Rue du Petit-Champlain + The Most Beautiful Streets in Quebec City Tour

Old Quebec City contains many beautiful and historic streets featuring British and French-inspired architecture, cobblestone roads, and a fortification. Step back in time over 400 years and enjoy exploring the history of Old Quebec, a UNESCO site since 1985.

Combine this pretty streets tour with my walking tour of Old Quebec City to see the best of Old Quebec and the most beautiful streets, the best of both.

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The Most Beautiful Street in Quebec City: Rue du Petit-Champlain

The most beautiful street in Quebec City is Rue du Petit-Champlain, and for a good reason. This pretty street is famous for its boutique shops, with Quartier du Petit Champlain being the oldest commercial shopping area in North America.

Rue du Petit-Champlain takes its name after Samuel de Champlain, who established Quebec City in 1608., and is a must-visit street for any Quebec City itinerary.

Located directly at the base of the Cap Diament Cliff, Rue du Petit-Champlain connects lower and upper Old Quebec. To reach the edge of upper Old Quebec, where Dufferin Terrace sits, from Petit-Champlain, you have two options: you can take the Escalier Casse-Cou, known as the Breakneck Steps, or ride the Funiculaire, an electric cableway.

Along the most beautiful street in Quebec City, you will find one-of-a-kind boutique shops and restaurants. Rue du Petit-Champlain is decorated according to the season. It is even more lovely in the fall and winter months, with fall colours or holiday decor. I visited in October, and the area was decorated and ready for Halloween.

To see other charming streets of Quebec City, grab your walking shoes and get exploring. This guide will tell you where to find the most beautiful streets in Quebec City and their history.

Prettiest Streets in Quebec City Tour

This tour of the prettiest streets in Quebec City is focused on Old Quebec and is in order of walking route, not by beauty. There are 17 streets in total on this tour. With so much charm, Quebec City won my heart as one of my favourite cities in Canada, right up there with Montreal and St.John’s, NL.

Here are the prettiest streets in Old Quebec:

Rue Saint-Paul

Rue Saint-Paul is a historic street in Old Quebec lined with restaurants, shops, and galleries. If you walk towards the river, you will reach the Old Port area of Quebec City. Along Rue Saint-Paul, you will also see Jean-Pelletier Park, which features a water fountain. Within Old Quebec, this stretch of Rue Saint-Paul dates back to the early 1800s and is one of the oldest in Quebec City.

Cote du Colonel-Dambourges

Cote du Colonel-Dambourges is a charming cobblestone road with tiny houses on one side of the road and a stone wall on the other. This picturesque street looks like something out of a storybook. Cote du Colonel-Dambourges is a popular spot for photos. The street is on a slope, so be prepared when you go.

Rue Sous-le-Cap

Located directly at the base of the Cap Diament Cliff, Rue Sous-le-Cap is a beautiful street in Quebec City that dates back to the days of New France. Walking underneath stairways and in between buildings, you will quickly realize that Rue Sous-le-Cap is the most unique-looking street in the city.

During the 1800s, Rue Sous-le-Cap allowed pedestrians to get from lower Quebec to the Cote de Palais during low tide. The narrow street has the largest concentration of private terraces in Quebec.

Rue du Sault-au-Matelot

Rue du Sault-au-Matelot is a semi-pedestrian cobblestone street in lower Old Quebec. Home to old buildings housing art galleries and boutiques. Rue du Sault-au-Matelot is quieter and a good place for a morning walk through Old Quebec.

Rue Saint-Pierre

Once known as the wall street of Quebec, Rue Saint-Pierre is home to stately stone-facade buildings that once housed Quebec’s financial district. Designed by famous architects of the time, the buildings were built to impress banking clients. Since Quebec’s financial institutions shifted to Montreal in the late 20th century, the area has been given new life and now is home to hotels and is part of the hospitality industry. 126 Rue Saint-Pierre was Quebec City’s first skyscraper and is now a hotel.

Rue Sous-le-Fort

At the foot of the Funicular, Rue Sous-le-Fort is in lower Old Quebec. It is a cute street featuring boutique shops and a bistro cafe and connects to Rue du Petit Champlain. From the corner of Rue Saint-Pierre, you can spot a glimpse of the famous Chateau Frontenac.

