10 fab facts on Quebec

1. Quebec produces 77% of the world’s supply of maple syrup. Spring is harvest time and the syrup is made from the sap of the maple trees.

2. It is one of the few places in the world where you can see a wide variety of whales – attracted by the river’s shellfish.

3. Quebec City is in the northeast part of the state and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

4. Wildlife here includes the black bear and the moose. Black bears can be found in their natural habitat from June to September near Quebec City in the Duchesnay resort.

5. Quebec has more than 500 festivals year-round. Montreal’s International Jazz Festival in June and July has over 800 events.

6. With a population of 516,600 residents, Quebec City is the second most populous city in the province after Montreal.

7. Jacques Cartier, the French explorer, arrived in Quebec in 1535, but only stayed for only one winter before going back to France.

8. Quebec City is located at the intersection of the St Lawrence and the St Charles River. The city’s name is derived from Kébec, an Algonquin word meaning “where the river narrows”.

9. The huge Chateau Frontenac Hotel dominates Quebec City’s skyline from the top of CapDiamant. It was designed by architect Bruce Price as one of a series of chateau hotels built for the Canadian Pacific Railway Company.

10. Quebec City was the meeting place for two major Second World War conferences, focused on the D-Day landing plans.