Funicular or Breakneck Stairs

The funicular and the Breakneck Stairs, in Quebec City

The funicular and the Breakneck Stairs link the upper town and the lower town of Old Quebec. The Quebec City audio-guided tour stops here to evoke these two emblematic passages, between Petit-Champlain and the Dufferin Terrace.

Linking the upper town and the lower town

To cross the difference in level between the upper town and the lower town of Old Quebec, two options are offered to the visitor. The Breakneck Stairs, with its fifty-nine steps, is the oldest staircase of the city, which owes its nickname to its steepness. Beside it, the funicular descends the cliff of Cap Diamant, offering a plunging view over the river and the lower town. Both link the Dufferin Terrace to the Petit-Champlain district.

What to see

Here you take the Breakneck Stairs, the oldest of the city, or the funicular that descends the cliff with a plunging view over the river, between the Dufferin Terrace and Petit-Champlain. These passages link the upper town and the lower town. It is a practical and picturesque stop, in the heart of Old Quebec.

Practical information

The funicular and the Breakneck Stairs lie in Old Quebec, between the Dufferin Terrace and the Petit-Champlain district, reachable on foot. The staircase is freely accessible; the funicular has a fee and follows its own hours, which vary with the season. It is best to check the arrangements before taking it.

Why is the staircase called Breakneck?

Because of its steepness; with its fifty-nine steps, it is the oldest staircase of Quebec, which links the upper town and the lower town.

Where are the funicular and the Breakneck Stairs?

In Old Quebec, between the Dufferin Terrace and the Petit-Champlain district.