Avenue Saint-Denis in winter.
Among the many quaint and aged buildings, some dat- ing as far back as the 17th century, is the majestic Château Frontenac, built as one of Canada’s railroad hotels in the 19th century. It was here that two of the most critical con- ferences of the Second World War were held, the first in 1943 attended by Winston Churchill and Teodore Roo- sevelt. Prime Minister William Lyon McKenzie King, al- though he hosted, was snubbed by Roosevelt and left out of the meeting (imagine!). Te conference was held between Aug. 17 and Aug. 24, partly at the Citadelle. Tis fortifica- tion at the head of Cap Diamant, is still in use by the Royal 22e Régiment, affectionately known across Canada as the “Van Doos” (from the French vingt-deux or 22). Ironically, the invasion of France was on the agenda of the meeting. At the end of the meetings, all three nations, including Canada, signed the Treaty of Québec vowing never to use nuclear weapons against one another. A second meeting was held to plan D-Day by the British
and American leaders in September 1944, this time includ- ing the joint chiefs of staff of both countries, but again our prime minster was left out of the discussions. In Québec City, no matter where you go, you can’t help bumping into bits of history. You still feel the push-pull of French and English. For example, in 1840, English was spoken by 40 per cent of the population. Today only 30 per- cent speak English, and Anglos represent a mere 1.5 per cent of the 806,000-plus population of the metropolitan area. Still, French domination is also what gives this city its unique appeal, and it is certainly responsible for the many,
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Montmorency Waterfalls Park in winter.
many delightful restaurants that promise not just good food but a history-laden atmosphere. Another unique feature is Québec City’s pride in win-
ter. Instead of hiding behind sunny days and leafy trees, Québec City proudly displays its snow-laden rooftops. A very popular spot is the downtown skating rink near Place D’Youville, across from Porte Saint-Jean and the Capitole de Québec, the Beaux Arts-style theatre which is a national historic site in Canada. You can sit at one of the outdoor cafes and watch the skaters in winter and the antics of the skateboarders in summer. Québec City is a quirky, wonderful town, filled with art- ists in narrow alleys, tiny shops selling gorgeous fashions, others marketing sundry items. Regardless of where you are in town, you can’t help but feel that you are somewhere very special. And you definitely are; in 1985, Old Québec was recognized as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations.
Winter 2016 • 37
Photo by Luc-Antoine Couturier Photo by Yves Tessier, Tessima
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