Chilling In Quebec, Canada: Winter Carnival And More

  • Saturday, February 28, 2015
  • Ann N. Yungmeyer

Just back from Quebec City, I had felt like a Southerner in the deep freeze during my visit to the “snow capital of the world” for its renowned Winter Carnival. My week-long stay included a variety of cold weather activities, but upon returning home to frigid temps and a rare accumulation of snowfall in Tennessee – I was well acclimated and ready for more.

Quebec’s Winter Carnival began 61 years ago as a Mardi Gras festival but evolved into a family celebration of winter activities with “Bonhomme,” the jolly snowman mascot.

The grand event is held during the first two weeks of February on the Plains of Abraham urban park and offers outdoor activities, food and drink, music, night parades, contests and games. Bonhomme makes his appearance regularly at the various events and hangs out at his very own Ice Palace, a true work of art in ice sculpture.

During carnival time, snow sculptures and ice sculptures are featured throughout town, and activities include snow sliding, ice fishing, sleigh rides, dogsledding, snowshoeing and skating.  The fun gets a little crazy with bumper cars on ice and the famous ice canoe races in which paddlers navigate the St. Lawrence River through chunks of ice, sometimes with one leg in the boat and the other pushing on top of thick ice.  Drawing the biggest crowd, the celebrated snow bath event features 80 brave souls who sign up to frolic in the snow with Bonhomme wearing only their bathing suits, tuques (hats) and boots.  I had the pleasure of watching two friends from my travel group participate, and they both exuded the bon vivant Canadian spirit.

One afternoon, I visited Quebec’s famous Hotel de Glace, an ice hotel that is constructed every winter from ice and snow on the former zoo grounds just outside the city. Unique to North America, the Ice Hotel has 44 rooms and thematic suites, and the entire building is a work of art with detailed sculptures, furniture, chandeliers and even glassware made of ice. The internal temperature stays at freezing or just below, and the hotel is destroyed after every winter season.

Guests who book a night’s stay will sleep in a mummy bag on an ice-sculpted bed and have access to saunas and Jacuzzis, as well as warming areas. The hotel staff provides a briefing on best practices for staying warm through the night. 

Guided tours are available to daytime visitors to learn about the hotel concept and try out some amenities, including the igloo-shaped chapel, ice bar lounge, discotheque and outdoor slide.  The fascinating hour-long tour gives an idea of what the hotel experience is like. Our enthusiastic guide, a long-time hotel employee, explained the origin of the first Ice Hotel in Sweden as inspiration for the Quebec hotel and shared her insight on the creativity of the ice artists. After the tour, we enjoyed a signature cocktail in an ice-glass and relaxed on bear skin-covered, ice-sculpted couches. A friend from Texas and I figured out the best way to stay warm was by dancing to the disco music.

Quebec City boasts beautiful natural surroundings, and the nearby mountainous areas beckon outdoor enthusiasts for skiing, snowshoeing, tubing, snowmobiling and the Nordic spa experience.  Day skiing is convenient with ski busses running from town center to Mont Saint-Anne and Le Massif ski areas.

Valcartier Vacation Village is a family destination billed as North America's largest winter playground featuring various slides for tubing and snow rafting with foreboding names like the Himalaya, Everest and Avalanche.

For a more relaxed experience, I opted to try Le Nordique Spa at Stoneham. Following protocol, going from Finnish sauna to icy plunge in the river to relaxation room, I repeated the sequence three times before rewarding myself with a warm Jacuzzi.  Hopping between outdoor stations with the air temperature at -7 degrees F was challenging for a southerner, but I called on my polar bear courage and kept in mind that the Nordic Spa experience is touted for enhanced well-being, stimulating circulation and improving skin tone.

Although Quebec’s sidewalks can be icy in winter and streets are hilly, the city is very scenic and pleasant to explore on foot. Its fascinating history and vibrant culture are presented in a variety of museums, galleries and local eating establishments.

As the first French settlement in North America more than 400 years ago, Quebec’s cultural heritage is Amer-Indian, French and British, but the French influence runs deep with 95% of residents French-speaking. Old Quebec is a walled town with a distinct European flavor, and the historic district is a UNESCO World Heritage site. The cobblestoned Place Royale, a charming square where French explorer Samuel de Champlain first settled in 1608, is now surrounded by art galleries, cafes and specialty shops. Québec City's Old Port has been a longtime center of activity, from its heyday in the 19th century to now as a port for cruise ship docking.

The iconic Chateau Frontenac – said to be the most photographed hotel in the world – looms over Old Quebec and offers a funicular ride or long stairway down to the St. Lawrence riverfront and Petit-Champlain district of fine boutiques. For more of a thrill, Chateau Frontenac offers toboggan sledding on a very fast three-lane track. 

Quebec City’s majestic winter scene includes ice-skating, horse drawn sleighs, and Nordic skiing on the snowy plains. But, no matter what the season, as a year-round destination, there is no shortage of warmth in the friendly traditions and welcoming Quebecois hospitality.

If you go: Winter Carnival 2016 is Jan. 29-Feb 14, 2016.  Visit www.quebecregion.com

----- 

Ann N. Yungmeyer is a freelance writer in Kingsport, Tn.  Read her published stories at Annyungmeyer.wordpress.com and follow her on Twitter @AnnYtravels

Travel
Blue Whales: Return Of The Giants 3D Brings The Planet’s Largest Animal To Chattanooga’s Biggest Screen
  • 2/29/2024

Blue Whales are the largest animal ever to have lived, but just reading that doesn’t quite convey their colossal proportions. They are bigger than the biggest dinosaur and weigh as much as ... more

Dan Fleser: Visiting St. Simons And Jekyll Islands
Dan Fleser: Visiting St. Simons And Jekyll Islands
  • 2/27/2024

After a day on the road last week, yours truly and fellow traveler Mike dropped anchor near the Atlantic Coast in Brunswick, Ga. We were unwinding at a local watering hole when a good Samaritan ... more

Tennessee RiverLine Announces 3 New Communities Enrolled In Tennessee RiverTowns Program
  • 2/23/2024

The Tennessee RiverLine announced Lawrence County, Al.; Calloway County, Ky.; and Dayton, Tn., as the 2024 cohort of the Tennessee RiverTowns Program. Now comprised of 22 enrolled communities, ... more