Quebec City Winter Getaway: Snow, Romance & a New Year’s Proposal

Aaah.  Snow.  That elusive, fluffy, white stuff of myth only seen on TV or during the once-every-100-years “snowmageddon” when you live in Texas.  For some reason, our annual urge to feel icy temperatures and the frozen precipitation was on another level this holiday season.  We were craving cold and snow like a nine-year-old needs screen time.  After a crushing visit to Indiana to spend Christmas with family, where the temps hit 60 degrees, the twitching was becoming uncontrollable.  (To clarify, the time with family was awesome.  Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t any closer to winter than what we left in Texas.) So in a last-ditch effort, and to fulfill our yearly trip to spend New Year’s Eve in a new city, at the last minute we took off across the border to the northeast for the frozen tundra of Quebec City, Canada.

The Fairmont Hotel - Quebec City

Finally.  SNOOOOOOOW!  Lots and lots of snoooooooow!  And more falling.  It was magical.  Waking up to see the white-covered rooftops, the frozen St. Lawrence River, and more tiny snowflakes blowing in the wind instantly made us giddy.  We couldn’t wait to bundle up and start our exploration of the historical city.  So after layering up with sweaters and thermals, we headed out for our first frosty footsteps in the snow to get some food.  A short walk from our toasty hotel took us to the Old Port area of town on the St. Lawrence River, where La Café du Monde (no relation to the New Orleans beignet icon) served up delicious local favorites, café au lait, and chocolate chaud.  The breakfast poutine came out piled high, the classic eggs benedict was tender and filling, each washed down with a small trough of hot chocolate.  The large, second-floor restaurant overlooked the frozen river and the seasonal ice skating rink next door.  Even with its decent size, the space felt smaller, giving the illusion of sitting in a cozy French café as we sipped and ate.  The service was attentive and friendly, too, contrary to what you might think in a French establishment.  So with full bellies, we kicked off our New Year’s Eve morning of exploration.

The better part of our stay in Quebec City was spent in Old Quebec. The narrow streets around our hotel were lined with art galleries, quaint shops (not just the touristy knickknack kind), and cozy bistros and cafés. All with a fresh blanket of snow. We crunched around in our boots, hopping in and out of stores until we had worked off enough of our poutine and eggs benedict to find a place out of the cold to enjoy a warm chai latte and pastry before our early dinner. Cafe La Maison Smith turned out to be overwhelming and too popular to spend much time in. We struggled to find seats to rest in, and the music was a bit much (not really bad, just didn’t promote a relaxing spot to chill). We didn’t want to fill up anyway, since our fancy New Year’s Eve dinner was quickly approaching. So fast that by the time we found seats, it was practically time to walk to Le Continental.

Winter in Quebec City

Winter in Quebec City

Winter in Quebec City

Talk about upscale! Coat service at the door, tuxedoed maître d’ for check-in, and a multitude of waiters to cater to you. We felt like we had someone for every aspect of our table. One for water, one for drinks, one to take your order, one to bring out bread, one to cook your tableside steak, and another for dessert. Like an endless parade of suited staff to offer service for our entire meal, it was wonderful! We shared a beautifully prepared Chateaubriand, cooked to our liking right at our table, and served with all the fixings, including a lovely bottle of Saint-Émilion to wash everything down. Not a morsel was wasted. We saved just enough room for the crème brûlée. One of our favorite meal experiences of the whole trip!

The Continental

After our amazing meal, we decided to walk around and enjoy the cold night air and all the lights. Old Quebec is a really magical area of town, and with all the lights, the narrow streets, and really just everything, it felt like walking around a French village. Unfortunately, we missed the Christmas market. Again! From what we saw, this one may have been the best one yet.

The evening had still not reached the grand finale, and we needed some cocktails. After walking in circles (literally and figuratively), we were on the struggle bus. Surprisingly, being the festive holiday, many places were closed or were closing early. Even though it was inconvenient for us, it was actually a little refreshing to know places were thoughtful of their employees’ lives. In a fortuitous twist, L’Orygine was open and looked like it might have a couple of seats at the bar. When the host replied, “Of course,” to our request for seats to have a cocktail, we were pleasantly surprised to be taken through a hidden door to a rear, small, “speakeasy” style space with two open seats at the bar. We had entered Vieux Carré. This place took mixology to another level. We’ve been in a number of pretty cool places with top-notch cocktails. Vieux Carré fit right in. Our bartender was incredibly knowledgeable and friendly. He was actually responsible for creating the herb mix used for my double cocktail, which was both hot and cold, and included an herbal infusion contraption for the hot toddy half. We would’ve happily stayed parked at the bar until the wee hours of the morning had it not been New Year’s Eve. We had fireworks to catch.

Vieux Carré

The hidden gem of a bar was conveniently only a short walk from our hotel, which was conveniently a short walk to the Old Port parking lot.  A rather uninhabited spot with perfect, unobstructed views of Fairmont Le Château Frontenac.  Set atop the old wall of the city, the historic hotel is an icon of Quebec.  It was here the grand fireworks show was to exit 2025 and explode into 2026!  Yeah... no.  There was no countdown.  No dropping fleur-de-lis.  Barely any fireworks.  What did go off took a minute or two after midnight to light up.  Kind of an underwhelming, but fitting, ending to 2025.  It was good for a laugh though!  We chuckled our way back to the hotel, but couldn't help feeling sorry for all the people trying to get into the parking lot with their cars who missed the whole thing.

We can’t say enough about our hotel, Hotel 71.  Definitely a boutique hotel, as it only has 60 rooms.  What it does have is modest style, courteous staff, spacious rooms, comfortable beds, and a liquor vending machine in the lobby!  You are given a separate key card at check-in that allows you to insert it into the machine and dispense a variety of wines, whiskeys, and other selections to make one feel right at home.  If only it were free (it’s attached to your credit card on file, so be careful). The night was the best New Year’s Eve we’ve had so far.  Topped off with a nightcap from the machine and extra pastries we picked up at the cafe, 2026 was officially rung in.

Hotel 71

Oh, and one more thing…as Aly settled down for the night and sat overlooking the St. Lawrence from our window, I dropped down on one knee and asked her to marry me.  Thankfully, she said “Yes!”  Needless to say, Quebec will always be a highlight when it comes to our annual winter getaways.  Fairytale ending aside, Quebec City was a magical place and perfect for our special moment.

Forever, Yes!