Place Royale & Petit-Champlain: Discover the Birthplace of Quebec City

(103 reviews)

Quebec City audio tour: Place Royale & Petit-Champlain: Discover the Birthplace of Quebec City

This is a 0.6mi walking tour

It takes an average of 60 mins to complete.

Quebec City

Canada

$11.99

Access all 20 locations offline with the VoiceMap app

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About the Tour

Follow in the footsteps of Quebec’s founders, and track down the precise place where the city's history began on this walking tour.

At the start of our walk, I’ll share the rich history of one of the most beautiful streets in Canada, rue du Petit-Champlain. From there, you’ll be able to better understand the challenges of conservation and restoration that this heritage ensemble faces, and learn about particular elements of New France’s architecture.

Along the way, I’ll help you visualize the transformation of the urban fabric of the oldest part of Quebec City. From the arrival of the Filles du Roy to Félix Leclerc, this tour is an intimate way of exploring the history of this neighborhood’s past and present. Glimpse the echoes of the past by exploring a bustling pedestrian area rich in history at the foot of Cap Diamant.

Tour Producer

Sébastien Ivers

6 tours

"English follows."

Je vis à Québec et j'ai étudié l'histoire ici, à l'Université Laval. J'ai commencé à travailler comme guide touristique en 1997 tout en étudiant et j'ai décidé de continuer à travailler dans le tourisme afin de partager ma passion pour l'histoire et les langues avec chaque visiteur que j'aurais la chance de rencontrer. En 2004, j'ai fondé ma propre compagnie de guides touristiques, Tours Voir Québec, et je la co-dirige toujours aujourd'hui. Au fil des ans, en ajoutant des ressources précieuses à l'entreprise, nous avons pu développer une large gamme de circuits et nous travaillons toujours à en développer davantage. Depuis de nombreuses années, Tours Voir Québec est salué par les principaux revendeurs de circuits touristiques, comme Tripadvisor et Get Your guide, comme étant la première entreprise de visites guidées à pied urbaines au Canada. J'espère que ma passion pour notre ville et ses environs se manifestera dans les différentes visites audio que je propose sur Voicemap. Bonnes découvertes!

I live in Quebec city and I studied history here, at the Laval University. I started working as a tour guide in 1997 while stuying and decided to keep working in tourism in order to share my passion for history and languages with every visitor I would have the chance to meet. In 2004, I founded my own tour guide company, Tours Voir Québec, and I still co-operate it today. Over the years, by adding precious resources to the company, we have been able to develop a wide range of tours and we are still working to develop more. Since many years, Tours Voir Québec is praised by major tour resellers, like Tripadvisor and Get Your guide, as being the number one city walking tour company in Canada. I hope that my passion for our city and its surroundings will show in the different audio-tours I am offering on Voicemap. Enjoy!

Preview Location

Location 1

Start of tour

Bonjour, my name is Sébastien and during this audio tour, I will make you discover the Birthplace of Québec City.

Before we walk, let me tell you about some landmarks in your surroundings. You should be standing at the foot of the Casse-cou staircase, which is the oldest ... Bonjour, my name is Sébastien and during this audio tour, I will make you discover the Birthplace of Québec City.

Before we walk, let me tell you about some landmarks in your surroundings. You should be standing at the foot of the Casse-cou staircase, which is the oldest in town. The version you see today has 59 steps and dates back to the 1960’s. Its nickname "Casse-cou", or “Breakneck” appeared around 1880, first in English, because the old wooden version was becoming very dangerous and tour guides nicknamed it "Breakneck stairs".

To the right of the staircase, you can see a building that was constructed to house a Catholic school named Notre-Dame-of-the-Victories. Notice the cross above the main entrance.

The house to the left of the stairs, with the inscription Funiculaire, is one of the oldest in town. Built in 1684, at the request of its owner, Louis Jolliet, a figure who left his mark in the history of North America. He is best known as the first official explorer to descend the Mississippi River, along with the Jesuit Marquette, in search of the Chinese Sea. We will come back to that in just a few moments.

