Language, seasons, tipping, and why a two-hour bistro lunch is mandatory — the practical essentials for a first trip to Canada's French-speaking province.
Quebec is unlike anywhere else in Canada — French-speaking, proudly distinct, and with a culture shaped by four centuries of North American history. If it's your first visit, here are twelve things worth knowing before you land.
1. Language: French is the official language and the one you'll hear most. English is widely spoken in Montreal and the tourist zones of Quebec City, but rural areas are overwhelmingly French. A few words — bonjour, merci, s'il vous plaît — earn you goodwill everywhere.
2. You don't need a car in the cities: Montreal's metro is fast, clean, and covers the central neighbourhoods. Quebec City's old town is fully walkable. Rent a car for the Laurentians, Charlevoix, or the Eastern Townships.
3. Tap water is safe and excellent. Quebec's water quality is among the best in North America.
4. The legal drinking age is 18. Bring ID; it's checked.
5. Tipping: 15–18% at restaurants, on the pre-tax total, is standard. Tax is added automatically (nearly 15%), so check the bill.
6. Currency: Canadian dollars. Cards are accepted almost everywhere; carry a little cash for rural sugar shacks and small cheese stands.
7. Seasons are extreme. Summer is hot and humid in the south; winter is genuinely cold (-15°C to -25°C is normal). Check the forecast and pack for the season you're actually visiting, not the one you imagine.
8. The St. Lawrence is a river that behaves like a sea. Don't underestimate its size or its cold.
9. Poutine is a meal, not a snack. Order the classic — fries, gravy, cheese curds — at least once.
10. Maple season is short and special. The cabanes à sucre run late February through April; book ahead.
11. Quebec has its own holidays. Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day (June 24) is the province's national holiday and a big party; expect closures and celebrations.
12. Slow down. Quebec rewards lingering — a two-hour bistro lunch, a walk along the river, a stop at every roadside fromagerie. Build in time to do nothing.
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