Quebec Winter Carnival February 2020 ☃️→ great (10 day) family fun

1# Wear Bonhomme effigies

Bonhomme is the Quebec Winter Carnival mascot. The carnival is funded by the sale of small Bonhomme brooches.

To be able to participate in many of the organised activities or enter into exhibitions like the Odyss Land Of Ice, you’ll need to be wearing or displaying one of these effigies even if there’s an admission fee. Bonhomme effigies can be purchased from participating locations across the city or in the carnival shop.

2# Warm Up

If you begin to feel the cold and need to warm up, there’s a heated tent at Bonhomme’s World where you can go to thaw out. You can also draw a chair up to the fire in the Parc de la Francophonie and listen to the Carnival Storyteller narrate some fascinating tales.

3# Brush up on your French.

It’s the official language of Quebec and what the majority of people speak.

Quebec Winter Carnival is held in Old Quebec City, Canada. This predominantly French orientated nucleus of Quebec borders the banks of the Saint Lawrence River and is overlooked by the imposing Château Frontenac Hotel.

The pedestrianised streets of Old Quebec are a veritable time capsule and have retained their seventeenth century charm which gives the whole area an archaic, but completely magical atmosphere.

Quebec is not just about historical building nor is it only one long carnival party. What it is about though is snow, snow and more snow and making the most of Nature’s wintry treasure.

Toboggan Run

Ready for a quick thrill? You’ll get one if you slide down the slippery slopes of Old Quebec’s Toboggan Slide. Climb up the steep slope alongside the famous Château Frontenac, then take a deep breath and get ready for a serious adrenaline rush as you rocket down at high speed on a wooden toboggan while trying not to scream.

Dog Sledding

Want a unique way to get from A to B? Harness up the team then hit the snowy trails with a professional Musher on an authentic dog sled ride. It could be that once in a lifetime chance to find out if you have a latent pioneering spirit.

Evening Spa

When it’s time to chill out and maybe even detox a little after all the carnival activities, a great option is to take an evening spa at somewhere like the Siberian Station Spa. Relax under a sky full of stars with some Scandinavian-style thermotherapy in steaming hot outdoor pools. When you’ve warmed through, take a step under the vitalising ice cold cascade of a waterfall then get back in the tub to defrost. You’ll feel completely renewed and ready for your next party.

Going to a major carnival event is all about enjoying the atmosphere. Old Quebec City has some great places where you can stay right in the thick of things.

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Hotel Ambassadeur et Suites

Hotel Ambassadeur et Suites is close to the centre and convenient for all the carnival activities. In contrast to Old Quebec, this hotel is sleek and modern with rooms minimally furnished in a very contemporary style.

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N Hotel

If you’re looking for a good bed for a good price then check out the N Hotel. The spacious rooms are fresh and very family orientated with extra stowable beds. The very reasonable rates are ideal for group bookings too.

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Hotel le Priori

The Hotel le Priori is a World Heritage site and although it’s antiquity may be notable from its exterior style, inside it’s up to date and impeccable. It’s also perfectly located for getting to the carnival parades on time.

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Marriott Courtyard

Family friendly and ideal if you’re travelling with other carnival goers, the Marriott Courtyard has large rooms available which have two queen-size beds. The kids will love the indoor pool and the in-house theatre which is great for chilling out.

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Auberge Saint Antoine

The Auberge Saint Antoine has a certain je nes se quoi which shows it’s rightfully proud of its French heritage. If you like the rusticity of oak beams and open fires, you’ll love this luxury hotel.

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TIP – Check out the hotel which suits your budget and book early because the carnival is a popular event. Leave it to the last minute and you could well find yourself sleeping in a self-made igloo.

There’s no shortage of good food in Old Quebec which is renowned for its high level gastronomy. Get a good start to the day with a decent breakfast somewhere like Le Cosmos who serve everything from a plain croissant to a smoked salmon bagel or JaJa where the influence is all Italian with a dash of city-inspired culinary flair.

D’orsay

If you enjoy a cosy pub-style atmosphere then a plate of mussels and a draft beer at the D’orsay would suit you well. This is a great place to hole up for lunch, but don’t be fooled as even though there are burgers on the menu, this pub-restaurant dedicates itself to some serious gourmet dining.

St Hubert’s

In true French style there’s not a shortage of bistro’s or brasseries to choose from where you can indulge your taste buds in dishes influenced by Quebec’s forefathers. But if you’re looking for an economical hangover cure and just fancy something simple like chicken and chips, head over to St Hubert’s rotisserie and you’ll be feeling better in no time.

La Bûche

For a truly traditional dinner, a la Québécois, pop into La Bûche and give the rabbit wing starter a try. Yes, you read that right. Rabbit wings. Their menu makes for some interesting and very entertaining reading.

Chez Victor

There are meat free and Vegan options on many restaurant menus. Chez Victor offer a selection of veggie burgers and a Veganator guaranteed to quell your hunger pangs.

Bachir

A Lebanese/Mediterranean restaurant, serve some spicy falafel and many vegetable orientated middle eastern dishes.

For the ultimate dessert, don’t forget to get some very traditional maple taffy on ice to suck on while walking the streets.

Ferry

Heading to the carnival from Levis? The ferry service takes just twelve minutes and operates even when the river is frozen over. It does carry cars but consider during the carnival period parking will be at a premium and as it docks right where you need to be, you might want to leave your vehicle at home.

Buses

If you’ve disembarked from the Levis ferry, the Parcours 11 bus service will take you from the port area all the way through Old Quebec right up to Uppertown.

If you’re arriving to Old Quebec on any of the RTC Metrobus 800 services from outer-lying areas of Quebec, such as Wendake, Beauport or Charlesbourg, you’ll be right in the heart of the carnival action if you leave the bus at the Gare du Palais terminal.

From Quebec centre itself, take leBus 3 to Station d’Youville and you’ll be just a five minute walk from Esplanade Park, one of the main carnival sites where Bonhomme’s World is situated.

Trains

If you coming from outside of Quebec and taking the train in, it’ll leave you at the Gare du Palais terminal which is Old Quebec’s main train station and an historic building in its own right. Once you’re out of the train station you’ll be straight into the carnival action.

Driving

If your planning on driving to Old Quebec form somewhere in the province for the Winter Carnival, leave plenty of time for the journey and take care on the roads.

Example journeys

From Montreal to Old Quebec is approximately a three hour drive and on the train it’s around a three and a half hour journey.

Sherbrooke to Old Quebec takes just over two and a half hours. A bus journey will take from three and a half to four hours.

Airport

International and domestic flights arrive at the Jean Lesage Airport from where it is approximately a thirty minute drive to Old Quebec.

Public transport services from the airport to Old Quebec are available and the journey takes around an hour and a half, but check the time schedule before considering as the direct service is limited. You can also take the leBus from the airport to Place St Jaques and change there for the Metrobus service 800 which runs every half an hour and takes around one hour and twenty minutes.

Car rental, including limousines, can be collected at the airport and there are also plenty of taxi and Uber services too.

Once you’re there

Once you’re at the Quebec Winter Carnival, which is held on the streets and in the park areas of Old Quebec, you’ll find all the activities are within reasonable walking distance from each other.

In the late 1890’s, disparate and relatively disorganised elements of winter festivities were combined and consolidated into the first real winter carnival although they didn’t maintain any annual repetitive pattern.

The seasonal celebrations continued in a sporadic fashion until the mid 1950’s when, along with the introduction of Bonhomme the snowman as envoy, the winter carnival took on its role as the largest event on Quebec’s calendar and a major visitor attraction.