Quebec 2018 - Day 1 and 2

For our annual Thanksgiving trip, this year we headed north into Quebec, Canada.

Day 1 - Home to White River Junction

We left right after school (3pm) on the Tuesday afternoon (20th Nov) taking the backroads (RT12) up through northern Massachusetts into New Hampshire.

It was quite a pretty drive through the snow covered landscape, traffic not too bad.

We stopped for the night at White River Junction where we stayed at the Holiday Inn.  Dinner at Wicked Awesome BBQ.

Day 2 - White River Junction to Quebec City

The next day we headed up I91 till we hit the border at Derby Line.  There was one car in front of us at the border crossing and we were through we no issues in minutes.

Once we crossed the border however our road  became a lot less easy to drive on - no plows through here for a while.

Thankfully we made it through and picked up some more traffic (and snow plows) around Magog.  We stopped for lunch at the little Subway just outside Sherbrook.  Dad got to try out his French again. Then back on the road heading for Quebec City.

The drive into Quebec Old Town was very pretty.

We passed by the Hotel Le Concorde where we were booked for our second night.

went past the Armoury

Through the old wall.

And into the Old Town.

Our Destination for the night - Chateau Frontenac.

We booked a basic double double room for the night.  Its a pretty standard room.

But the view out the window is beautiful.

We headed out to take a quick look around.

Boy was it cold.  It was -19degC out and it felt like it.  We didn't stay outside long.

Went for a swim in the hotel pool before heading out to dinner.

For Dinner we walked just outside and across the square to the Chic Shack - A burger and milkshake place.

Spent most of our meal watching the snow plows come down the hill try and turn around - was quite amusing.  The salted caramel maple milkshake was fantastic!

Did a walk around the rue St Anne region after dinner.

Quebec 2018 - Day 3 Lexie's Birthday Quebec City

Day 3 - Lexie's Birthday Quebec City.

Woke up this morning to an 11 year old Lexie.

Opened presents first thing.

A good haul of Sonic related items!

Check out was nice and late so we headed out to explore the old city this morning.

First stop breakfast.  In our ramblings last night Dad had found a little place called Baguette & Chocolat and we decided that would be a good breakfast place.  Lexie got a Pan au Chocolat and a Nutella hot chocolate for her birthday breakfast - can't get better than that.

We then headed out on a stroll around the old town.

through the backstreets.

 Into the main tourist district.  A little different to the last time we were here in mid summer - this place was jammed packed with tourist at that time.  I like it better like this.

We checked out the Royal Battery

It has a great view back up to our hotel.

We found a cidery down the main street and stopped in to warm up. Also used a couple of souvenier places for the same purpose.

By about 11 we were ready to head back to the hotel to pack up.  We took the Funicular back up the hill.

It dropped us off right where we needed to be.

We went back to our room, packed up and checked out of the Chateau Frontenac.  But instead of picking up the car and heading off we decided to have lunch in the old town first.

We found a place right around the corner from our hotel called Le Petit Chateau that is known for Crepes, Raclette and Fondue - it is Lexies Birthday after all so we decided to try it out.

We went for a Raclette for one - basically a special set up for melting cheese which you then scrape onto meat or potaotes etc - oh it was so good.

We also went for a basic cheese fondue for two.

and finished off with a couple of crepes.

Then it was time to head to our next hotel.  Le Concorde Hotel - which is just outside old town right next to the fields of Abraham.

 

Wow did we luck out on our room.  A great view right down into Old town and of our hotel from the night before.

Dad and I did a quick tour of our hotel and as soon as we saw the pool we dashed back to the room to grab the kids.  It was a great pool - lots of greenery around with a couple of waterfalls into the pool and a great view.  We spent a good couple of hours enjoying it.

We then left the kids relaxing in the room whilst Andy and I checked out the revolving restaurant at the top of the hotel.

we popped into the bar and had a couple of drinks whilst watching the city pass around us.

We picked up the kids and headed out to dinner - the 3 Brasseurs just down the street where we had a great dinner - including a Smores kit for dessert.

After dinner we took the kids back up to the revolving restaurant so they could check it out too.