From Québec to the Big Apple: nature & remarkable cities

Canada's most diverse metropolis, Montréal, is an island city that favors style and elegance over order or even prosperity, a city where past and present intrude on each other daily. In some ways it resembles Vienna—well past its peak of power and glory, perhaps, yet still vibrant and grand.But don't get the wrong idea. Montréal has always had a bit of an edge. During Prohibition, thirsty Americans headed north to the city on the St. Lawrence for booze, music, and a good time, and people still come for the same things. Summer festivals celebrate everything from comedy and French music and culture to beer and fireworks, and, of course, jazz. And on those rare weeks when there isn't a planned event, the party continues. Clubs and sidewalk cafés are abuzz from late afternoon to the early hours of the morning. And Montréal is a city that knows how to mix it up even when it's 20 below zero. Rue St-Denis is almost as lively on a Saturday night in January as it is in July, and the festival Montréal en Lumière, or Montréal Highlights, enlivens the dreary days of February with concerts, balls, and fine food.Montréal takes its name from Parc du Mont-Royal, a stubby plug of tree-covered igneous rock that rises 764 feet above the surrounding cityscape. Although its height is unimpressive, "the Mountain" forms one of Canada's finest urban parks, and views from the Chalet du Mont-Royal atop the hill provide an excellent orientation to the city's layout and major landmarks.Old Montréal is home to museums, the municipal government, and the magnificent Basilique Notre-Dame-de-Montréal within its network of narrow, cobblestone streets. Although Montréal's centre-ville, or Downtown, bustles like many other major cities on the surface, it's active below street level as well, in the so-called Underground City–-the underground levels of shopping malls and food courts connected by pedestrian tunnels and the city's subway system, or métro. Residential Plateau Mont-Royal and trendy neighborhoods are abuzz with restaurants, nightclubs, art galleries, and cafés. The greener areas of town are composed of the Parc du Mont-Royal and the Jardin Botanique.

Quebec City is by many accounts the most French city in New France. The Old Town’s centerpiece, the magnificent Château Frontenac, seems transported from the palatial landscapes of the Loire Valley, and its French-accented streets lead past white-stone buildings that evoke old-world medieval villages. The only remaining walled city in North America outside of Mexico, Quebec City was fortified in the 17th century soon after its founding in 1608. Its strategic setting on the rocky promontory of Cape Diamond gave troops a close view of the St. Lawrence.

Tadoussac is a small village in the Côte-Nord that sits at the confluence of the St. Lawrence River and the Saguenay Fjord. Established as an important trading post by French explorers in 1599, Tadoussac still retains its rural charms to this day. Surrounded by the rugged natural beauty of the fjord, it is close to several natural and provincial parks, as well as Canada’s first maritime national park. A dozen whale species, such as minke, humpback, fins and blue whales, frequent the waters of Tadoussac Bay during the summer months, while beluga whales live here year-round.

During your journey at sea, make the most of the many services and activities on board. Treat yourself to a moment of relaxation in the spa or stay in shape in the fitness centre. Depending on the season, let yourself be tempted by the swimming pool or a spot of sunbathing. This journey without a port of call will also be an opportunity to enjoy the conferences or shows proposed on board, depending on the activities offered, or to do some shopping in the boutique or to meet the PONANT photographers in their dedicated space. As for lovers of the open sea, they will be able to visit the ship’s upper deck to admire the spectacle of the waves and perhaps be lucky enough to observe marine species. A truly enchanted interlude, combining comfort, rest and entertainment.

