___________________________ FRENCH HERITAGE IN CANADA & IN THE U.S.A. This unique walking tour covers 400 years of history of the cradle of French America. It unveils the treasures of this coveted stronghold located along the St.Lawrence River, gateway to the Great Lakes and starting point of the exploration of a Continent once known as New France. ___________________________
		Themes below – and many others – will be introduced during the tour! Note: this tour being designed for French speaking clients, some graphic material are only available in French.
TOUR DESCRIPTION Discover the History of French America, from Acadia to Louisiana through the streets of Old Quebec! Our guides will highlight the most significant steps of the history of New France – a vast territory covering the St. Lawrence & Mississippi Rivers drainage basins - and its repercussions on local history. Quebec City, once capital of New France and now capital of the province of Quebec, has a unique French and British heritage observable through its institutions and architecture. Let our guide unveil the treasures of this coveted stronghold located along the St. Lawrence River, gateway to the Great Lakes and starting point of the exploration of a continent. HIGHLIGHTS • Tour lasts 2.5 to 3 hours from lower town Old Port District and ends in upper town fortified city. • Perfect Quebec City tour for History lovers • Learn about the French colonial period from Quebec City to New Orleans and how the foundations of Canada and the United States are interconnected. • Meet with Verrazano, Cartier, Champlain, Frontenac, Jolliet, Lasalle, Louis XIV, Lafayette, Napoléon, just to name a few, and learn about their role or impact on local history. • Our handpicked passionate guides are trained professionals. What you can expect WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT Meet your guide at Place Royale in lower town, Canada’s birthplace revitalized in the 1970’s with an Old European touch. The nearby Quebecois Mural Fresco is the perfect place to introduce most important characters of Colonial New France during Louis XIV’s remarkable long reign! Before heading to upper town and talking about the birth of Democracy in America, you’ll catch a few glimpses of Petit-Champlain, an exquisite local artisan’s district, where Irish immigrants originally settled when Quebec City became the only gateway to Canada before and after the 1847 European Potato Famine. From the Dufferin boardwalk near the Chateau Frontenac atop Cape Diamond we’ll cover 250 years of military history, from French ramparts to British forts built against American invaders. The Dugua De Mons Terrace near the Citadel is the perfect lookout to gaze at the outstanding St.Lawrence River landscape, its peculiar geology and panoramic overview of the naval battlefield of the French and Indians War! Do you know about Louisiana Cajuns originating from Canada and deported to the American Colonies? Dugua De Mons, father of Acadia, will tell you the Acadian History and how they spread out through Europe and America. On your way to the Augustinian Monastery – first hospital in North America - you will stroll amidst the unique French and British architecture of Old Quebec and discover the oldest French private school for girls continuously operated since 1639. It’s not without emotion that our guide will recount the remarkable contribution of the Augustinians and Ursulines since they settled in the cradle of New France many years before establishing in New Orleans. To complete this historic walking tour, the Notre-Dame-de-Québec Cathedral and Old Seminary lend themselves perfectly to give an overview of why and where French Canadians dispersed through the United-States from the 1840’s to the 1930’s and how present-day Quebec society was transformed during the 1960’s Quiet Revolution. This milestone in recent Canadian history represents the first step to the creation of modern institutions that have made possible the survival of the French culture and language in North America. Beyond doubt, this tour will be the highlight of your Quebec City trip!