Valdombre

Grab a bench in Parc du Rigolet or in dog-friendly Parc de l'Anse à l’Anguille in Levis (15 minutes’ drive) and devour a picnic while gazing across the river at Québec City. Then set about exploring the city’s Parc de la Rivière-Etchemin, with forested and waterside trails for walking and biking. Across the St Lawrence River, Jacques-Cartier Beach Park (15 minutes) has shaded trails and elevated viewpoints. At its westernmost end, it merges into Parc Cartier-Roberval, where an archaeological site explores the first encounters between the Indigenous population and French colonisers. Museums in Québec City (half an hour) shed light on the area’s maritime history (Naval Museum of Quebec), its artistic heritage (Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec) and its Indigenous societies (Museum of Civilization). On the outskirts of the city, Wendake is the ancestral home of the Wendat Nation, with a museum, craft stores and assorted cultural events.