Place Royale

Place Royale, in Quebec City

Place Royale is the cradle of Quebec City and New France, in the heart of the lower town. The Quebec City audio-guided tour stops here to evoke this founding place, where Samuel de Champlain established the city in 1608.

The cradle of New France

Place Royale is the place where Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec City in 1608, marking the beginnings of New France. This cobbled square of the lower town, surrounded by stone houses with steep roofs, is dominated by the Notre-Dame-des-Victoires church, one of the oldest in North America. The historic and symbolic heart of the city, it restores the atmosphere of the Quebec of the origins and is among the most emblematic sites of the city.

What to see

You admire the cobbled square, the stone houses with steep roofs and the Notre-Dame-des-Victoires church, in the cradle of New France. Place Royale restores the atmosphere of the Quebec of the origins. It is a must-see stop, to be explored on foot in the lower town.

Practical information

Place Royale lies in the heart of the lower town of Old Quebec, reachable on foot. It is a public space open at all times, freely accessible and on the level; the church and the shops around have their own hours. The square is lively all day.

Why is Place Royale important?

Because it is there that Samuel de Champlain founded Quebec City in 1608; the cradle of New France, it is dominated by the Notre-Dame-des-Victoires church.

Where is Place Royale?

In the heart of the lower town of Old Quebec.