How to Spend a Sustainable Weekend in Québec City

Start the weekend off right with breakfast at Chez Boulay, known for its Nordic, terroir-inspired cuisine. If you’re feeling the call of the Old Town, order breakfast to go from Épicerie Québécoise - Chez Boulay and nosh as you explore the local shops on Rue Saint-Jean.

We highly recommend a guided walking tour to get a feel for Québec City’s fascinating history, especially if it’s your first time visiting or if you’ve never done the tour before. If you’d rather just do your thing, watch for hidden treasures like the Fortifications of Québec National Historic Site and Monastère des Augustines, both of which are well worth a visit.

With a menu featuring tons of local and organic ingredients, Bistro hortus makes an ideal lunch spot. It’s even better when the sun is out and you can eat on their patio. Talk about dining in style!

Once you’re feeling rested, it’s time to explore the neighbourhoods just outside Old Québec. If you want to stay in the Upper Town, Saint-Jean-Baptiste has colourful buildings and an ultra-quaint main street: Rue Saint-Jean. We’re also big fans of Montcalm, a heritage neighbourhood with a main strip (Avenue Cartier) decked out in giant artsy lampshades that takes you right up to the Plains of Abraham.

In the summer, you can take one of the city’s àVélo rental e-bikes down to the Lower Town to explore Saint-Sauveur. (Be sure to bring a helmet—they’re mandatory!) There you’ll find Alentours, a restaurant that’s blazing a trail for ecofriendly dining. Alentours uses renewable energy, responsible waste management, short supply chains, and ethical practices to make eating out a sustainable affair. We can’t get enough!

After all that exploring, it’s time to bed down for the night at an ecofriendly hotel. Two accommodation options at the top of our list: Monastère des Augustines or Hôtel Nomad, both in Old Québec.

For your second day in Québec City, don your finest sports attire and bike out to a peaceful haven just minutes from the city centre. After stopping at one of the local bike shops to rent your ride, you can take the Corridor du Littoral bike path to Montmorency Falls Park. The falls are about 12 km from the Old Port and are well worth the trip. If you’re unsure how to get to there, staff at the rental shop should be able to point the way.

If biking isn’t your thing (or you’ve still got steam after your bike ride), take the shuttle to see Île d’Orléans from the water on a sea kayaking excursion with Quatre Natures.

Wrap up the weekend with a delicious dinner at a microbrewery in the heart of Québec City. There’s no better place to meet friendly locals and fill up on local fare. We’re big fans of La Korrigane, where they turn their spent grains into doughnuts. Now that’s a circular economy!

Your sustainable weekend getaway is within reach! Now if only you had more time… If you have an extra day or five to spend slow travelling, there are plenty of other sights and activities perfect for sustainable travellers.