Québec. La belle province. Over the past twenty or so years, I’ve come to love visiting the province of Québec. From concerts to food, it’s always delivered fun times. Over the course of August, I took two different trips to Québec. Let’s reminisce!

As I post this blog, Isabelle and I are driving off on another adventure, but not to Québec. We’re off to Portland, Maine to catch another concert, but that’ll be for another day. Today, we’re talking Québec.

While I have a few vague memories of visiting Québec when I was younger, most of my memories are from my adult years. I know that our family had gone on a few vacations here in my formative years, but it’s really starting in August 1999. August 22, 1999 to be precise. I recall the specific date, as this was my first Black Sabbath concert, which also coincided with falling on my birthday. My brother Stephen and I, along with Mom, headed to Montréal. Stephen and I went to the concert and thus began my love of La belle province.

Over the next 20+ years, I’ve gone back to Montréal and Québec-City for a number of concerts. I’ve seen Ozzy, Black Sabbath, Foo Fighters, Frank Turner, Alice in Chains, Velvet Revolver and Metallica; the latter being the reason for my most recent visit to Montréal.

On August 11th, my brother and I headed out on a 10-hour drive to attend night one of Metallica’s two-night concert at the Olympic Stadium in Montréal. It was our second time seeing Metallica, and the show was really good. It wasn’t as powerful as our first time, but I think he venue had something to do with that. The Olympic Stadium is just such a huge space that the sound isn’t as good as when we saw them in the Bell Centre. Regardless, it was a fun night!

Two weeks later, I again headed to Québec, but this time with a destination of Québec-City. Over the past years, Isabelle and I have begun to travel to Québec-City regularly. It’s become my second-favourite vacation destination. (I think most regular readers will be able to deduce what’s in first place.) We have made this our go-to holiday spot, visiting at least once a year, generally. We spent much of our time in the Old Québec area. We are very comfortable here – we have shops and restaurants that we adore and visit every time. But there are always new places to discover.

This trip was just such an occasion. As we were celebrating my 45th birthday, Isabelle wanted to do something new to note the milestone. One of her colleagues had told her about a restaurant they enjoyed so, with me completely in the blind, she made reservations. I did not know where we were going until we arrived at the door to the restaurant.

Matto is a true gem of a restaurant. This Italian restaurant offers two seatings per night (6PM and 8PM). After a quick perusal of the menu, I set my sights on my entree – Pappardelle Ai Funghi Selvaggi E Olio Di Tartufo Bianco (translation: Wild Mushroom Pappardelle with white truffle oil). This was, without question, the single best dish I have had the pleasure of eating in Québec. Probably in my top 5 dishes of all time. (Note to self: that could be an interesting blog post for the future…)

Apart from the fabulous birthday supper, Isabelle and I did our usual things. We always stay at the same hotel – a nice 15-20 minute walk to Old Québec. We strolled around the streets of the fortified town, enjoying gastronomic treats, sights, and just the general vibe. While we only spent two nights, that was enough time for us to fully enjoy ourselves. That’s the beauty of returning to a beloved place – you don’t need to have as much time to appreciate the trip.

That was my August. Two brief, yet fun-filled trips to Québec. I can’t wait for the next visit!

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And you, dear reader – what are your favourite vacation spots? Have you been to Québec? What are your memories from your visits? Any spots you’d recommend for me to check out the next time I visit?