Quebec flights and travel guide

Quebec City is capital of Quebec and the province’s second-largest city, after Montreal. One of the oldest cities in Canada, parts of its historic old town (Vieux-Quebec) are Unesco-listed, characterised by European-style churches, ramparts and fortified walls.

The city sits above the St Lawrence river; its highest point, Cape Diamond, is 103 metres above it. Divided into two parts, the Upper (Haute-Ville) and Lower Towns (Basse-Ville) each have a distinct flavour. They are connected by the Escalier steps and the Old Quebec Funicular.

The Lower Town has the ancient Notre Dame des Victoires church, the Petit Champlain district, the port, and the Musée de la Civilisation.

One of Quebec’s signature events is its spectacular winter carnival. The city comes alive in the snow, with concerts and night parades. There is no bad time to snap up Quebec flights however. Summers are warm and the "fall foliage" is beautiful.

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Quebec climate

The temperature in summer ranges between 10 and 30 degrees Celsius and in winter it drops to between -25 and -5 degrees Celsius. In Quebec City snow can be as high as 78cm and the locals celebrate by hosting the Winter Carnival with lots of skiing, an Ice Hotel and toboggan rides.

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When to fly to Quebec

Peak season:.

Most visitors book their Quebec flights in late June to September. The summer festivals take place during this time - the Summer Festival (July 8-18), the International Firework Festival (July 24-August 11); and the New France Celebrations (August 4-8).

Off season:

From November to April is Quebec’s off season, unless you are a skier or if you’re there for the Winter Carnival.

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Getting into town Quebec

Taxi and limo service is available and all the major car-hire companies are represented at the airport including Avis, Hertz, Budget and Thrifty.

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Getting around Quebec

To best see Quebec, you’ll want to walk or take a bike tour through one of the city’s old sections. In the summer you can explore the Route Verte, a network of cycling trails connecting 16 regions and 320 municipalities. Public buses run by Réseau de transport de la Capitale operate between 6am and 1am. On the weekend you can catch a night bus. To get from Basse-Ville to the upper part of Old Quebec, take the funicular.

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Quebec insider information

• The Winter Carnival (January 30-February 15 2009) transforms Quebec into a winter wonderland. The carnival consists of parades, snow sculptures, an ice palace, snow rafting, dogsledding and an old-fashioned marketplace with greeters in period costume. A cheery snowman dressed in traditional garb is the carnival’s mascot.
• Close to Quebec City there are four large ski resorts including Mont-Sainte-Anne which has 64 ski trails on three mountain sides and the highest vertical elevation for night skiing in Canada. It is a half-hour drive from the city. The resort of Le Massif is 45 minutes east of the city and Stoneham with 32 trails on four mountains is a mere 20-minute drive. Even closer is Le Relais, a 15-minute drive.
• Visit the stunning Montmorency Falls which is higher than Niagara Falls. It’s located in a provincial park at the mouth of the Montmorency River. Viewing is from a footbridge, cable car or viewing platform. In winter try old-fashioned tobogganing, a fun way to slide around in the snow.
• Take a trip up to Quebec City’s highest building the Edifice Marie-Guyart. 750 feet above sea level there is a public, indoor observatory that offers unrestricted views of the city.
• Visit La Citadelle and witness the changing of the guard, hear the music and see Batisse, the regimental goat. The guards change every morning (between June 24 and the first Monday in September) at 10am.

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Quebec airports

The main airport for flights to Quebec is Quebec/Jean Lesage International Airport (YQB) (website: www.aeroportdequebec.com).

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