In Canada, there is a province where 80% of the residents are of French descent and speak French. It boasts European architecture renowned across North America and is home to the oldest city in Canada, with a history spanning over 400 years. Visitors here feel as though they have arrived in beautiful France. This is Canada's most French-influenced province: Quebec.
The name Quebec originates from an Indigenous word meaning "where the river narrows." In 1608, French explorer Samuel de Champlain discovered this area, claimed it for France, and founded the city, which gradually developed into the center of New France on the North American continent. In 1663, New France became a French royal colony. The struggle between France and Britain for control of this territory lasted until 1763, when France was finally forced to cede New France. Subsequently, the British renamed the territory the Province of Quebec. In 1774, the British Parliament passed the Quebec Act, which ensured that the French language and culture in the Quebec region would remain protected. In 1867, Quebec joined the Canadian Confederation.
Due to its history, Quebec displays a unique and fragrant French culture within the predominantly English-speaking landscape of Canada and North America as a whole. The provincial capital, Quebec City, is a culturally rich city with a 400-year history and a strong French atmosphere. It is the only city in North America listed as a World Heritage site by UNESCO.
Quebec City is divided into two parts: the new city and the old city. The new city is filled with high-rise buildings and bustling commerce, presenting a modern urban landscape. The old city retains the appearance of an 18th-century French town. Shops and businesses with 18th-century signs are everywhere. Shop assistants dressed in period costumes and wearing traditional hairstyles fill the entire area with an antique charm. Not only is the language French, but daily life, cobblestone streets, French-style architecture, and stone churches all exude a strong medieval European style. As tourists stroll through the streets of Quebec, they feel as if they are on the streets of France; the rows of lush trees and elegant buildings along the roads are reminiscent of the Champs-Élysées in Paris.
Montreal, known as the "Little Paris of North America," is the largest city in Quebec and the second-largest in Canada. As a major city in Quebec, the majority of Montreal's residents are French-speaking, reflecting a unique French cultural heritage, and it is considered the romantic capital of North America. It is also one of the oldest cities in Canada, founded by the French approximately 350 years ago. Therefore, among all major North American cities, Montreal possesses the most profound European charm.
June 24th of each year is Quebec's National Day. The festival has a history spanning several hundred years. Originally called Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, it was merely a religious holiday until the 1950s. In 1977, after the Parti Québécois came to power in the province, it was officially designated as the national holiday for the people of Quebec, making it the most important national festival for French-speaking Quebecers. Every year on this day, Montreal, the largest city in the province, organizes a grand parade, followed by large-scale open-air performances in the evening.
Quebec, Canada's oldest province, where history and culture shine together, is like a glass of exquisite red wine, exuding a romantic French charm at every turn.