Promenade Samuel-De Champlain

Promenade Samuel-De Champlain is a wonderful park along the Saint Laurence River. It is a long stretch of grass where people set up chairs or blankets and hang out for hours watching the boats go by. A bike path runs through it, with a constant stream of happy people on the weekend. Bike riders, roller bladers, people on scooters and all kinds of contraptions! The bike path is a little back from the water, and there is also a walking path directly on the water. At Quai des Cageux (Cageux Wharf), a gorgeous modern wharf at the western end of the park, you can walk up several flights of stairs to the top of a tower! Here you have a great view of the river and its hilly banks, plus the bridge that crosses over to Levis. A little beach at the base of the quai is a sweet spot for kids to play in the water and sand. There are restrooms. People have weddings in the beautiful building on Quai des Cageux.

Heading east, both the bike path and the waterfront walking trail continue for miles (2.6 km for the walking path and further for the bike path), passing Quai des Brumes, with its granite rocks that kids like to jump from, Quai des Flots, with its linear fountain splash pad, and square wooden yoga benches, Quai des Hommes, with its huge concrete steps leading to the water and its golden wings sculpture that is good for selfies, and lastly, Quai des Vents, with its odd windmill sculptures and rectangular cement stepping stones that kids enjoy. The walking path ends in the east at Park de la Jetee de Sillery, with its yellow lampposts, while the bike path continues all the way to Old Quebec City.
Promenade Samuel-De Champlain is not far from Aquarium of Quebec, so you can visit both in one wonderful day!

Directions

Promenade Samuel-De Champlain runs along Blvd Champlain, starting in the west at 2795 Blvd Champlain, Quebec City. The parking lot, called Parking Champlain, is located at 2793 Chemin du Foulon, Québec City. It is very difficult to get a taxi home from here, and I was worried I would never find one. Uber does not work in Canada, but locals use Taxi Coop App. No one wanted to come out to the promenade! Or they couldn't understand where I was located. In the end, I had luck with Taxi 4000 in Levis, reached by this number: (418) 833-4000.

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