The discovery of these parts of Canada, inhabited at one time by Micmac Indians, by French explorers made Percé a stop-off point between Québec City and France. In the 17th century Percé developed into a bustling port with hundreds of boats anchored in the summer season. During the English campaign against Québec, the small village was burned down by the English. Afterwards, Percé was forgotten for almost half a century. Following the Treaty of Versailles, reconstruction began; by 1777 Percé addedl 400 seasonal fishermen to its year-round population of 300. In 1781 Charles Robin founded a fishing business that prospered rapidly and generated new interest in Percé.Today this charming fishing village is as a prime holiday spot, thanks to its gargantuan limestone rock which rears up from the sea just a stone’s throw off the coast. The Roche Percé”measures 1,545 feet in length and 288 feet in height and stands as a protector against wind and ocean forces. It originally featured two holes. One of them disappeared when a part of the rock crumbled in 1845, giving way to its present shape. The rock is considered one of Canada’s most celebrated natural phenomena; it presents an almost surreal sight at dawn.Little remains of the original buildings of the 17th-century fishing village due to the long, harsh winter weather. Charles Robin's house survived and serves as a guest house. Now the village features a number of craft shops, art galleries, and a pleasantly relaxed atmosphere endearing to visitors. Outside of town visit isolated lighthouses and enjoy a drive through bucolic countryside dotted with small farms and pastures.Bonaventure Island, renowned as a bird sanctuary, is two miles from the mainland. The high cliffs of the 1.6-square-mile island teem with bird colonies, including the world’s largest and most accessible colony of gannets. Other species include puffins, cormorants, kittiwakes and razorbills who come here to nest in this preservation area. Walking trails lead around the island for a closer look at this fascinating bird sanctuary. Pier Information The ship will be anchored off Percé and guests will be taken ashore via the ship’s tenders. The jetty is within close walking distance to the village. There are a limited number of taxis available for trips farther afield. Shopping Several small souvenir shops and art galleries offer a nice selection of local handicrafts and artwork. Hand-knit sweaters and woolen items may also be of interest. The local currency is the Canadian dollar. Cuisine Several rustic eateries throughout the village offer fresh seafood and typical hearty fare. If you are looking for a first-class restaurant try the Auberge du Gargantua, about a mile west of town. Other Sites Visitors can take local boat trips around Bonaventure Island. Stroll through this charming village and along its seaside boardwalk. Gaspésian LighthousesOnly two of the many lighthouses scattered along the coast of the Gaspé peninsula are still in use today. One of them stands at Cap d’Espoir some eight miles from Percé. It was built of wood in 1874; the present structure dates from 1939. It is 48 feet high and is open for visitors. The second lighthouse is located at Cap Blanc. It was also installed in 1874 and rebuilt in 1959.

The village of Cap-aux-Meules—or Grindstone Cape—was named for the headland on Grindstone, one of Quebec’s 13 Magdalen Islands. Its French moniker, rarely used in English, is nonetheless its official name. This is the second largest of the Magdalens by area, a low-lying expanse ringed by rugged shores that was inhabited by the Mi’kmaq tribe when they came on a seasonal walrus hunt. The first European to step on this land was Jacques Cartier in 1534. Today, some islanders are descendants of shipwreck survivors and live in houses built out of wood retrieved from the waters.

Louisbourg, Nova Scotia, is a thriving seaport located on the eastern tip of Cape Breton Island. French settlers first arrived in Louisbourg in 1713, using the island as a base for their lucrative cod fishery. Soon, the town became one of the busiest harbours in North America and an important trading outpost and military hub. They named it Louisbourg, in honour of King Louis XIV. The fortress was built to defend against the threat of a British invasion. After two major attacks, the fortress was destroyed in the 1760’s. In 1961 the Canadian Government commenced a $25 million reconstruction project to restore portions of the fortress to its pre-siege glory of the 1740’s. It was the largest reconstruction project in North America. The lighthouse was Canada’s first, constructed in 1734, but was severely damaged during the last siege and was abandoned in 1758. The existing lighthouse was built in 1923.

Halifax exudes a fine European air and lies along the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Visitors by sea are greeted by the 1758 Sambro Island Lighthouse, the oldest surviving beacon in North America. In the harborside Historic Properties district, grand and charming stone buildings built in the 18th and 19th centuries grace the cobblestone streets. The city grew up around Citadel Hill, where Fort George protected the harbor. The fortress, along with the adjacent stately Halifax Town Clock, has been gloriously restored and preserved.

