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Here is the history of Place Royal. This is a historically significant district in Quebec and today there are many great bistros and art galleries in the area. You will without a doubt discover this area :-)
Place Royale is the birthplace of French civilization in North America. Samuel de Champlain began construction of his fortified "abitation" at the foot of Cap Diamant, in 1608. This is the first permanent establishment in New France. Rich merchants settle here and lively business develops in the area. In 1686, a bust to the glory of Louis XIV is erected. Place du Marché becomes place Royale.
Wars between France and England reach out as far as New France. Québec occupation by the English occurs for the first time from 1629 to 1632. In 1690, the place Royale cannon play a decisive role in turning back Admiral Phipps' fleet. In 1759 however, French resistance is overwhelmed by cannon ball and fire bombs. The Conquest begins.
Under the British Regime, Place Royale, with its merchants, shipowners and shipbuilders continues its leading commercial role and remains the centre of business. By 1860, the situation is one of decline. Place Royale regresses into a mere, stagnating place du Marché. By 1950, the area has become poor and rundown.
Place Royale is one of the oldest settlements on the North American continent. The architecture and narrow streets bring back four centuries of history. Place Royale is bustling in summertime. This is where you will discover l'église Notre-Dame-des-Victoires (church), only a few steps away from boutiques, restaurants, maison Fornel with its exhibitions and the Place-Royale interpretation centre. Leave a Comment Directions: Old Quebec
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Life in Quartier Petit Champlain captured in a magnificent mural. You can find this mural at the end of Petit Champlain. It is very nice obviously and adds to the walking experience in old Quebec.
A trompe-l'oeil mural measuring 100 square metres (900 square feet). You don't have to be an artist to appreciate the beauty of this outdoor work of art, located at 102 rue du Petit-Champlain, on the wall of the building owned by the Coopérative des artisans et commerçants du Quartier Petit Champlain.
This mural illustrates the origins of the Cap-Blanc neighbourhood, the bombardments in 1759, fires, landslides and other disasters to have befallen Quartier Petit Champlain over the years, as well as the strength and courage of those who built, lived, developed and breathed new life into this part of Quebec City.
For a full indepth interpretation of this mural you can visit the web site I provided. Cheers :-) Leave a Comment
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Our first night in Quebec City we wandered around Quartier Petit Champlain. Full of souvenir shops, upscale gift shops, and restaurants, it's a great place to spend a few hours just relaxing and soaking up the quaint atmosphere, with Chateau Frontenac towering overhead.
The streets are cobblestone and seemingly pedestrian-only, but actually a van did squeeze past as we were walking along Rue du Petit Champlain.
Don't miss the great chocolates at the shop halfway down Rue du Petit Champlain. (I'm kicking myself for not taking note of the name.) The proprietor is an American and his wife makes all the chocolates by hand. Try the port-filled dark chocolate truffle! Leave a Comment Directions: At the base of the cliff under Chateau Frontenac
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There is free admission to this great church at Place Royal.
Built in 1688, it is the oldest stone church in North America. Destroyed by shellfire in 1759, the church was restored twice. Remarkable interior. A scale model suspended in the nave depicts the vessel "Le Brézé", which transported the commander Marquis de Tracy and soldiers of the Carignan Regiment to New France in 1664.
It may be closed sometimes during weddings, funerals and christenings.
I just took pictures of it one time in Place Royal and during a second visit to the area I explored around inside :-) Leave a Comment Directions: Place Royal in Old Quebec
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There are two flights on stairs down to Petit Champlain from Terrasse Dufferin. The first flight is called, of course, the Frontenac stairway. At the foot of this staircase you then turn right and walk along a section of cote de la Montagne. For those on a romantic trip, this would be the place to browse for "adult novelties."
The next staircase is known as Breakneck Stairs - don't lean too far forward! Seriously, these steps were lined with some kind of rubber so they were very safe. There are shops and restaurants as you go down (or up). At the bottom is the funicular station, for going back up! Leave a Comment
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Built in 1688, Eglise Nortre-Dame des Victories was the oldest church in Quebec. It was built on the site of Samuel de Champlain's first residence and has been restored twice. Its name came from the two victories by the French against the attacks by the British.
The wall inside the church hung the paintings by famous European artists. The altar resembles the shape of a fort. There was also a model of the ship Le Breze that carried French soldiers to New France in 1664. Leave a Comment Directions: Place Royale in Lower Town.
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Escalier Casse-Cou, literally means Breakneck Steps, is the steep stairway linking the Upper Town and Lower Town. There are 170 steps, with shops and restaurants lining at both sides.
From here, you can get a good view of the narrow streets and the buildings of Lower Town. Leave a Comment Directions: Steps from the funicular
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Place Royale is where it all began! When Samuel de Champlain arrived in America in 1608, he decided to build the first house in New France where Place Royale now sits (if you look on the pavement near the church, you'll see the outlines of where his house used to be). Soon enough, the area around Champlain's house became the marketplace and when a bust of King Louis XIV was erected in the middle of it in 1686, it became known as Place Royale. As you walk through the streets surrounding Place Royale, 400 years of history come to life before your very eyes - just think of Rue St-Pierre, which used to be Quebec City's Wall Street!
All summer long, it is possible to go on a free guided tour of Place Royale. Tours start at the "Centre d'interpretation de Place Royale", at 27 Notre-Dame Street. Tours last about 45 minutes and will help you get better acquainted with the history of the city and life in New France.
Also, don't forget to walk into Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, the oldest stone church in North America (built in 1688). Movie buffs might also recognize the church and its surroundings from a few scenes from the Steven Spielberg movie "Catch me if you can", starring Leornardo Di Caprio and Tom Hanks. The scenes towards the end of the movie when the characters are supposed to be in France were actually shot at Place Royale. Leave a Comment
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Place Royale was the heart of New France. This was the area where wealthy merchants lived. The houses here have steep Normandy-style roofs, dormer windows and several chimneys. At the center of the square was the statue of Louis XIV, erected in 1686.
There is an information center with exhibits, depicting the early lives of the French colony. Admission is $3. Leave a Comment Directions: Place Royale is in the Lower Town not too far from the funicular.
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Rue du Petit-Champlain is the oldest street in Quebec. It was once the main street of a busy village where the riches lived. Today it is lined with small boutiques, specialty shops, restaurants and cafes. Leave a Comment Directions: Directly facing Escalier Casse-Cou in Lower Town.
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