I am currently visiting the land of the Huron-Wendat (Wendake-Nionwentsïo), aka Québec City. I’ve visited Québec many times growing up, and now I’m here to work from my laptop! It’s COLD during the winters, but as they say, there is no bad weather, only bad clothing. There are so many ways to stay active and outdoors here, whether it’s walking around the hilly terrain, getting a sweet outdoor workout on the steep flights of stairs around the city, or taking a sunlit, barefoot and grounded, nervous system regulating stroll or picnic on the Plains of Abraham in the summer. The scenery of the mountains (albeit small) and the majestic views of the St. Lawrence help confer a refreshing and expansive state of mind, year round.

So, what’s it like living in the safest place in North America?

I often get asked why I moved here, and my reasons are simple. 1: I’m still living in my original country, so there are fewer logistics to adjust to, which is what I need at the moment for my first solo apartment. 2: I started off not knowing anyone here, and there’s a language barrier, which allows for a fresh start and an opportunity to focus more deeply on my work, myself, and building this website. 3: Rent can currently be reasonable here compared to other interesting places like Vancouver or Montréal, which I’d undoubtedly enjoy if I could afford it (I’m not rich). Plus, in terms of old buildings with lots of history, good design and charm, this is probably the best place for that. As a solo female traveller, I feel unbelievably safe here, and even go out on walks at night.

Carnaval is a unique and wholesome, family friendly winter festival. DRESS WARM! Wool base layers are life saving.

In this guide, I’ve included some alternative restaurants as well as grocery stores/markets if you prefer to cook most of your food at home like I do, and some yoga/fitness opportunities if you’d like to squeeze a few in. Poutine is an iconic regional dish from my childhood, but sadly, most of the restaurant poutines here are cooked in vegetable oils (to my knowledge, there’s only ONE place in Montréal that cooks the fries in pure, high smoke point, nutritious animal fat), but it’s easy to make your own at home with organic raw cheese and healthy fats that you know the sourcing of. Not all of the restaurants are free of industrial vegetable/seed oils, and I personally don’t condone the use of alcohol, but I figure the emphasis on local and seasonal produce will at least be of some inspiration. If you’re devoted to local organic foods like I am, or simply just want to explore some healthier and more sustainable options during your visit, you’re in the right place!

Healthier cafés and traditional restaurants:

Authentic traditional ingredients at Restaurant Sagamité

Restaurant Sagamité is owned by a Huron-Wendat family with an emphasis on local and traditional ingredients from this latitude, plants and animals in a diet adapted in rhythm with the seasons and expert Indigenous knowledge. Modern chefs are reclaiming their ancestral cuisines with a twist, reimagined for contemporary life. You’ll find the classic Three Sisters (corn, beans and squash) in sagamité soup, nourishing wild meats like deer and elk (aka wapiti), and other traditional Huron-Wendat staples.

Location: 68 ½, 68 Rue Saint-Louis, Québec, QC G1R 3Z3

Hours: 8am-10pm weekdays, 8am-11pm weekends

Nord Restaurant can be found in Strøm Spa Vieux-Québec with an eco-responsible approach to local, seasonal gastronomy. Unfortunately I believe they often cook with seed oils/PUFAs (I felt weighed down with a leaden stomach after the guinea fowl dish which doesn’t happen with healthy olive oil, ghee, or grass fed/finished, wild/pasture raised animal fats), but the menu is otherwise some great inspiration for local, nature-based boreal cooking, enjoyed with epic views of the St. Lawrence and the ice floating by in the winter. I chose not to get neurotic about seed oils/PUFAs at Nord Restaurant since it was a part of the complete experience at Strøm Spa Vieux-Québec. I also had a Swedish massage which was covered by my health insurance, heh.

Location: 515 Bd Champlain, Québec, QC G1K 8B8

Hours: Sun-Wed 11am-8pm, Thurs 11am-9pm, Fri-Sat 11am-9:30pm

Nord Restaurant and Strøm Spa

Bistro Hortus has an amazing farm-to-table menu, with a special brunch menu that runs on weekends. In the warmer months, organic vegetables and raw local honey are sourced directly from the rooftop gardens, and all year round you’ll find organic, seasonally appropriate, consciously sourced plant and animal ingredients from local Québec producers and small partner farms. Everything is moderately priced as it is more of a classy, yet casual dining situation. One caveat, though: the poutine is cooked in vegetable oil rather than animal fat, so you might want to skip that and make some at home. Bistro Hortus is right in the old town with the historic buildings and tourist shops. Try to book a reservation ahead of time, it gets quite busy.

