We really enjoyed our recent visit to Quebec City, such a friendly and lively place, with an enticing mix of the old and new existing comfortably side by side. Where to start? We have so many highlights. How about outside? One large space that we grew to love very quickly was the Plains of Abraham. Such a delight to wander, a place that has always held a fascination for me since childhood. Boredom alert! Not so interesting pieces of my past are shared below. Old stuff.
I remember as a child reading about General James Wolfe and how he was victorious in battle on the Plains of Abraham against General Montcalm and his French forces. Those childhood primer history books were old even then, written and first published when Britain still clung to notions of greatness based on empire, and were British biased to say the least. They did not go into any great details beyond the triumph of Wolfe. Not much mention of the intricacies and dubious presence of two empires busily exporting their European wars to far flung places and messing things up there. Hmm.
Anyway, younger me wasn’t too concerned or aware of missing nuances – I mostly liked the maps showing how opposing forces were arrayed. Yes, I was a nine year old armchair general. Such a strange child… Getting back to the battle on the Plains of Abraham as told in my history book, I was always bothered by the thought it wasn’t much of a personal victory for Wolfe, given that he died in the battle. Come to think of it, older me still isn’t convinced that’s the best way to win…
Bloody history acknowledged, today the Plains of Abraham are a vast green space providing city dwellers and visitors quiet places to overlook the St. Lawrence River and the town of Levis on the far bank. It’s a busy waterway down there, so if watching boats is your thing, there’s always something moving.
Along with the rolling fields of grass and areas of military significance, there are hundreds of leafy trees, dozens of welcoming benches and tables, as well as planted garden areas where a person can sit and stare, or sit and doze. Or both, one after the other…
We did stay awake long enough to visit the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (MNBAQ) which is situated overlooking the park, and if we were slightly sleepy before heading in, the collection of contemporary Quebec art dating from 1960 to the present certainly woke us up. What a vibrant and thought provoking array of work it was. New stuff! Highly recommended if you get the chance.
I’ll leave it here for this week, with my head mentally, if not geographically, still wandering the plains, and feeling much relieved my bloodthirsty battlefield map loving younger self grew up into a pacifist. What a site, though. Did I mention how much we enjoyed it there? Here are a couple more photos:
Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
OldPlaidCamper 
The Quebec licence plate commemorates this battle “Je me souviens”‘ which translates into “I Remember”.
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All those plates, all that remembering…
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I am half Quebecor. I grew up visiting my mothers sister in Quebec.
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Glad you had an excellent visit to the eastern province & to Quebec City. What a beautiful locale. The fact that it has a European feeling both old & new, plus a depth provided by its history, certainly spurs an interest to visit the place someday. Thanks for sharing an interest account, Adam.
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Thanks, Walt! An excellent visit, with much of interest, and highly recommended if you’re after a European feeling without the full on Atlantic crossing…
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What a gorgeous park! i think we have so many trees in the prairies until I visit Ontario and am blown away by the lushness and variety. I think that I may have visited the plains of Abraham years ago with my parents. What I remember is that famous painting of Wolfe dying. If you had shown the fountain in old city Quebec, I would/should have recognized it. Is that where the tables from the cafe were in your last post?
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There were several fountains – and some squares with fountains closed for renovations in the old city, so I couldn’t say if it was the one you remember. I know the painting you mean, but didn’t see a copy near any fountains, or remember a fountain from where we were in that particular cafe – probably best if one of us should make a return visit, just to be sure! I’d certainly go back…
Hope all is well with you!
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In old Quebec City there is a large fountain that people sit around. Anyway, what I saw was pretty, both in your photos as well as in my memory.
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I really enjoyed this visit to QC, pc, and hearing about the history of the Plains of Abraham, including your stories of your studies and inclinations. This sentence gave me a fun smile: “… feeling much relieved my bloodthirsty battlefield map loving younger self grew up into a pacifist.” Great photos, too. Lovely to “see” you this week, my friend, thanks for sharing your adventure.
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Thanks, Jet! Glad I eventually grew up with a less military mind set, although given the number of battlefields I’ve visited, there’s certainly a morbid historical fascination with events.
I hope your week is going well!
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Looks like an interesting and scenic trip, Adam. Glad you had a good getaway!
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Thanks, Jane – it was a wonderful getaway, and a great contrast to the west coast! Recommended.
Hope all is well with you!
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Wonderful to see more of the beautiful Quebec City and I love places that know how to mix the old and new stuff! Absolutely enjoyed reading about the “armchair general” and the history lesson!! Hope Scout has been completely spoiled upon your return and what are the chances Everton catches up to Tottenham by the World Cup?!?! Wonderful photos and hope fall is going by a little slower on the coast!🙂
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Thank you! Definitely a great little city, and we’ll be back!
Can Everton win three in a row? No. Can they catch Spurs? No!
Fall has been kind here, more like our warm summer we had hoped for but didn’t really get, so we’re enjoying it.
Hope your week is going well!
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I loved this.i too wanted to see this learning about it in history class. I have been to Quebec city only once before Christmas, it was too cold to enjoy the outside much and I was with someone that had no interest in tha plains of where?
Thanks for sharing.
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I hope you get back there, Kelly – much to see!
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