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Place Royale & Le Petit Champlain, Quebec
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Place Royale & Le Petit Champlain, Quebec

Maison Chevalier - Quebec
Maison Chevalier
by ChuckG
Place Royale & Le Petit Champlain tips and photos posted by real travelers and Quebec locals.
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Place Royale & Le Petit Champlain: Place Royal
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  • jamiesno
  • By jamiesno on February 5, 2005
  • Quebec Page by jamiesno
  • Place Royal in Old Quebec - Quebec
    Place Royal in Old Quebec
    by jamiesno
    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.

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  • Directions: Old Quebec
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    Place Royale & Le Petit Champlain: Great Murals
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  • jamiesno
  • Updated By jamiesno on February 5, 2005
  • Quebec Page by jamiesno
  • Life in Quartier Petit Champlain Mural - Quebec
    Life in Quartier Petit
    Champlain Mural
    by jamiesno
    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 :-)

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    Place Royale & Le Petit Champlain: Quartier Petit Champlain
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  • cruisingbug
  • By cruisingbug on October 11, 2004
  • Quebec Page by cruisingbug
  • Quartier Petit Champlain, Quebec City - Quebec
    Quartier Petit Champlain,
    Quebec City
    by cruisingbug
    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!

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  • Directions: At the base of the cliff under Chateau Frontenac
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    Place Royale & Le Petit Champlain: Don't miss Place Royale!
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  • Jefie
  • By Jefie on July 19, 2006
  • Quebec Page by Jefie
  • Quebec City's Place Royale - Quebec
    Quebec City's Place Royale
    by Jefie, 1 more photos
    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.

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  • Address: 27 Notre-Dame St.
  • Phone: 418-646-3167
  • Directions: Place Royale
  • Website: http://www.mcq.org/en/cipr/index.html
  • Other Contact: mcqweb@mcq.org
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    Place Royale & Le Petit Champlain: Église Notre-Dame-des-Victoires (church)
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  • jamiesno
  • Updated By jamiesno on February 5, 2005
  • Quebec Page by jamiesno
  • Église Notre-Dame-des-Victoires (church) - Quebec
    Église
    Notre-Dame-des-Victoires
    (church)
    by jamiesno
    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 :-)

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  • Directions: Place Royal in Old Quebec
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    Place Royale & Le Petit Champlain: Shopping and dining in Le Petit Champlain
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  • Jefie
  • Updated By Jefie on November 7, 2009
  • Quebec Page by Jefie
  • Detail of a Petit Champlain house in the fall - Quebec
    Detail of a Petit Champlain
    house in the fall
    by Jefie, 3 more photos
    Le Petit Champlain is known as the oldest shopping district in North America. It is probably the most charming area of the city, but unfortunately, some visitors miss it altogether since they don't know about this little gem located at the foot of Cap Diamant, below the Terasse Dufferin. Some of the buildings in this area date back to the 17th century and have been beautifully restored, in keeping with their humble New France origins. They are now filled with specialty shops that are quite popular with locals and tourists alike since they are in general less tacky than some of the stores located up on rue St-Jean. You'll also find some of Quebec City's best restaurants in this area - just make sure to make a reservation as most restaurants fill up very fast, especially when cruise ships arrive.

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  • Phone: 418-692-2613
  • Directions: From the Terrasse Dufferin, walk down the stairs located near the Samuel de Champlain statue. When you reach the bottom, walk down the hill until you reach another set of stairs (on your right). These stairs lead to the Petit Champlain area.
  • Website: http://www.quartierpetitchamplain.com/
  • Other Contact: info@quartierpetitchamplain.com
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    Place Royale & Le Petit Champlain: Breakneck Stairs
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  • cruisingbug
  • By cruisingbug on October 15, 2004
  • Quebec Page by cruisingbug
  • Top of Breakneck Stairs, Petit Champlain, Quebec - Quebec
    Top of Breakneck Stairs, Petit
    Champlain, Quebec
    by cruisingbug
    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!

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    Place Royale & Le Petit Champlain: Place-Royale
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  • cruisingbug
  • Updated By cruisingbug on October 14, 2004
  • Quebec Page by cruisingbug
  • Place-Royale, Quebec City - Quebec
    Place-Royale, Quebec City
    by cruisingbug
    The first French North American settlement, Place-Royale is over 400 years old.

    Maison Chevalier, on rue Marche-Champlain, dates back to the late 1700s. Exhibits on the first floor explain the history of the area, and upstairs typical rooms from the region's past are depicted. Free admission.

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    Place Royale & Le Petit Champlain: The stairway linking Upper Town & Lower Town
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  • mim95
  • By mim95 on November 25, 2003
  • Quebec Page by mim95
  • Escalier Casse-Cou - Quebec
    Escalier Casse-Cou
    by mim95
    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.

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  • Directions: Steps from the funicular
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    Place Royale & Le Petit Champlain: The oldest street - Rue du Petit-Champlain
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  • mim95
  • Updated By mim95 on November 25, 2003
  • Quebec Page by mim95
  • Shops along Rue du Petit-Champlain - Quebec
    Shops along Rue du
    Petit-Champlain
    by mim95
    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.

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  • Directions: Directly facing Escalier Casse-Cou in Lower Town.
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