Why Quebec?

French, English, native, and bilingual; nationalist and federalist; contentious and comfortable; exotic and North American; sophisticated and on the frontier; hot blooded and on the edge of the Arctic Circle; historically Catholic and resolutely secular today -- Quebec offers us a microcosm of the modern Western experience. European sensibilities and North American nature combine to make something most Americans know nothing about -- a nation to the north, embedded in a loose confederation, open to the world, yet determined not to forget its unusual history of struggle, suppression, and self-discovery.

Follow with us the trail of Quebec's founding, subjugation, and renaissance, while enjoying the natural splendors of the province and urban pleasures of its life.

Photo: Quebec student demonstration. Scroll over to see a Quebec staircase, only for cats!