Location: 1190 Rue Saint-Jean, Québec, QC G1R 1S6

Hours: Weekdays, 11:30am - 10pm, weekends 9:30am - 10pm

Bistro Hortus

Bistro L’Orygine is a real treat with high end, sophisticated and artistically plated and developed meals. I’d say this is the best food in the city, no contest. Every ingredient on the menu is organic/wild and locally sourced from plants to animals, which is inherently a win in my books. The winter menu is full of the likes of parsnips, oysters, wild boar (which was stunning), squash, gravlax, turmeric squash noodles, black garlic sauce, kimchi, mushrooms and cheeses, and there’s a special brunch menu for earlier in the day. There are also abundant vegan options for when you just want something easier to digest. The colourful menu shifts from season to season, providing our cells with the appropriate UV light information from the foods of our current environment. It’s slightly pricey here, with the mains that can go up to the $40 range, but I find the price is totally justified for the quality of this caliber, plus it’s good to support woman owned and organic! If you go to one healthy restaurant during your stay in Québec City, let it be Bistro L’Orygine.

Location: 36 1/2, Rue Saint-Pierre, Québec, QC, G1K 3Z6

Hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 17:00 and Sunday brunches from 9:30 to 13:30.

Bistro L’Orygine. Wow.

Bistro Évolution et traiteur

Situated all the way in Lévis south of the river, this place is home to land-to-table eats, seasonal ingredients, and cocktail options if you’re into it. They’re currently evolving from a bistro-style concept to a refreshment bar, but they remain devoted to showcasing local and seasonal produce. Gluten-free, dairy-free, and children’s menus are available. If you don’t have a car (like me…) be prepared to take a taxi/bus and/or scenic ferry ride to Lévis.

Location: 1190-B R. de Courchevel suite 102, Lévis, QC G6W 0M6

Hours: Wed and Sat, 4:30pm-9:00pm, Thurs 11:30am-9:00pm, Fri 11:30am-10pm, closed all other days

Healthier grocery stores, markets and shops:

Part of the dried herb/spice section in Carotte Joyeuse Épicerie Santé

Carotte Joyeuse Épicerie Santé has been my ultimate go-to during my time here, especially as it’s close to where I’m staying, just a few minutes from Old Québec. This is your typical crunchy granola hippie, clean eating store: all produce is organic, and the majority of goods offered in the store are organic, artisanal, and mostly without nasty processed ingredients, from the pre-made snacks and meals to the wall of loose leaf herbal teas and spices. Although there is an overall emphasis on vegan/vegetarian goods (which isn’t inherently bad in and of itself), a modest selection of organic, pasture raised, local, real meats, seafood, eggs, bone broths, rillettes, cretons, and dairy/raw cheese (that you can use for things like homemade poutine) can be found, and plenty of medicinal raw local Québec honey, lacto-ferments, teas, adaptogenic blends, seaweeds and sea salts as well. Around the corner from the produce display is a section of the store dedicated to natural personal care, with low-tox, eco-friendly products like bamboo toothbrushes, organic and washable menstrual gear, refillable shampoo and laundry wash, essential oils, palo santo, natural soaps, incense, and natural supplements.

carottejoyeuse.com

Location: 690 Rue Saint-Jean, Québec, QC G1R 1P8

Hours: Mon-Fri 9am-8pm, Sat-Sun 10am-7pm

Marché de proximité de Québec

Locavores take note - this market for all things organic/bio and local is located in the Centre culture et environnement Frédéric Back. It’s got odd opening hours, so plan ahead.

Hours: Tues-Thurs. from 3:30pm-7:30pm

Location: 870 Av. De Salaberry Local 111, Québec, QC G1R 2T9

Metro is your typical big box grocery store. There are multiple locations around the city, and while I wouldn’t make a beeline for one, there’s a tiny selection of organics if you look hard enough, and some specialty meats like frozen bison, organic chicken, duck confit, sausages, and Icelandic cod liver. Very few to no meat products are certified organic, pasture raised, and wild caught (and without nasty ingredients like nitrates, preservatives and industrial canola/vegetab oil), but plain meat and seafood is available if you’re desperate for nutrients. Metro offers a decent delivery service with more of a selection than the store I visited, in which you can type “biologique” or “organic” in the search bar, and go wild with an organic home delivery. Multiple locations, delivery orders can be done online.

IGA is another typical mainstream grocery store. If you grew up in the 90s in Ontario, you may remember this big chain store everywhere, but these days it seems to exist mostly in Québec. I found there to be a much better organic selection than at the Metro I went to. IGA also does a delivery service called Voila, which I’ve found to be pretty reliable for regular organic home deliveries in my apartment. Multiple locations. Delivery orders can be done online.

