Québec is the only walled city north of Mexico, and the walls are not decoration. Samuel de Champlain founded a trading post on the narrow ledge beneath the cliff in 1608, and the name comes from an Algonquin word for a narrowing of the river. The city perched above it, around the great cliff of Cap Diamant, became the heart of New France, and its fall to General Wolfe's army on the Plains of Abraham in 1759 changed the history of the continent. The Château Frontenac, a fairy-tale hotel from the 1890s, now dominates the skyline.
Walking the old town is part of the pleasure, with cobbled lanes, stone houses, and steep stairs between the upper and lower towns. The language is French, the bread is excellent and the cafés spill onto the pavements. Across the river, Lévis is reached by a short ferry ride that gives the best view of the city from the water. Just outside the centre, Montmorency Falls drops about eighty metres, higher than Niagara, and is easy to reach along the north shore. The Île d'Orléans, a rural island of orchards, strawberry stands and old farmhouses, lies just beyond.
For a rider, Québec is a pleasure to arrive in and a challenge to ride across. The core is small and hilly, with cobbles and tight turns, and summer brings crowds of walkers and slow carriages. Park at the edge and walk. Beyond the city, the road to Charlevoix follows the north shore of the St Lawrence on Route 138, and the ride gets better with each kilometre: cliffs, forests, farmland and sudden views of the wide river. Spring can be wet, summer is warm, and September brings clear air and the first flush of colour in the maples. Winter is long and heavy, so ride between May and October.
Everything you need is here, with fuel, repair shops, hotels and a huge range of food, from bistros to simple crêpe stands. Plan to spend time, because the city rewards a slow stroll more than a quick pass. Walk the ramparts if you can, and try a local cheese or a maple dessert before you head out along the river.