Quebec is Canada's largest province by area, covering about 1,542,056 square kilometers (595,391 square miles), and its 8.5 million people are far from evenly spread. Roughly four out of five live in the lowlands along the St. Lawrence River, and nearly half live in the Montreal region alone. Because so many Quebec cities are packed into a few metropolitan areas, this list treats the Montreal and Quebec City areas as single entries, naming the larger cities folded into each, and then profiles eight independent cities that stand on their own. They range from a 17th-century river port to a company town built around hydroelectric power, and nearly all of them offer a distinctly French-Canadian mix of food, festivals and history.

Montreal Metro Area (Metro Pop. ~4,291,732 | City of Montreal Pop. ~1,762,949 (2021 Census)

The Montreal metro area is built around the island of Montreal and spreads across the surrounding rivers. Its major cities include Montreal itself, Laval on Île Jésus to the north, Longueuil, Brossard and Boucherville on the South Shore, Terrebonne, Repentigny, Blainville and Mirabel to the north, Saint-Jérôme in the Laurentians foothills, Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu to the southeast and Vaudreuil-Dorion and Châteauguay to the west and southwest, along with dozens of smaller municipalities.

History

The Saint Lawrence Iroquoians had a large village called Hochelaga on the slopes of Mount Royal when Jacques Cartier arrived in 1535, and he named the hill Mont Réal. By the time Samuel de Champlain returned in 1611, the village was gone, and he set up a fur trading post at what is now Place Royale. A permanent French mission, Ville-Marie, was founded in 1642 by Paul de Chomedey de Maisonneuve and Jeanne Mance, and it grew into the center of the fur trade. The British captured it in 1760, and Montreal was incorporated as a city in 1832.

In the 19th century the city became the commercial capital of Canada, and it was the capital of the Province of Canada from 1844 until 1849, when a mob burned the Parliament building. The Lachine Canal, the railways and the harbour made it a manufacturing and banking center, and it was Canada's largest city until the 1970s. Montreal hosted Expo 67 and the 1976 Summer Olympics, launched its Metro system in 1966, and today it is a leading center for aerospace, video games, film, design and universities.

What city is most noted for

Old Montreal is the historic heart of the city, with cobblestone streets, the Old Port and the Notre-Dame Basilica, a Gothic Revival masterpiece completed in 1829. Mount Royal Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and opened in 1876, rises above downtown and gives a view of the whole island. The Underground City, a network of tunnels beneath downtown, links malls, hotels and metro stations, and the Quartier des Spectacles is the center of the city's festivals, including the Montreal International Jazz Festival and Just for Laughs.

Montreal is just as famous for its food. Wood-fired bagels from St-Viateur and Fairmount, smoked meat at Schwartz's, poutine, and the markets of Jean-Talon and Atwater are all part of the local experience. Neighborhoods like the Plateau-Mont-Royal, Little Italy, the Village and Chinatown each have their own character, and nearly every street seems to have a bakery, a café and street art. French is the main language, but the city is bilingual and international, and it is one of the largest French-speaking cities in the world.

Quebec City Metro Area (Metro Pop. ~839,311 | City of Quebec Pop. ~549,459 (2021 Census)

The Quebec City metro area stretches along both banks of the St. Lawrence. It includes Quebec City itself, Lévis on the south shore, and the smaller cities and towns of L'Ancienne-Lorette, Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, Boischatel, Lac-Beauport and Stoneham-et-Tewkesbury, plus a number of smaller suburbs and rural municipalities on both sides of the river.

History

The Stadacona Iroquoians lived here when Jacques Cartier arrived in 1535, and the name Quebec comes from an Algonquin word usually translated as "where the river narrows." Samuel de Champlain founded a trading post and fortified settlement at the foot of the cliff in 1608, and Quebec became the capital of New France. It was the center of the colony's government, church and fur trade, and its position on a high cliff over the narrowest part of the river made it a natural fortress.

The city's fate was sealed in 1759, when British forces under General James Wolfe defeated the French under the Marquis de Montcalm on the Plains of Abraham, and both generals were killed. Quebec was incorporated as a city in 1833, hosted the 1864 conference that drew up the framework for Confederation, and became the capital of the province of Quebec in 1867. In World War II, Allied leaders including Churchill and Roosevelt met here, and in 1985 the historic district of Old Quebec was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

What city is most noted for

Quebec City is best known for Old Quebec, the only walled city north of Mexico, with its stone fortifications, the Citadelle, Dufferin Terrace and the Château Frontenac, which opened in 1893 and may be the most photographed hotel in the world. The Petit-Champlain district, one of the oldest commercial streets in North America, is reached by a funicular or by the steep Breakneck Stairs, and the Place-Royale area marks the spot of Champlain's original settlement.