Le Grand Marché de Québec (The New Grand Market)

Best experienced in the summer when the local produce is fresh, Le Grand Marché is your one stop shop for high quality food and drink from local producers. Expect to come across fine chocolate makers, a brew pub, coffee roasters, fishmongers, butchers, and more. Many of the merchants offer on-site meals, making it a great destination for sampling many kinds of cuisine. There's a free bus to and from that runs hourly from Place d'Armes next to the Chateau Frontenac.
Location: 250-M, boulevard Wilfrid-Hamel, Québec, QC G1L 5A7, parking lot P4

Hours: Open year round, 7 days a week. Mon-Fri from 9am-6pm, Sat-Sun and holidays from 9am-5pm

Avril Supermarché Santé

This local Québec chain of shops will help you reach your health goals with a wide selection of natural foods, products and supplements that help support a thriving body, mind, and environment. Bistro and dining room in store. Home delivery available with non-perishables only. Multiple locations. Delivery orders can be done online.

Chez Lefebvre

Formerly known as La Fournee Bio, this was probably the first organic bakery in the city. The Limoilou establishment has evolved to include chocolates and makes for a great spot away from the tourist crowds.

Location: 1296 3e Ave, Québec, QC G1L 2X7

Hours: Sat-Sun 7am-5:30pm, Mon-Wed 7am-6:30pm, Thurs-Fri 7am-7pm

La Récolte

La Récolte, or The Harvest, is a small grocery store in Limoilou carrying an assortment of healthy whole foods (mostly dry/bulk), supplements, and everyday low tox essentials like zero waste goods and refillable bulk products.

Location: 885, 3e avenue, Québec, QC G1L 2W8

Hours: Mon-Fri 10h à 18h30, Sat-Sun 10h à 17h

Lufa Farms Delivery

This delivery service is based in nearby Montreal, serving over 350 pick up points across the province. If you’re looking for high quality, small scale, local animal foods, you’re in the right place.

Les Halles Cartier

Small indoor modern marketplace on Avenue Cartier not far from the Plains of Abraham, dedicated to gourmet foods, including a decent grocery store that has a small selection of organics, meats, cheeses, fresh seafood, vegetables and fruits, and more. Great place for picking up picnic snacks on the way to the Plains of Abraham (hello, earthing opportunity in the spring/summer). In one of the delis I found organic whole chicken, wild game meats like boar, elk and duck confit, as well as a selection of stocks and bone broths (and a great, all natural game meat stock I used for poutine gravy with some sea salt and spelt flour). Just avoid the processed meats.

Location: 1191 Av. Cartier, Québec, QC G1R 2S9
Hours: Sat-Wed 9am-6pm, Thurs-Fri 9am-7pm.

Fitness/health:

Strøm Spa - Québec City’s most significant spa, with Finnish saunas, indoor and outdoor relaxation areas, and massage options in a totally Zen, upscale environment with epic views right at the edge of the St. Lawrence. Silence and wifi-free is enforced here to encourage relaxation on the cellular level, and if you can get to walk around on the stone paths barefoot/in Earth Runners, you’ll benefit from earthing too. Strøm is a chain with multiple locations, nominated for one of Canada’s best spas. Although the hot/cold pools and steam rooms look nice, skip the toxic chlorine dose and stick to the infrared therapy room, dry relaxation rooms, Finnish saunas x3, massages, outdoor lounge for sunbathing, Epsom baths and/or salt scrubs, which will still be worth the admission IMO.

Quatre Natures - Professional guided hiking and outdoor adventure tours. The tours begin at a meeting point in Old Québec, and transportation/logistics are all taken care of! You could also just book a ride on the bus to your destination without a guided tour, and explore independently (just go with someone else for safety reasons).

Hot Yoga Prana - unpretentious space for all kinds of hot yoga classes. It costs $2 to rent a mat if you don’t have one. Classes are in French. The room is heated but not extensively; I found that I wasn’t dripping sweat like I did at the hot yoga studios back in Ontario.

Taking a cold water dip in the St. Lawrence River/Old Port harbour bath - Always a refreshing (and totally free) way to reset and recharge your mitochondria in natural bodies of living water - summer or winter!

Roaming/cross country skiing/snowshoeing/picnicking/biking/doing yoga and getting sunshine on the historic Plains of Abraham - skis and snowshoes can be rented for a small fee during the winter months, with heated rest stations throughout the paths and epic views of the St. Lawrence river.

Namaste Yoga Montcalm - unheated yet nice, clean, very small and rather informal yoga studio on the second floor of an unmarked building in the Montcalm neighbourhood. There will likely be a schedule taped to the front door. Spare mats, blocks, blankets and straps are available for free if you don’t have any. Classes in French only - sign up online here.

