“Je me souviens,” or “I remember” is the motto of the Canadian province of Quebec and in no place is this true more than Quebec City – the provincial capitol, where the history and tradition of French Canada is in true form! Even the French agree that this is as close to Paris as you can come without actually setting foot in France.

History

Quebec City was established as a fort by French explorer Jacques Cartier, who made several voyages to the region of Canada in the mid-1500’s. He was followed by Samuel De Champlain who founded Quebec City as an official settlement in 1608. It became a major port for the growing fur trade in the years that followed. As it is situated on a high bluff overlooking a narrowing of the St. Lawrence River, it has always been of strategic military and economic importance.

During the Seven Years War, Quebec City was the site of a major battle of two European powers, pitting English General James Wolfe against French General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm in the Battle of the Plains of Abraham. The English won the battle and later the war, and French speaking Quebec became an English colony.

400th Anniversary

2008 is the 400th Anniversary of the founding of Quebec City and the celebrations and the city promise to be even better, particularly throughout the summer months.