Childhood dreams come true
Carnaval de Québec offers dancing with Bonhomme and some exhilaration through the snow bath
QUEBEC CITY— I first learned of Carnaval de Québec in Grade 4 French class and fell instantly in love with Bonhomme, the symbol of what bills itself as the world’s largest winter carnival.
I knew I one day wanted to meet the seven-foot-tall replica of a snowman who has been the carnival’s ambassador since its start in1955 and who visits all its activities.
But I had no idea that during my first Carnaval last year I would be wearing a swimsuit in freezing temperatures, about -20 C to be precise, and dancing with Bonhomme on a snow-covered hill in front of an audience.
What else is there to do when one is offered a winter challenge but accept it?
When a snow bath was suggested, I didn’t hesitate. I really didn’t know what I was getting into, but that’s part of the fun.
Wearing a swimsuit, winter boots and toque, I joined the group of 50-plus people in a trailer. Fortyfive minutes of zumba got us working up a sweat and fogging up the windows.
Horse-drawn carriage
Calèches du Vieux Québec and Calèches Québec offer guided tours by horse-drawn carriage, weather permitting in winter. Calèches Québec conducts tours in Old Quebec, particularly the Upper Town and the fortifications. Tours last 40, 80 or 120 minutes, and cost $100, $200 and $300, respectively. Calèche du Vieux Québec guides visitors (depending on the tour) past gardens, monuments, the Plains of Abraham, the Lower Town, Old Port and more. It also offers a 40-minute tour for $100, an 80-minute tour for $190, and a 120-minute tour for $280. Both companies’ prices are per carriage (not per person) and their carriages can hold four people maximum.
Helicopter
Complexe Capitale Hélicoptère offers a 15-minute aerial tour of Quebec City for about $130. The trip covers the old city, the Plains of Abraham, Château Frontenac and the riverfront. It’s magical in the winter when the buildings are covered in snow. Reservations can be made on the company’s website.
Public transportation
Quebec City’s Réseau de transport de la Capitale (RTC) is a pretty good bus system, although not all routes are frequent. For an $8 day pass, travel the city and beyond, including the aboriginal reserve of Wendake and Montmorency Falls and the Quebec City side of the bridge to the Île d’Orléans. It’s a great way to see Rue Saint-Jean, Grande Allée, the art museum, the beautiful Bois-deCoulonge park, Sillery and SainteFoy, where Laval University is located.
Pedicab
From May to October, Tours Ludovica offers pedicab tours of the lower part of the city, such as Quartier Petit Champlain, home to boutiques, bistros and art galleries, and the redeveloped Saint-Roch neighbourhood. The tours run about 45 minutes each and start at $40. Themed itineraries, such as Romantic Quebec and Gourmet Quebec, start at $50. The company has five pedicabs.
Bicycle
The city has many bicycle paths and at least five cycling corridors. The 15-kilometre Parcours des Anses, which hugs the St. Lawrence River, is beautiful at night when the bridges, Château Frontenac and surrounding buildings are lit up. Maps of bicycle paths can be ordered from quebecregion.com or picked up at a tourism office. Cyclo Services offers guided bike tours for groups and individuals, as well as bike rentals, usually between April and November. In the winter, bikes can only be rented for the streets as the paths are closed. A two-hour rental starts as low as $15. Tours start at $55 per adult and $45 per child. During the winter season, the company rents snowshoes.