It is an impressive sight to see; how high the upper part of Old Quebec sits compared to the lower area. To reach upper Old Quebec from Rue Sous-le-Fort, you can ride the Funicular or walk up the staircase.

Rue du Cul-de-Sac

Rue du Cul-de-Sac is an adorable little street with umbrellas hanging above in blue and white – the Quebec flag colours. This tiny street with a few restaurants and shops, topped with umbrellas, is a perfect place for photos.

rue cul-de-sac is one of the most beautiful streets in quebec city

Located in lower Old Quebec, if you look up, you can see the famous Chateau Frontenac above. Rue du Cul-de-Sac is one of the prettiest streets in Quebec City and is a must-visit on your Old Quebec walking tour.

Rue du Petit Champlain

Rue du Petit Champlain is the famous shopping street of Quebec City and the highlight of this pretty streets tour. Enjoy wandering down this street, admiring the beauty and history of Old Quebec. And don’t forget to take photos; Rue du Petit-Champlain provides many photo opportunities.

Rue du Tresor

Rue du Tresor is a small cobblestone alley featuring the artwork of local artists, resembling an open-air gallery. The street is near the Notre-Dame de Quebec Basilica-Cathedral and the Chateau Frontenac. Rue du Tresor is a place to meet local artists and buy art souvenirs from May to October.

Rue des Remparts

Rue des Remparts is a winding road dividing upper and lower Old Quebec. Be prepared to climb up the escarpment hill; it is worth the effort. From the top, you will see scenic views of the lower part of Quebec City, the St.Lawrence River and the Laurentian mountains.

With a perimeter fortification wall along one side and beautiful historic houses on the other side, take a walk down Rue des Remparts and see how Quebec City has grown around its military past. There are benches to rest and cannons to admire in a peaceful setting.

Rue Couillard

Rue Couillard is one of the most beautiful streets in Old Quebec. Found in the heart of the Latin Quarter, it takes its name from the same neighbourhood in Paris. The homes in this area housed the first artisans and intellectuals of Quebec City. You will see a variety of house styles and colours along Rue Couillard.

Hidden away from the tourist areas, Rue Couillard is a perfect place to take a break and walk through historic Old Quebec without crowds.

Rue Saint-Jean

One of the most popularly visited streets in Quebec City, Rue Saint-Jean, runs both inside and outside the fortification walls. With many shops, restaurants, and cafes, Rue Saint-Jean is a great place to stop for lunch or go shopping. For the best view of Rue Saint-Jean, climb to the top of the Saint-Jean Gate.

Rue Sainte-Anne

Rue Sainte-Anne has two separate parts that connect: a cobblestone pedestrian alley with small shops and cafes and a street section with historical buildings. The street section includes the City Hall of Quebec. On Rue Sainte-Anne, you will find the controversial Édifice Price, the tallest skyscraper in Old Quebec and one of the oldest skyscrapers in Canada.

Rue Donnacona & Rue du Parloir

Rue Donnacona and Rue du Parloir are two tiny streets lined with charming stone houses with red doors. One of the houses on Donnacona is so petite and adorable that you could consider it a hobbit home. With only a few houses, Rue Donnacona turns into Rue du Parloir on the other side of the bend.

Rue Saint-Louis

One of the oldest streets in Quebec City, Rue Saint-Louis, dates back to the 17th century. Starting at St.Louis Gate, this historic street runs to the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac. The St.Louis Gate is the entrance to the fortified part of Old Quebec. Along Rue Saint-Louis, you will find boutique shops and restaurants.

Avenue Saint-Denis

Avenue Saint-Denis is a small street lined with luxury homes across from Parc du Bastion-de-la-Reine. The houses on this street are beautiful, and the park is a perfect place to enjoy a picnic or take scenic photos of Old Quebec from the Pierre-Dugua-De-Mons Terrace lookout.

After Avenue Saint-Denis, this tour of the prettiest streets in Quebec City is complete. Continue exploring the city or head onwards to your next destination. If you haven’t visited it already, you should visit Montmorency Falls, Quebec City’s waterfall.

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I hope this information helped you find the most beautiful streets in Quebec City.

Happy travelling!

Rue du Petit-Champlain + The Most Beautiful Streets in Quebec City Tour

The Most Beautiful Street in Quebec City: Rue du Petit-Champlain