Road Day 🚙!!! The tumble back began this morning with all hands on deck to remove garbage, restock coolers and ferry our bags to the vehicle. I think we bonded a bit with the space, whether it was Eileen on the 48th floor balcony or Brad considering “DIY” fix options for the few maintenance needs. Nicely, we were on the move before much of Toronto, and Ms Lumsden navigated a pretty seamless exit via Gardiner/Don Valley to the 401 East! See ya “Six”!!! 👋
Time, music, naps and conversation soon brought us to the Ontario/Quebec border. With a full tank of gas we navigated the A30 south of Montreal, then a direct line to Quebec City for a 4:00 PM arrival to our overnight accommodation. Another excellent selection by Janie, a character filled space that mixed old and new world (See Picture). After a bit of an adventure nailing a parking spot, all hands rallied to listen to the “Jays” series clincher against the Cubs (2-1 Win secured by a Vladdy dinger)! Then out to the mean streets of Quebec City 😂!
“When in Rome”… this evening, for our eating pleasure, we visited Restaurant Poutineville Vieux Québec! The menu was loaded with poutine options from classic fare to an international blend of offerings. Excellent Google & Trip Advisor reviews, close to our QC digs and on the way to Vieux Quebec. A convenient and logical idea for a supper stop!
Here’s how it rolled out. Everyone ordered something different from the menu… from Philly Steak to Montréal Smoked Meat sampling, internationally flavoured Mexican & Chinese poutine, and even Filet Mignon to French inspired poutine. Reviews from our group were all over the place… with some good on supper, others not. Perhaps one of those situations where there are too many options, spreading things out too far instead of focusing on some key dishes. Visit and you be the judge!
One thing is for certain, we were all in need of a good walk, and in my personal opinion there aren’t many more beautiful spaces to stroll in North America than Vieux Quebec. We’d scoped out a bit of a loop for a tour with several ad libs on the way!
Starting in Y’ouville we walked the shop lined pedestrian portion of Rue St Jean. It was in full on summertime mode… mixing tourist and locals alike to sample the sights, sounds and smells on a comfortable evening outside. Also incorporated in the evening were the grounds of the venerable Château Frontenac, a fun ride on the kitschy Funiculaire du Vieux-Québec ($6 one way), and the beautiful historic Quartier Petit Champlain. Janie and I remembered one of our initial tours with the kids to Quebec and sitting with them at Restaurant Cochon Dingue (located here) scraping together enough for a fancy breakfast! They were good days ❤️!
At this point we began to complete the loop and make our way towards home. We took time to explore the picturesque and cobblestoned Place Royal Square. I’ve always loved this space… so European and absolutely yearning to tell a story.
Lastly, making our way towards home, we jumped at an after dark tromp of the military ramparts atop the stone walls of Vieux Quebec. Laura caught a wonderful view as our group made their way homeward. Quebec City, as several of our travel friends will attest, is the closest space to Europe that you will find in North America. Really a special evening in so many ways, and a wonderful way to bring to a close our last evening of Toronto ‘25.