By Eleanor Williams

Québec isn’t well advertised outside the region itself, but it’s definitely a road-tripper’s paradise as far as variety goes, the ultimate road-trip starts off from Québec City itself; hire a car from discount rentals and drive yourself down to the Charlevoix region. The drive itself is pretty straightforward, there’s a motorway which literally runs straight along the length of Canada and, as it’s so massive and sparse you really won’t hit much traffic which makes it all the easier for us Brits to drive on the right-hand side of the road. After driving for about 2 hours through rolling hills and forests (watch out for the moose!) you’ll hit Charlevoix and the highlight of eastern Québec; whale watching. Jumping on a zodiac is going to cost you about $45 but I promise it’s well worth the money. You’ll end up, on essentially a rubber dingy, speeding along the Baie de Gaspé. Perhaps the most incredible thing about the entire experience is being able to see up to 7 species of whales in the wild, including belugas. I’d recommend doing this as a day trip from Québec City, as there’s not much else to do in this region.

The next stop on your tour de Québec definitely needs to be the ultimate fairy-tale city; Québec City itself. The Château le Frontenac towers high above the city situated on the banks of the Saint Laurence river and it definitely makes the whole city feel like you’ve been dropped into a Disney movie. It’s worthwhile walking down to the Vieux-Port and taking a stroll up the Petit Champlain which happens to be the most instagrammable street in the world. Obviously, when in Québec, poutine is a must. Having spent most of my time in Canada meticulously trying every possible poutine joint, I can assure you that Frite Alors! just off Avenue Cartier is the best. Other things to do in the city itself include the Plaines D’Abraham for some stunning views, and Grand Allée for an authentic québécois night out.