Yarmouth is a charming little town situated in southwestern Nova Scotia. Surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, you come here to find tranquility, away from the crowds of other more famous and busy areas of the province such as Cape Breton or Wolfville. If you are looking for cozy cafes, beaches where to breathe, deserted paths - in short, if you are looking for a real holiday to disconnect, head to Yarmouth and the Acadian coast.
The port town has lived through fishing and tourism for a very long time. The French Acadians were the first ones to settle, explaining the coast’s name. It was during the Seven Years’ War that Yarmouth got its name. New England Planters settled and called Yarmouth after their hometown in Massachusetts. Through the 19th century, the town used to be a major shipbuilding center. Boats and ships that contributed to the expansion of tourism, notably with the Yarmouth Steamship Company linking the town to New York City and Boston.
Strolling through Yarmouth’s streets, you’ll surely come across beautiful and colorful Victorian houses. You won’t miss the "triplets" on the main street. A famous house is hiding among these colorful houses, the Pelton-Fuller house. This Italianate-style construction, which you can visit, used to be the summer home of Alfred C. Fuller, the original “Fuller Bush Man”. If you’re looking for more museums, Yarmouth has some! The award-winning Yarmouth County Museum and Archives, which retraces the town’s history, the Firefighters’ Museum of Nova Scotia too. If you’re looking for some art, then the Yarmouth Waterfront Gallery is a coop gallery with over 30 regional artists exposing their paintings, photographs, prints, jewelry, carving, and fiber art.

There’s history and culture around every bend in Boston—skyscrapers nestle next to historic hotels while modern marketplaces line the antique cobblestone streets. But to Bostonians, living in a city that blends yesterday and today is just another day in beloved Beantown.

This little town is the ideal starting point for a stroll around Martha’s Vineyard ». The gentle lifestyle of this incomparable setting has been attracting American presidents for several decades. Oak Bluffs will surprise you first and foremost by its Gingerbread Houses. The story goes that the Methodist community settled here more than a century ago, and built these colourful houses, straight out of the Hansel and Gretel fairytale fairytale. You’ll certainly enjoy a visit to the Flying Horses, the oldest wooden carrousel in the United States.

Established in 1639 by a small band of religious dissenters led by William Coddington and Nicholas Easton, the city by the sea became a haven for those who believed in religious freedom. Newport’s deepwater harbor at the mouth of Narragansett Bay ensured its success as a leading Colonial port, and a building boom produced hundreds of houses and many landmarks that still survive today. These include the Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House and the White Horse Tavern, both built during the 17th century, plus Trinity Church, Touro Synagogue, the Colony House, and the Redwood Library, all built in the 18th century.British troops occupied Newport from 1776–1779, causing half the city’s population to flee and ending a golden age of prosperity. The economic downturn that followed may not have been so great for its citizens but it certainly was for preserving Newport’s architectural heritage, as few had the capital to raze buildings and replace them with bigger and better ones. By the mid-19th century the city had gained a reputation as the summer playground for the very wealthy, who built enormous mansions overlooking the Atlantic. These so-called "summer cottages," occupied for only six to eight weeks a year by the Vanderbilts, Berwinds, Astors, and Belmonts, helped establish the best young American architects. The presence of these wealthy families also brought the New York Yacht Club, which made Newport the venue for the America’s Cup races beginning in 1930 until the 1983 loss to the Australians.The Gilded Age mansions of Bellevue Avenue are what many people associate most with Newport. These late-19th-century homes are almost obscenely grand, laden with ornate rococo detail and designed with a determined one-upmanship.Pedestrian-friendly Newport has so much else to offer in a relatively small geographical area— beaches, seafood restaurants, galleries, shopping, and cultural life. Summer can be crowded, but fall and spring are increasingly popular times of the year to visit.

From Wall Street's skyscrapers to the neon of Times Square to Central Park's leafy paths, New York City pulses with an irrepressible energy. History meets hipness in this global center of entertainment, fashion, media, and finance. World-class museums like MoMA and unforgettable icons like the Statue of Liberty beckon, but discovering the subtler strains of New York's vast ambition is equally rewarding: ethnic enclaves and shops, historic streets of dignified brownstones, and trendy bars and eateries all add to the urban buzz.