Overview

Laurentians

Without question the most renowned resort area in Quebec, the beautiful Laurentides region, also called the Laurentians, attracts a great many visitors all year round. For generations now, people have been "going up north" to relax and enjoy the beauty of the Laurentian landscape. The lakes, mountains and forests provide a particularly good setting for a variety of physical activities or outings. This region features the highest concentration of ski resorts in North America.

Charlevoix

This picturesque region was one of the first to be colonized by the French. In Charlevoix, dramatic mountainous countryside contrasts sharply with the expansive open water of the St. Lawrence. A scattering of charming villages and towns dots the coastline, dwarfed by mountains that fall away into the salt water of the river, and the steep slopes surrounding the valleys. The Charlevoix region was declared a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in 1988 and is home to many fascinating types of animals and plants. A number of whale species feed at the mouth of the Rivière Saguenay during the summer.

Île d'Orléans

Located in the middle of the St. Lawrence River, downstream from Quebec City, this island is famous for its old-world charm. Of all Quebec's regions, this island most fully evokes the character of life in New France. Here, vestiges can still be seen of the first seigneuries established in New France. More than anywhere else in the Quebec countryside, this area is steeped in a sense of history and life in a bygone era. Île d'Orléans is also renowned as the land of Félix Leclerc (1914-1988) Quebec's most celebrated poet and songwriter.

Quebec City

Quebec City is a magical place whatever the season. Wandering through its winding streets on a winter evening is an enchanting experience. Quebec City stands out as much for the stunning richness of its architectural heritage as for the remarkable beauty of its location. The Haute-Ville (upper town) quarter covers a promontory more than 98 m (322 feet) high, known as Cap Diamant

Montreal

A city of paradoxes at the crossroads of America and Europe, seen as both Latin and northern, cosmopolitan and unmistakably the metropolis of Quebec, Montreal holds nothing back. It succeeds in delighting American tourists with its European charm, but also manages to surprise overseas travellers with its haphazard character and nonchalance.

Gaspésie

Gaspésie is a mythical land in the easternmost part of Quebec. The main attractions are its rugged, mountainous landscapes and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which is so vast that it can easily be mistaken for the ocean. The coastline is studded with a string of fishing villages, while the interior remains virtually devoid of towns and roads, much as it was when Jacques Cartier arrived in 1534.

Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean

Lac Saint-Jean is a veritable inland sea with a diameter of over 35 km (22 mi); from it flows the Rivière Saguenay, location of the southernmost fjord in the world. In a very real sense, these two impressive bodies of water form the backbone of this magnificent region.

Where on earth

Situated in the extreme northeast of the North American continent, Quebec is Canada's largest province. The province forms a huge northern peninsula, with James Bay and Hudson Bay to the west, Hudson Strait and Ungava Bay to the north, and the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the south.