The city is also known for its winters, including the Quebec Winter Carnival, one of the largest winter festivals in the world, and for summer events like the Festival d'été de Québec. The Plains of Abraham, the Parliament Building, the Musée de la civilisation and the nearby Montmorency Falls give visitors plenty to explore. Across the river, Lévis offers a different view of the skyline, and a short ferry crossing links the two shores.

Gatineau (Pop. ~291,041 (2021 Census)

History

Gatineau sits on the north bank of the Ottawa River, directly across from the national capital, and the Algonquin peoples have used this river for thousands of years. The first European settlement was founded in 1800 by Philemon Wright, a Massachusetts farmer who brought families and workers to start a farming and lumbering community at the Chaudière Falls, and the community that grew up was named Hull. The river became a major route for floating logs, and lumber and match companies, notably E. B. Eddy, dominated the economy for a century.

A huge fire in 1900 destroyed much of Hull and part of Ottawa, but both cities were rebuilt. In the 20th century, the federal government became the largest employer in the region, and offices and museums moved across the river. In 2002, the former cities of Hull, Gatineau, Aylmer, Buckingham and Masson-Angers were merged into a single city of Gatineau. Gatineau is the Quebec side of the larger Ottawa-Gatineau area, which has a population of roughly 1.49 million shared with Ontario.

What city is most noted for

Gatineau's best known attraction is the Canadian Museum of History, a curving building designed by Douglas Cardinal that overlooks Parliament Hill, and it is the most visited museum in the country. Nearby, Jacques-Cartier Park hosts the Gatineau Hot Air Balloon Festival each September, and the Promenade du Portage in the Hull district is lined with restaurants, bars and shops. The Casino du Lac-Leamy and the lakeside trails are other popular stops.

Gatineau Park, just north of the city, is the region's great outdoor escape, with more than 165 kilometers (100 miles) of trails, lakes, lookouts and the historic Mackenzie King Estate. It is especially popular in the fall, when the colors draw crowds, and in winter, when the trails are used for skiing and snowshoeing. The mix of English and French, a lively music scene and the easy access to Ottawa make Gatineau an interesting city to visit.

Sherbrooke (Pop. ~172,950 (2021 Census)

History

Sherbrooke sits at the junction of the Magog and Saint-François rivers in the Eastern Townships, where the Abenaki had long traveled and traded. Loyalists and American settlers began arriving in the 1790s, drawn by the water power that the rivers offered, and the settlement was named in 1818 for Sir John Coape Sherbrooke, the governor of British North America at the time. Its early settlers were mostly English-speaking, though the French-speaking population grew steadily through the 1800s.

Textile mills, paper plants and other factories lined the Magog River, and the city was incorporated in 1875. Sherbrooke earned the nickname "Queen of the Eastern Townships" as the commercial and cultural center of the region. The Université de Sherbrooke was founded in 1954, and Bishop's University in nearby Lennoxville, which has been merged into the city since 2002, adds an English-language college tradition. Today education, health care and technology are major employers.

What city is most noted for

Sherbrooke is known as a city of murals, with a large collection of giant outdoor paintings that tell the story of its people and history, which visitors can find on a self-guided walk through downtown. The Magog River gorge, which runs through the heart of the city, has trails and footbridges over the rapids, and the Lac des Nations, a lake in the middle of the city, is the setting for summer festivals and a fireworks show.

Other highlights include the Saint-Michel Cathedral, the Musée de la nature et des sciences and the lively restaurants and shops of Rue King and Rue Wellington. The city is close to Lake Memphremagog, Mont Orford and the Eastern Townships wine and cheese routes, which makes it a convenient base for exploring the region.

Saguenay (Pop. ~144,433 (2021 Census)

History

The Innu, known to early French explorers as the Montagnais, lived and traded along the Saguenay River and around Lac Saint-Jean for thousands of years, and the French established a fur trading post at Chicoutimi in the 1600s. Permanent settlement began in 1838, when a group of investors known as the Société des Vingt-et-Un sent settlers to the fjord region, and the lumber merchant William Price built sawmills that drove the local economy. Pulp and paper followed, and the Pulperie de Chicoutimi opened in 1896.

