And the winner is…Québec City, of course!
Last month, at a ceremony in London, England, Québec City was crowned Culture City of the Year by the jury of the Leading Cultural Destinations Awards. Recognized for its fine museums and interpretive centers, Québec City beat out fellow finalists Los Angeles, California, and Lyon, France. There can be no doubt that the brand new Pierre Lassonde Pavillion of the Musée national des beaux-arts was a deciding factor in the jury’s decision: it was nominated separately for best new museum of the year. This prize is well deserved, as any visitor to Québec City can attest; we have a wealth of cultural opportunities here, opportunities that appeal to all tastes and all ages.
I would take this recognition a step further, though.
Let’s be honest, museums are not for everybody. But here in Québec City, culture can be had on every street corner. It is culture with a small “c”, culture that makes this place unlike every other place on earth. I am referring to the splendid architecture that is the product of 400 years of artistic innovation and political evolution. I am referring to the culinary traditions that combine European sophistication, North American gourmandise, and cold weather comfort. I am referring especially to the wonderful people here and their French language – things that make every interaction on the streets of the old city a cultural experience par excellence.
Come to Québec City. See for yourself.
Encore une fois c’est super de te lire.
Cette fois-ci je te lis de Séoul.
Xxx
Carole
Tu es le plus fier des québécois !
Beautiful city.
Bravo Neil ! Toujours si bien écrit et décrit !
Denise
We have travelled to many different places but Quebec is one that stands out as a truly amazing and unique city.We would love to return one day and spend more time exploring it.We were also really lucky to have had Neil as our tour guide.
It is no wonder that it was chosen as City of culture.
Neil tu en es un grand ambassadeur et tu me donnes raison d’être fière de ma ville. C’est toujours avec le plus grand intérêt que moi-même j’aime la faire découvrir
QUEL AMBASSADEUR ET SURTOUT QUEL GUIDE ES-TU NEIL !!!
et j’ai eu la chance de terminer notre saison 2016 en ta compagnie…MERCI de tes chroniques toujours savoureuses et de TON AMITIÉ…
Alain Bernier (TVQ)
Thanks Neil. Québec City is truly the Grand Dame.
Enjoyed your expertise as a well informed guide. Very enlightening! Loved
Quebec City for all its beauty. I felt like I was in Europe! Bravo!!
Loved Quebec ! I too would love to revisit with more time to explore the museums. Love the architecture! The warmth of the people! Thank you for your comments..
Oui Oui
Hi,
It’s probably the reason why, as a Tour Guide, I always feel so proud to present my city !!!
My wife, Susan, and I loved our (all too) short visit to your wonderful city on October 25, with the result that the award comes as no surprise. If there is any shortcoming anywhere in the city, and we experienced none, it would be readily overlooked by any visitor having you, Neil, as tour guide!
See for yourself, hear for yourself and taste for yourself!
Congratulations on this highly deserved honor! We will never forget the wonderful time we had in your beautiful city!
Very good Neil, coming from you, it is so real. You know how to express the wonderful culture of Quebec.
Bonjour Neil
ce que j’aime le plus de ton texte, c’et qu’on sent que tu aimes Québec profondément. Merci aussi pour cela !
Ce n’est certainement le fruit du hasard, mais de l’excellent travail de tous ses ambassadeurs en mots et en image! Bravo Neil
Thanks for the lovely picture. We also loved the historic older buildings that have been kept up over the many years. We really enjoyed seeing and walking through the wonderful buildings with Neil as our guide. We learned a lot.
Many good memories!
Tant de beauté en si peu de kms, avec en prime la chaleur des habitants de cette ville…voilà pourquoi nous l avaons choisie, n est ce pas ! Merci de le rappeler avec tant d’ élegance Neil!
As always, you renew the memories of my wife and I’s visit to Quebec and the wonderful, and enlightening tour you provided us. Thanks again
As usual, you are right on the dot. Love reading you. Thanks for sharing your great thoughts my dear friend. Take care.
On our cruise excursion in Quebec City, August 28th, Neil went above & beyond … insisting that my husband, who uses a wheelchair, needed to see Place Royal – and he pushed him UP & DOWN the steep cobblestone hill to get there – BRAVO, Neil! My husband was so grateful!and you put tears in my eyes!