Nautilus Plus group gym classes - honestly, I find myself less interested in indoor gym settings, preferring to roam outdoors carrying heavy things under sunlight, but a group gym class can be a great opportunity to get some targeted movement and sweat/detox in while preparing you for more strenuous activities out in nature. I really enjoy group classes since it’s good motivation, and following the instructions requires little brainpower for a decent workout ;) From Zumba to HIIT to yogalates, check out the schedule for each week on the website, and you can sign up for a short term membership for cheap, or free trial drop-in. If anything, the whole bottom floor is a traditional gym with all the weights as well, depending on your interests and goals. This gym also has a well functioning sauna, which is a huge reason I chose this over other gyms.

Gym Saint-Jean - this 24/7 gym offers private training and healthier meals/smoothies. Free trial and monthly subscriptions are avail.

Forge Gym - located a stone’s throw away in Saint-Roch, Forge Gym offers more structured classes and bootcamps targeting different needs.

Ice skating at Place d’Youville - in the winter, skates are available for rent at this historic public square in the middle of the city. There’s also a skating rink at the Plains of Abraham.

Center Lotus D’or Yoga & Ayurvéda - Center devoted to yoga and Ayurveda, offering Ayurvedic consultations and massages, yoga and meditation classes, Tianshi energy harmonization sessions, workshops and conferences, and a boutique offering natural products, superfoods, detox tools, oils, skincare and specialized medicinal products. If you have an insured professional practice, offices can be rented here.

Location: 13 Ruelle de l'Ancien-Chantier, Québec, QC G1K 6T4 (right across the Gare du Palais)

Hours: Wednesdays and Thursdays 10am-5:30pm, Fridays 10am-2pm, closed all other days

Nature/hikes/walks:

Jacques-Cartier National Park - If you don’t have a car like me, you can always take a shuttle bus with Quatre Natures that gets you there for a fee, and you could also optionally book a professional guided tour, year round (with the shuttle bus included for free). Quatre Natures was the best company I went to for hikes, and the professionally guided hikes are invaluable for solo female travellers like myself.

Grands-Jardins National Park - About a 1 hour and 30 min. drive from Vieux Québec, this place has a fishing spot that has been popular for over 100 years. This park forms one of the core zones of the Charlevoix Biosphere Reserve, a status granted by UNESCO. This is a protected area, so read up on the regulations for different activities that may change from time to time, and help protect nature!

Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Riviere-Malbaie National Park - (2 hour drive from Vieux Québec) - Another part of the core zones that make up the Charlevoix Biosphere Reserve, Hautes-Gorges is a series of valleys that cut deep into the rocky mountains, and multiple trails, like the legendary Acropole-des-Draveurs trail, the Riverain trail with its lookouts, or along the river via the Des Rapides trail.

Cote-Nord - A much more interesting area than the aforementioned spots, according to some locals. It’s far, so definitely plan ahead for multiple days of exploration. Be sure not to miss the Vauréal Canyon and its legendary waterfall, as well as whale watching.

Transportation:

The area I stayed in (old town/St. Roch) is pretty dang walkable for most basic needs and touristy activities, but Québec City currently has no tram or subway system (it’s quite a small city). A car rental might be a good idea, but that wasn’t an option for me as I currently don’t have my full license yet and am intimidated by the roads of Québec (don’t judge me!). Frankly, the city is too hilly with too many sets of stairs for me to consider renting a bike, but you might want to look into it especially if you’re a seasoned cyclist who won’t be going near the stairs. There is talk of a city tram in the works, much to many of the locals’ chagrin, but that won’t be happening for a few years. Aside from the many benefits and cost-effectiveness of simply walking to see most of the touristy things, taking the bus or taxi will be your best bet for public transport.

The most reliable, trustworthy taxi here has been Taxis Coop for me, and I find it very safe, quick and professional, especially when I want to avoid walking alone at night (even though this is one of the safest cities in the world). It’s also regulated by the official ville de Québec. The official app makes it easy to book a trip with at least a 45-minute advance notice. After about 20-ish rides over the past 6 months, it hasn’t let me down.

The bus system here is called RTC. Download the RTC Payment app to purchase bus tickets on your phone, and the RTC route map for navigation.

Communauto car sharing. This is only available if you have proof of residence in Québec. For a small fee, rent a car for a few minutes, an hour, a day, or more. Round trips or one way FLEX Service (drive it and leave it) are available, enabling customers to access new ways to tread more lightly on the planet.

Take the 12-minute ferry across the river from Old Quebec to Lévis!

That’s all for now, folks! Hope you enjoyed this little healthy travel guide for a memorable and fulfilling stay in Québec City.

The Healthier Travel Guide to Québec City, Canada

So, what’s it like living in the safest place in North America?

Healthier cafés and traditional restaurants: