Quartier du Petit-Champlain

Rue du Petit-Champlain

One of the oldest commercial streets in North America. Narrow lanes at the foot of the cliff are lined with hanging flower baskets and wrought-iron signs, and the Breakneck Stairs and a giant mural are classic photo stops.

Petit-Champlain lies in Lower Town at the foot of the Cap Diamant cliff. It is where the French first settled in the 17th century, and Petit-Champlain Street is considered one of the oldest commercial streets in North America. Along the narrow cobblestone lanes stand stone houses dating from the 17th and 18th centuries. Today they house handicraft shops, Quebec designer boutiques, galleries, maple syrup and ice wine shops, and small French restaurants. In summer, flower baskets hang from the buildings. In winter, the streets are decorated with Christmas lights and fir trees, which look like a fairy tale on snowy nights.

Classic stops include:

① Breakneck Stairs (Escalier Casse-Cou), a steep staircase that existed as early as 1635 and connects Upper and Lower Town. It is the oldest staircase in Quebec City.

② The giant trompe-l'oeil mural at the end of the street (Fresque du Petit-Champlain), which depicts scenes of daily life from the district's history.

③ Nearby Place Royale, where Champlain built his first “residence” in 1608. The Notre-Dame-des-Victoires church, completed in 1688, is one of the oldest stone churches in North America. Beside it is the Fresque des Québécois, a mural showing figures from 400 years of Quebec history.

④ The Funiculaire (funicular) between Lower and Upper Town, opened in 1879, which runs from beside Château Frontenac to the entrance of Petit-Champlain street. The one-way fare is about CAD 5, and it saves you the climb.

Recommended restaurants are Le Lapin Sauté for rabbit dishes and Cochon Dingue for French bistro fare. Nearby, the ferry to Lévis departs from the wharf and costs about CAD 4. Looking back at the château and the old city skyline from the boat is spectacular.

Quartier du Petit-Champlain

Opening hours

Nearby sights

Places to eat nearby