TRAVEL & LEISURE

My friend and I both wanted to have crepes for breakfast on Sunday. When we passed a restaurant that had them on the menu, we popped in to see about a booking. They weren’t taking reservations, but we were assured there would be a place. The gentleman did take my name.

Sunday, we chose a short drive to see Montmorency Falls and Saint Anne de-Beaupre Basilica But first our crepes!

The place we had scouted on Saturday was a bit of a hike past the Frontenac, so we decided to stop by the Cochon Dingue first. Here is where Quebec gets a bad rep; we were first in the door and asked if they had room for the 4 of us. Our request was totally ignored. The waiter looked at his computer as if we hadn’t spoken or he hadn’t heard us and walked away. We waited and he never returned. I have to say though this was the only time we experienced this bad behaviour. Most times it was a warm friendly exchange The place we had chosen the day before proved to have delicious food and exceptional staff

After incredible crepes, it was a short walk to the Plains of Abraham. The plains lie at the western edge of the old walled city, overlooking the St. Lawrence River. The plateau was the scene of a battle (Sept. 13, 1759) between the French under the Marquis de Montcalm and the British under James Wolfe in which both leaders were mortally wounded. After a 30minute battle, the British won. Now it was back to the hotel and off on our little trip to see the falls and the Basilica.

GPS made it a quick trip to Montmorency; the cable car was closed for the season Still a nice, short walk gave us a picturesque view of the falls and the St Lawrence River.

About 20 minutes from the falls is the Basilica of Saint Anne de-Beaupre. Unfortunately, a good portion of the outside facade was under construction, covered in scaffolding. What was visible though, was still exceptional. We were able to wander freely throughout the church and each chapel was breathtaking. From the art to the architecture, it is well worth the short trip.

Returning to the city, my friend and I were dropped off back at the Christmas Markets, for another quick walk around. With the crowds at that point in the day (3:30 pm), quick was only a wishful thought Still it felt like a festive time. Dinner was booked at the hotel’s Matto restaurant Their menu is Italian and we all chose different entrees; each being declared the best meal of the weekend!

Having spent a little time driving, it reduced our step count on Sunday:13,000 steps, 39 staircases and just over 8 kilometres.

The weather for the weekend, while cold and sometimes cloudy, was dry. Monday morning was checkout day and to make sure we had the total Quebec experience, Mother Nature delivered literally a foot of snow!

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