So you’re a Francophile. The boys! The food! The…no, that’s it.
Oh, well, yeah — Paris and all that. But there’s this thing about Paris. And Marseille. And Bordeaux. And the Loire Valley. Can you say “sticker shock?” No offense to France, or to the rest of the Eurozone, but Europe is one expensive continent. Sucks for boy/food-crazy Francophones on a budget, right? No, as it turns out: What America tends to forget is that France 2.0 is right next door. It’s called Quebec.
Montreal, Quebec City, and maybe a few you haven’t heard of like Rimouski or Drummondville, are very, very (and very) proud of their French-ness, and the culture of the whole province is decidedly different from the Native- and English-speaking parts of the country. Montreal and Quebec City are laid out in the French style, and as history goes, are some of the oldest European settlements in North America; Quebec City popped into existence in 1608, and most of its city-center is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Even better, the strong US dollar overpowers the weaker Canadian dollar; you make money just by showing up. You can indulge in your francophilia and still not break the bank! As it is, the whole province of Quebec is pushing itself hard as a destination.
From an LGBT perspective, Montreal wins, hands down. It’s clubs, along with the prerequisite restaurants, etc, are world-class. Quebec City, despite being the older, more dignified sibling, is a little more for the rough-n-ready crowd into sports (but as a gay scene all its own, thank you very much). That western section of the province between the St. Lawrence River and the US border is particularly well-known for its wineries. Over in the east, the Gaspesie Peninsula, basically the entire southern shore of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, is even more butch than Quebec City. I’m talking winter safari territory, and that includes whale-watching. The province also has a very strong Native presence, and it’s something to check out if you want to give your vacation a little more of a cultural spine. It’s tough to sum up a territory larger than Texas into a 450-word article, but the gist here is that there is something for everyone, and it will be in French.
And for all those folks who want to experience French culture but cannot, in fact, speak French, have no fear. This is still Canada, and you would be hard-pressed to find Quebecois that can’t speak English.
For more info, go to quebecoriginal.com/en-us/discover or contact Steele Luxury Travel to plan your trip to Quebec! www.SteeleTravel.com