Sunday, August 8, 2010
Chateau Frontenac
The Chateau Frontenac is reportedly the most photographed hotel in the world. And you can see why -- it looks like a castle and towers above Upper and Lower Quebec.
Built between 1892 and 1896, the Chateau Frontenac was built as a jumping-off point for travellers to rest after they disembarked off their ships and before they started off across Canada by train. It has a very distinctive green copper roof, which allows for snow to easily slide off during the winter. A roof-top garden allows the head chef to grow fresh herbs for the hotel's restaurants; all honey used by the hotel is also home-grown (bee hives also sit atop the garden).Guided tours can be taken by guests and tourists. Quite a piece of history to experience.
The Chateau Frontenac has been host for many famous guests, including royalty, politicians and Hollywood stars. During WWII, Theodore Roosevelt and Winston Churchill met to plan the D-Day invasion (no one knew prior to the meeting why the hotel had been evacuated). They also met a second time later during the war to discuss the recontruction of Europe after the fighting.
Running alongside the Chateau Frontenac is the Dufferin Terrace, a wooden boardwalk that measures 670 metres. It was first contructed around 1840 by Lord Durham, who was then governor of New France. Eventually it was named after Governor Lord Dufferin. Along the boardwalk is a number of gazebos and park benches; it's an ideal place to grab a hotdog or an ice cream, people-watch, or listen to one of the city's many outdoor entertainers. It also provides amazing views of the St Lawrence River and the Chateau Frontenac.
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