Québec
Walking and Hiking in Québec City
Program No. 23165RJ
Take daily hikes across four centuries of history & French Canadian heritage in the urban UNESCO setting of Québec City, the Île d’Orléans & the region’s stunning collection of parks.
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5 days
4 nights
8 meals
4B 2L 2D
1
Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Quebec City, QC
2
Old Québec City, Architecture & History
Quebec City, QC
3
Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier
Quebec City, QC
4
Île d'Orléans, Montmorency Falls
Quebec City, QC
5
Program Concludes, In Transit From Program
Quebec City, QC
At a Glance
From the stunning architecture of the Old Town to the historical countryside of the “Nouvelle France” Orléans Island—explore some of the most beautiful and fascinating neighborhoods of Québec City and the surrounding parks and islands. Learn about the city’s world-renowned cuisine, language, architecture and culture as you discover this region with local experts and during free time.
Activity Level
Outdoor: Spirited
Walking five to eight miles daily on varied terrain that includes steep hills, stairs, cobblestones, river banks and forest trails with loose dirt and rocks.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Best of all, you’ll…
- Walk through Plaines d'Abraham, a historic urban park in the heart of the city, and learn about the battle that took place there in 1759.
- Hike to Chutes-Montmorency to learn about the geological history of this 272-foot waterfall that descends into the Saint Lawrence River.
- Explore Jacques-Cartier National Park with its beautiful glacial valley in the Laurentian Mountains.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Sylvie Nadeau
Born and raised in Montreal, Sylvie Nadeau loves Quebec's largest city, the province's vibrant, creative multicultural hub, which she has been exploring her whole life on foot, by subway and on her bike. A professional in the travel industry for over 30 years and a recipient of several awards honoring the quality of her work, Sylvie hosts and coordinates the activities of Road Scholar groups with competence and enthusiasm. Her funny French accent and infectious joie de vivre give all her programs and tours a very personal color. A sports enthusiast, Sylvie is offering a new series for active travelers in addition to the many programs she already coordinates, all highlighting the many colors of Quebec as presented by passionate Quebecers dedicated to sharing the richness of their unique Canadian Province.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Sylvie Nadeau
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Born and raised in Montreal, Sylvie Nadeau loves Quebec's largest city, the province's vibrant, creative multicultural hub, which she has been exploring her whole life on foot, by subway and on her bike. A professional in the travel industry for over 30 years and a recipient of several awards honoring the quality of her work, Sylvie hosts and coordinates the activities of Road Scholar groups with competence and enthusiasm. Her funny French accent and infectious joie de vivre give all her programs and tours a very personal color. A sports enthusiast, Sylvie is offering a new series for active travelers in addition to the many programs she already coordinates, all highlighting the many colors of Quebec as presented by passionate Quebecers dedicated to sharing the richness of their unique Canadian Province.
Marie Legroulx
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Marie Legroulx, a native of Québec City, has a bachelor's in history and a master's in Québec literature. She taught French and Québec literature at local universities for over 20 years. In 2008, she returned to college to become a professional in the tourism industry, and has since been leading historical, architectural and literary explorations. Québec history and language are topics close to her heart since she is a twelfth-generation Québécoise whose ancestors settled on the St. Lawrence River in the mid-seventeenth century.
David Mendel
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David Mendel studied at York University in Toronto and the University of Paris before moving to Quebec City in 1976. He completed a Master’s in art history and is undertaking doctoral studies at Laval University. A resident of Quebec’s historic district, David is President of the Foundation of the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity and a member of the Consulting Committee for Religious Architecture of the City of Quebec. His new book, “Quebec: World Heritage City” is the first in a series of four volumes.
Djany Poulin
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Djany Poulin, having studied tourism promotion, has been leading groups in Quebec City for more than 10 years. As a foodie and history enthusiast, she is fascinated about Quebec’s heritage, cultural scene, and local products. Having worked in the outdoor and culinary industries as well, she finds the Quebec area a perfect playground for her passion for hiking, running, and camping. Her experience has brought her to lead international travelers with different specific interests, developing a broad expertise in Quebec City’s history.
Jim Dinan
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Jim Dinan, a Quebec City native versed in both the English and French cultures, has been forever been interested in the layered history of his city, even working at the famed Chateau Frontenac. Alongside a travel expert course, he has surrounded himself with almost every book relating to history, arts, cuisine, politics, and geography relating to the makeup of modern-day Quebec. In his 70s, he continues to enjoy playing hockey recreationally, painting, and drawing.

Gabrielle Pilote
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Gabrielle Pilote, originally from Trois-Rivières, has called Quebec City home for over two decades, having moved there to pursue her degree in international studies and modern languages. After a 12-year career in human resources, she transformed her outdoor passion into a profession as an adventure guide. The region perfectly aligns with her love of nature, offering endless opportunities for her favorite activities: cross-country skiing, camping, biking, and hiking. When not exploring the outdoors, she enriches her mind through novels, coaching, and leadership literature.
Suggested Reading List
(4 books)
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Walking and Hiking in Québec City
Program Number: 23165
Champlain's Dream
In this enthralling biography, acclaimed historian David Hackett Fischer brings to life the remarkable Samuel de Champlain—soldier, spy, master mariner, explorer, cartographer, artist, and Father of New France.
Shadows on the Rock
Set in seventeenth-century Canada, an evocation of North American origins highlights the men and women who struggled to adapt to the new world even as they clung to the one they left behind. The novel covers one year of the lives of Cecile Auclair and her father Euclide, French colonists in Quebec.
Montreal & Quebec City Guide – Lonely Planet
Montréal and Québec City really serve it up. You've got old-world grandeur, new-world sensibilities and big-city charms - there's enough neighbourhoods, restaurants and festivals to keep you mon-dieu'ing for months. This guide, penned by a Montréal-based author, gets you straight to the action.
Pick & Mix: buy and download individual chapters from this book
You could download free: Introducing Montreal (Very interesting…)
A People’s History of Quebec
A People’s History of Quebec is a lively guide to a little-known part of North American history. It tells of the settlement of the St. Lawrence Valley, but also of the Montreal and Quebec-based explorers and traders who travelled, mapped, and inhabited most of North America, and embrothered the peoples they met.