Quebec's National Museum of Fine Arts

The actual name is Musee National des Beaux-arts du Quebec. I visited this museum during our month stay in Quebec City this past summer. This lovely museum that spans 3 different buildings on the historic Plains of Abraham is dedicated expressly to art produced in the province of Quebec or by artists from Quebec. 

I was drawn to some areas more than others as I tend to prefer landscapes and documentary paintings like this painting of Montmorency Falls by Robert Clow Todd circa 1840.   

Or this painting by Marc-Aurele De Foy Suzor-Cote circa 1907 of Jacque Cartier's 1535 meeting with natives at Stadacona

 

Much of the museum is dedicated to modern and contemporary art, but I found the Inuit Art even more fascinating - most made from carved stone, bone, tusks and horn. I was pleasantly surprised by these pieces. Here is one of the more elaborate objects made from a Walrus skull shown from three different angles. Amazing!

I had the pleasure of spending the better part of a day in this lovely place making discoveries and photographing some of my favorite pieces.

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Montmorency Falls: A Must See in Quebec

Montmorency Falls or Chute-Montemorency on the the north shore of the St. Lawrence River is a mere 15 or 20 minute drive from the old city of Quebec. There are stairs, bridges and overlooks (belvedere in French) all around the site allowing views of the falls from many vantage points. A lovely picnic spot with swings sits atop the falls on the eastern side and a small playground is situated on the west side of the bridge. Another playground lies at the bottom of falls near the visitor center. There are fees for vehicle parking whether at the top or the bottom. For a more unique and expensive perspective, one can view the falls from a sky-tram that transports riders from the visitor center below to a restaurant and trails at the top.

Montmorency Falls is a must see that provides a spectacular view of the city and the surrounding area. The natural beauty of the place is impressive in any season and it provides a great physical context for learning the history of Quebec City.

A belvedere along the elaborate stairs overlooking the falls

A view from the top of the St. Lawrence River Valley with the bridge to Ile de Orleans

A view of Quebec City from Montmorency Falls

An idyllic park near the top of the water fall

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Cartier-Brebeuf National Historic Site: Parks Canada Explorer Program

View of downtown Quebec City from Cartier-Brebeuf National Historic Site

The kids enjoy the spinning device while others the splashpad in the background

We visited the Cartier-Brebeuf National Historic Site during our stay in Quebec City. In addition to steles commemorating the history of the site, there is a splashpad and playground as well as walking and bike trails run through the site.

Here one can also find a Parks Canada interpretive center with displays of the Iroquois way of life along with information on Cartier and the first Jesuit mission in Quebec established near the site in 1625. The kids completed the Parks Canada Explorer Booklet for the site where Jacques Cartier is believed to have wintered on his second voyage up the St. Lawrence in 1535. At the time, a village called Stadacona existed in the area inhabited by the Iroquois.

Outdoor art representing one of the ships that Cartier left behind when he returned to France.

With their completed Explorer Program booklets

One astounding thing I learned from our visit was that the 16th century natives of the area had a remedy for scurvy that essentially cured Cartier's men of symptoms within 24 hours. Somehow that remedy, a tea brewed from elements of the "tree of life,"seems to have been altogether unknown 75 years later by Samuel de Champlain and the founding families of Quebec who continued to suffer from scurvy during numerous harsh winters. Even today, the exact species of tree used by the natives in their medicinal tea is not known for certain. The main ingredient could of been one of several native evergreen trees. Many believe it was a species of Eastern White Cedar as noted on a display inside the interpretive center. Outside, on another interpretive display, the species is listed as the Balsam Fir.

A Walk in a Quaint Quebec Neighborhood

We are staying in an Airbnb, a row house two blocks away from the Museum of Modern Art in the Montcalm neighborhood of Quebec City. The area is picturesque this time of year with flowers filling window baskets, door stoops, and side yards of quaint historic buildings. All this and walking distance to some great attractions and parks. This morning I took a walk to the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church and neighborhood and took a few random photos along the way.