Before you go, let me briefly explain how VoiceMap works. It uses the GPS location of your phone to play audio automatically, at the right time and place. Don't worry if I'm silent at times, when I'm not giving directions or telling stories. Don’t hesitate to look at the map on your screen if you ever feel lost or if you think that a silence is too long, and if you do get way off track without noticing, VoiceMap will let you know.

Now let's get going. Head to the left of The Funiculaire and approach the fence that closes the courtyard.

Stop near the fence.

In this small courtyard is a stone slab with a plaque dedicated to Louis Jolliet. A native of Quebec, he was the first to teach hydrography at the Jesuit College, located in upper town, where City Hall now stands. This means that he trained the future navigators and explorers of the continent. He was also the first organist of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in the upper town. A man of many talents!

Jolliet was dispatched by the French authorities to find the famous sea of China that would lead them to Asia and its riches. Together with the Jesuit Marquette, they mapped the Mississippi River, however, without finding its mouth.

From where you are, you can see the Funicular, which is now more a 45 degree inclined elevator than a real funicular. On the fence are some photos of the old versions. The very first Funiculaire of Québec, was powered by a steam engine, and, sometimes, horses were brought to help when heavy loads were being hoisted. It was electrified in the beginning of the 20th century. Nowadays, it takes 62 seconds to connect the 60 meters that separate the Dufferin Terrace at the top from rue du Petit-Champlain, where you are. Just so you know, Champlain was the Founder of Quebec City, we will come back to him later in the tour.

Pivot on yourself and go near the map on the wall behind you. You can see on this map the list of businesses that are part of the Coopérative du Quartier du Petit-Champlain. A little further on, I will tell you the story of this original cooperative, which has been in existence since 1985. You are now going to explore this street which normally, is visited by more than 3 million people annually and according to Architectural Digest magazine, it is one of the 25 most beautiful streets in the world.

While facing the map, turn to your right and walk on du Petit-Champlain street. Read More

View locations and route

How VoiceMap Works

Focus on your surroundings, not the screen

The VoiceMap app uses GPS to play audio automatically, at the right time and place, so you can focus on your surroundings, not the screen.

Follow a route with turn-by-turn-directions

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a fixed starting point. That lets us give turn-by-turn directions and use context to tell a better story.

Resume playback to go at your own pace

If you'd like to stop for a drink or go into a museum, end your tour then use the Resume feature to pick up exactly where you left off.

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Major Landmarks

Petit-Champlain Street
Place Royale
Urban Art
Birthplace of Quebec City
Notre-Dame-Des Victoires church
Royal Battery
UNESCO Park
Immersion Quebec
Le Lapin Sauté
Goblin Red door
Notre-Dame-des-Victoires Catholic Church
Royal Place
Rue du Petit Champlain
Funiculaire du Vieux-Québec
Escalier Casse-Cou (Breakneck Steps)
Fresque du Petit-Champlain
Quebec City Mural

View all

Getting There

Route Overview

VoiceMap tours follow a route from a set starting point. It’s how we give turn-by-turn directions and tell a story greater than the sum of its parts.

Start location
12 Rue Sainte-Anne, Québec, QC G1R 3X3, Canada
Total distance

901m
Final location
Old Quebec, Québec City, QC G1K 8A3, Canada
Distance back to start location

111.39m

Directions to Starting Point

This audio-tour starts at the bottom of the "Casse-cou" staircase, right by bottom part of the Funiculaire, at the corner of Petit-Champlain Street and Sous-le-fort Street. The Château Frontenac stands almost right above.

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Tips

Places to stop along the way

If the Notre-Dame-Des-Victoires church is open, I recommend to have a look at the interior. For a beautiful glimpse of vaulted cellars and to quench your thirst, step inside Pub Oncle Antoine. Don't hesitate to stop in boutiques along the way, many offer local authentic products.

Best time of day

This tour can be done at any time of the day, Quebec is a very safe city.

Precautions

Wear comfortable shoes since the walk is mostly on cobblestone streets. Do not forget to dress well in winter.

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“This app has become my go-to app for audio tours. I pretty much use it for every trip and it works wonderfully. I highly recommend VoiceMap for travelers to truly experience cities.”

App Store Review

“Great app. walk around at your own pace, stop where you want, move on or speed up when you want. Read the script before you go or during the commentary, speed it up or replay it. Repeat the tour whenever you like.”