Place Royale
مدينة كيبك
Place Royale is the square where Quebec City was born in 1608. Today it is a cobbled corner of the lower town, with stone houses and steep roofs.
The cradle of the city
In 1608 Samuel de Champlain built his first house here. It was a home, a storehouse and a trading post all at once. That is why the square is called the cradle of French America. Long before, small groups of Indigenous Peoples came here to hunt, fish and gather plants.
Stone houses
In 1682 the first houses were lost in flames. So the owners had to rebuild them in stone. The shared walls between the houses are higher than the roofs: you can still see them today.
The Fresque des Québécois
On Rue Notre-Dame there is an enormous painted wall, unveiled in 1999. French and Québec artists painted it together. It tells the city's story with people, houses and seasons. There are explorers, governors and teachers from different eras. Stop and look at it closely: every time, you discover a new detail.
What to see from outside
Look at the roofs and the entrances of the houses. Then go closer to the Fresque on its old house wall and look for the painted stairs, balconies and signs.