The Saguenay's rivers provided cheap hydroelectric power, and in 1926 the Aluminum Company of Canada built a large smelter and a planned company town named Arvida, whose name comes from the initials of its founder Arthur Vining Davis. In July 1996, the region was hit by a catastrophic flood that forced about 16,000 people from their homes. In 2002, Chicoutimi, Jonquière, La Baie and several smaller municipalities were merged into the single city of Saguenay.

What city is most noted for

Saguenay is the gateway to the Saguenay Fjord, one of the southernmost fjords in the world, with steep cliffs and deep, dark water. Boat tours, kayak trips and the nearby Parc national du Fjord-du-Saguenay offer views of the fjord, and the town of La Baie hosts "La Fabuleuse histoire d'un royaume," a large outdoor spectacle that tells the story of the region. The Pulperie de Chicoutimi, a former pulp mill turned museum, is a landmark on the Chicoutimi River.

The city is also known for its local foods, including the tourtière du Lac-Saint-Jean, a meat pie, and for its blueberries, which is why locals are nicknamed "Bleuets." Arvida, with its distinctive "Cité de l'aluminium" architecture and aluminum bridge, is a unique place to explore the story of the industry, and the Little White House, a famous house that survived the 1996 flood, is a lasting symbol of the community.

Trois-Rivières (Pop. ~139,163 (2021 Census)

History

Trois-Rivières was founded in 1634 by Sieur de Laviolette, which makes it the second oldest city in Canada after Quebec. The name, meaning "Three Rivers," refers to the three channels that the Saint-Maurice River forms at its mouth as it meets the St. Lawrence. For decades it was a fur trading post, a meeting place between the French and the Indigenous peoples, and a halfway point between Quebec and Montreal.

The city's economy changed in 1730, when the Forges du Saint-Maurice, the first ironworks in Canada, opened nearby. In the early 1900s, the river's power and the forests of the Mauricie made Trois-Rivières one of the world's largest producers of newsprint, and it was known for decades as the pulp and paper capital of the world. As the paper industry declined, the city turned to education, services and tourism, and the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières opened in 1969.

What city is most noted for

The old town of Trois-Rivières has a charming collection of historic buildings, including the Ursuline convent founded in 1697, the Manoir de Tonnancour and the Vieille Prison, which now houses the Musée POP, a museum of popular culture. Boréalis tells the story of the paper industry, and the waterfront along the St. Lawrence has parks, walking paths and a view of the Laviolette Bridge, built in 1967.

The city is also known for its festivals, including the International Poetry Festival, which began in 1985, the FestiVoix music festival and the Grand Prix de Trois-Rivières, a car race that has run on city streets since 1967. The Notre-Dame-du-Cap Basilica in the Cap-de-la-Madeleine district is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Canada.

Drummondville (Pop. ~79,258 (2021 Census)

History

Drummondville sits on the Saint-François River, roughly halfway between Montreal and Quebec City. It was founded in 1815 by Lieutenant-Colonel Frederick George Heriot, who settled retired soldiers from the War of 1812 here, and named the community for Sir Gordon Drummond, a British commander and administrator at the time. For its first century it was a small agricultural and milling community, with falls on the river that offered power for mills.

In the 1900s hydroelectric development and the arrival of the textile industry changed everything, as companies including Celanese opened large plants and drew thousands of workers. The city grew into one of the major manufacturing centers in the Centre-du-Québec region. Its position at the crossroads of two main highways, Autoroutes 20 and 55, keeps it an important distribution and transport hub, and many manufacturers are still based here.

What city is most noted for

Drummondville's best known attraction is the Village québécois d'antan, a living history village that opened in 1977 and recreates rural Quebec life between 1810 and 1910 with costumed interpreters, working craftspeople and farm animals. The Mondial des cultures de Drummondville, an international folk festival held each July since 1982, brings dancers, musicians and food from around the world to the city's streets.

The city also offers Parc Woodyatt and riverside trails along the Saint-François River, and it is home to the Drummondville Voltigeurs, a popular junior hockey team. Its central location makes it a convenient stop for travelers on the main Montreal to Quebec City corridor, and a good place to try local restaurants and shops.

