Québec City Facts
Fact 1: Parlez-vous français? About 95% of Québecers are French-speaking. But a large proportion of them speak at least a bit of English, so communication is considerably easier than you might encounter in France. Québecers are known for being exceptionally friendly as well, so don't be afraid to ask for directions or strike up a conversation with the person ahead of you in line!
Fact 2: In Québec in 1992, a man named Cyril Simard developed a new concept: the economuseum, the idea of which is to combine traditional arts and tourism, while still earning a profit. The result is a network of unique small businesses that provide visitors an opportunity to see traditional arts being practiced, learn a bit about the history of the art, and explore a shop retailing the final products. The Québec City area has some particularly intriguing economuseums, specializing in crafts from stained glass and paper making to beekeeping and blacksmithing. Economuseums are the ideal place to see and learn about something new and different, and are perfect for finding unusual souvenirs.
Fact 3: When Parti Québecois took power in the province in 1976, no time was wasted in making Québec unilingual. Bill 101, which made French the official language of the government, sharply restricts the use of any other language for educational or business purposes. Even hamburger was changed to hambourgeois.
Fact 4: The Fairmont Château Frontenac is an instantly recognized symbol of the city, and it's reportedly the most photographed hotel in the world. Another interesting Frontenac fact: the hotel registers about one honeymoon couple each day, and has hosted more than 39,000 honeymooners over the years.
Fact 5: Dining in Québec City can be quite a game! Although the city is just a stone's throw from some of the world's best fishing, seafood isn't as prevalent as you might expect. Mussels and salmon are frequently offered, but you're much more likely to encounter game and other more uncommon meats – venison, caribou, duck, emu and bison all make regular appearances on many restaurant menus.
Fact 6: Despite the city's French roots, the word Québec itself is not of French origin. It's derived from the Algonquian word "kebec," meaning "the place where the river narrows," which is the perfect description of the city's location beside the Saint Lawrence River.
Fact 7: First printed in 1764, the Quebec Chronicle-Telegraph is the oldest continuously published English-language newspaper in North America.
Fact 8: Québec is the only remaining walled city in North America, earning it a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation in 1985.
Fact 9: Québec's founder, Samuel de Champlain, had such a low tolerance for blasphemy that in the 1630s, he issued an order prohibiting it. If you were caught, the penalty was having your tongue cut out!
Fact 10: Roll ‘em! Québec doesn't have a huge presence in the movie biz, but a few films have been shot in and around the city. If you see something that looks familiar, you may have seen it in one of these films: "Taking Lives" with Angelina Jolie, Alfred Hitchcock's "I Confess" (largely filmed at the Fairmont Chateau Frontenac), the West German scenes in "Elvis and Me," and parts of "Eye of the Beholder" with Ashley Judd and Ewan McGregor.
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