell arranged as in real life. The chapel has no windows, as it used to be for storing ammunition.
At the end of your tour, you can take your time in the museum, which is really well done. It's in a nice, non-musty building and the displays are excellent.
End your morning with a magnificent walk along the walls of the citadel, past wildflowers and views of beautiful Ave Saint-Denis below, to Pierre-Dugua-De-Mons Terrace (you take the path that was on your left when you passed the guard gate at arrival). Wow the views are top of the world! This huge hill is my favorite spot in Quebec. The views of Chateau Frontenac are perfect!
If you take the path on your right (as you first pass the guard gate) then you walk along the citadel walls in the other direction, over a pedestrian bridge across the moat, to a hill above Plains of Abraham, and then into the large round structure that is the View Point Saint Laurent River. I only took part of this path (I had been walking nine hours at this point!) but it is very nice!
Just around the corner from the citadel, take your kids to climb on the space age playground at Esplanade Park.
Quartier General 35e Groupe, a building at the base of Côte de la Citadelle, the street that leads up to the citadel.
This amazing silver pine tree looks fake to me!
I couldn't stop staring at this silver pine tree, which I'd never seen in real life, only fake at Disneyworld!
St. Louis Gate, which leads to the citadel.
Walkway under St. Louis Gate.
Under the gate, around this corner, and up Côte de la Citadelle- then you arrive at the citadel!
Sign for the Citadel, under the amazing castle-like St. Louis Gate.
Côte de la Citadelle is the shady street that leads to the citadel.
View of the citadel, from Dufferin Terrace.
Leafy views.
The citadel is beautiful.
Flower beds and pale brick buildings.
Je me souviens, and cannons with red wheels.
The pale brick buildings are pretty.
Our tour guide was fun.
Our tour guide explained many things!
Beaver symbol.
The well, and the chateau in the distance.
Lovely bucolic views.
Looking through the fortifications.
Cannons, and the chateau in the distance.
Photos inside the museum where the tour guide takes you.
Sculpture of the famous goat, inside the museum where the tour guide takes you.
Wide open spaces inside the citadel.
The church, formerly where ammunition was stored.
Flags and attractive buildings.
Green everywhere.
A drummer descends the stairs.
Band members. Admire their scarlet-colored uniforms and tall, black bear-skin hats. See the goat on the hill.
The royal goat is quite hard to calm down.
Clarinet player.
Drummer.
The royal goat must stand very still.
The band plays for an audience, who stay in the shade of the gazebo.
I like the juxtaposition of buildings in this view.
A tour group being led around the grounds.
Army trumpet from the early 1900s, in the museum at the entrance to the citadel.
Festival of military music poster, in the museum.
Trumpet and banner with beaver symbol, in the museum.
Wartime telephones in the museum.
Wartime posters.
Ration cards and tokens.
The museum is well-done.
A soldier stands at duty.
A soldier at the entrance.
The citadel is beautiful.
Visitors walk to the top of the citadel walls.
You can walk at the top of the citadel walls.
Soldier standing guard.
The path along the walls of the citadel, with views of the chateau.
Amazing views from the path on the citadel walls.
The hard-packed dirt path on the citadel walls.
The citadel is so gorgeous with its grass roof- it reminds me of teletubbies!
View from the path.
As you round the corner on the path, you see wonderful views of Avenue Saint-Denis below.
Views from the path, with church spire.
Views of Avenue Saint-Denis and flowers.
Flowers along the path.
View of the water from the path.
A sweet family walking on the walls.
The walls!
The walls are tall!
The walls near Plains of Abraham.
Crossing the "moat" near Plains of Abraham.
Cross-section of a wall.
Walk along the walls to the right of the citadel and you get to Plains of Abraham.
Space galore! If you walk toward View Point Saint Laurent River.
La Citadelle de Quebec is located at 1 Côte de la Citadelle, Québec City.
Last Updated: Fri, 24 Feb 2023 13:49:28 GMT
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