Granby (Pop. ~69,025 (2021 Census)

History

Granby lies in the Eastern Townships, on the Yamaska River, and was part of the Abenaki's traditional territory. The township was named for John Manners, Marquess of Granby, a British military officer, and settlers, many of them English-speaking and later French-speaking, began farming the area in the early 1800s. Granby was incorporated as a village in the 19th century and as a city in 1915.

In the early 1900s, industry arrived, including rubber manufacturing, with the Miner Rubber Company and furniture makers becoming major employers. The city grew steadily through the 20th century, and in 1953 the Granby Zoo opened, becoming the city's greatest tourism draw. Today Granby has a diverse economy of manufacturing, services and tourism, and it is the commercial center of the surrounding region.

What city is most noted for

Granby is best known for the Granby Zoo, one of the largest zoos in Canada, with animals from around the world, a water park and an amusement area that attract families from all over Quebec. The Granby International Song Festival, which started in 1969, has helped launch the careers of many Quebec singers and is one of the oldest song competitions in the province.

The Parc national de la Yamaska, on Lac Boivin just outside the city, offers walking, cycling and boating, and a long cycling path called the Estriade links Granby with other Eastern Townships towns. Nearby Bromont adds skiing and equestrian events, and the area's farms, orchards and cideries make the countryside around the city a popular day trip from Montreal.

Saint-Hyacinthe (Pop. ~57,239 (2021 Census)

History

Saint-Hyacinthe lies on the Yamaska River in the fertile Montérégie plain, east of Montreal. The area was granted as a seigneury in 1748 to Jacques-Hyacinthe Simon Delorme, who named it after his patron saint. Farmland and mills along the river drew settlers, and the town grew through the 19th century, becoming a city in 1857.

The city became an important religious and educational center, with the founding of the Séminaire de Saint-Hyacinthe in 1811, one of the oldest classical colleges in Quebec, and it became the seat of a bishop in 1852. In the 20th century, the city's links to farming grew stronger, with an agricultural institute and a veterinary school, and today it is a leading center for agri-food research and industry in Quebec.

What city is most noted for

Saint-Hyacinthe is often called the agri-food capital of Quebec. The Institut de technologie agroalimentaire du Québec, the veterinary faculty of the Université de Montréal and many food processing and research companies are based here, and the city hosts the Expo agricole, one of the largest agricultural exhibitions in the province. The Jardin Daniel-A.-Séguin, a large botanical garden, shows off the region's horticultural skills.

The historic downtown holds the cathedral of Saint-Hyacinthe, the old seminary and a lively collection of restaurants, cafes and shops, with a riverfront park along the Yamaska. The surrounding countryside, with Mont Saint-Hilaire close by, is good for cycling, apple picking and cider tasting, and it is a popular area for local food tours.

Shawinigan (Pop. ~49,620 (2021 Census)

History

Shawinigan is built around the falls of the Saint-Maurice River in the Mauricie region, an area long used by the Atikamekw people as a portage route. The name Shawinigan comes from an Algonquian word that is generally translated as "portage on the crest." For centuries the falls were a barrier to river travel, and the land around them stayed sparsely settled.

In 1898 the Shawinigan Water and Power Company began harnessing the falls, and cheap electricity attracted industry, including aluminum, chemicals and pulp and paper. The town grew from a small settlement into a booming industrial city almost overnight, and it was incorporated as a city in 1901. Shawinigan's hydroelectric power also supplied Montreal, and one of its most famous residents, Jean Chrétien, grew up here and became Canada's prime minister in 1993. When heavy industry declined late in the 20th century, the city reinvented itself as a center for tourism and the outdoors.

What city is most noted for

Shawinigan's best known attraction is the Cité de l'énergie, a science and tourism complex built on the site of a former power plant, with an observation tower that looks over the river and the falls and exhibits on the story of electricity. The Saint-Maurice River and its dams are the centerpiece of the city's identity, and riverside paths and parks let visitors explore the industrial landscape that shaped the community.

The city is also a main gateway to Parc national de la Mauricie, with an entrance at Saint-Jean-des-Piles, and it is surrounded by lakes, forests and trails for canoeing, hiking and skiing. Its mix of industrial heritage and nature makes it an interesting stop on the way between Montreal and the Saguenay.