A fare deal for Canada
| Published date | 15 June 2022 |
| Publication title | Huddersfield Daily Examiner |
Tucking into poutine (a traditional chips and gravy dish), I feel like 'I've arrived.' .
We're refuelling after a scenic ride along a cycle path following the Saint
Charles River, where black squirrels scamper in and out of sight from evergreen trees.
Although I'd previously dabbled with the idea of visiting Canada's largest province - roughly five times the size of France - it somehow always felt a bit too far and too pricey.
All that has changed with the introduction of the first direct link between the UK and Quebec City, offered exclusively by Air Transat, with fares starting at £349 return - cheaper than some peak season summer fares to the Med.
Taking seven hours and 30 minutes to reach the vibrant, predominantly French-speaking city, it presents opportunities for exploring the wider area within a short break.
Better late than never, I've come to find out what's on offer...
Pedal through the province Bike tours from Tuque & Bicycle Experiences (quebecfatbike.com) give riders the perfect snapshot of Quebec City and its surrounding natural beauty. The most exciting route takes four hours and starts from the steeple-filled Old Town before heading to Montmorency Falls, a natural wonder that stands more than 30 metres taller than Niagara.
And in the pleasant suburb of Limoilou, tours trundle past sites you won't find in a guidebook - such as steel fences made from stencils used to cut ice skate blades, now surrounding homes.
¦ An introduction to Fatbiking starts at CA$ 79/ £49.
Tour the Quebec Old Town The name Quebec literally means 'where the river narrows' in the native Algonquian language. It's here, where the St Lawrence River sits one kilometre wide, that the city looks its fairy-tale best.
Spires from Anglican and Catholic cathedrals clamber into the skies in a battle to stand taller than each other.
New France, as the city was once known, was a site of conflict between French and British forces, both of which have left their mark on the city. Today, more than 85% of the province class French as their first language.
¦ Cicerone Tours (cicerone.ca/en) offer trips with a guide in period costume from CA$ 28/£17.
Stay at the Fairmont Hotel Nowhere captures the old-world charm of Quebec City quite like the...
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