After visiting Montreal in Quebec, I decided to go at the discovery of the Chemin du Roy.
The Chemin du Roi is the historic road which connects two important Canadian cities, Montreal and Québec city. It is an itinerary in Québec's history, in its roots and in its pride of being the “New France.
At the beginning of the 18th century, the road network occupied an infinitesimal part of the vast territory of "Nouvelle France". There were certainly small stretches of road scattered here and there, but no major road still connected the capital Quebec City to Montreal.
It was in 1706 that the Superior Council made the decision to build a road to be traced along the river, where the houses were located.
The Chemin du Roy was used for postal couriers and for travellers who travelled it for about a century and a half with carriages, stagecoaches, and sleds in the winter, being able to count on many refreshment places.
Always side by side, the road and the river together make up the great artery of Québec's history, with its fascinating landscapes and its cultural heritage steeped in French history and traditions, from the "Nouvelle-France" to the 21st century Quebec.
It may seem funny but I assure you that the attachment to this European past is very strong, heartfelt and alive and the oldest buildings, which date back to the 1600s, are rightly preserved as precious heritage assets.
There are some differences between Montreal and Québec, the two large French-speaking cities. Both culturally lively and modern, Montreal is decidedly cosmopolitan, future-oriented and open to innovation, whereas Quebec City is more touristy and linked to the past. Difficult to choose between the two… I loved them both!
Especially in Quebec City, in its historic center, the French charm - with some British corners - is tangible: the streets are reminiscent of Mont Martre in Paris, as are the delightful small shops. However, the large urban parks and even more La Citadelle and the Parc des Champs de Bataille give the sense (and size) of being really far from Europe: the space and views are endless, typical of Canada.
Quebec is a unique territory and at the beginning it can even be alienating: accustomed to thinking of North America as an Anglophone territory, having to strive to use French to communicate - especially in small towns, it is not so obvious that we know English - makes the difference to the rest of Canada tangible. But it doesn't take much to fall in love with it: a little Europe, a little America, above all Quebec, with its uniqueness.
Extremely pleasant extensions of cultivated land, endless roads, forests and endless forests. Here everything is declined at maximum power, man has only a small part in the great representation that is staged daily.
Along the Chemin du Roy, the first connecting route created by the French to join Montreal and the city of Quebec, delightful houses and imposing churches (the former usually built in wood, the latter almost always in masonry), follow one another along the of 200 km. street, always surrounded by well-kept and green gardens and parks (I'd like to follow the same itinerary even in winter, when the blanket of snow covers every point of reference.
The Chemin du Roy, runs along the northern bank of a large river and along the route, well-marked by blue signs with the symbol of the royal crown, there are many public areas with well-kept tables and toilets (and in supermarkets located along the street sell ready-made food for picnics). The Chemin is also often used by cyclists and bikers who appreciate its comfort and rest areas along the way.
If along the coast the small urban centers alternate with large farms, just move a few kilometers and the landscape changes radically: the forests are the king of the territory.
QUEBEC CITY
