Getting Between Stops
Fly into Montreal (YUL), which has nonstop flights from many US cities. Fly home from Quebec City (YQB), which has a handful of US nonstops, or drive about four hours back to Montreal.
VIA Rail trains between Montreal and Quebec City take about three and a half hours, with views of farmland and river towns. Book ahead for the best fares. You do not need a car in either city, since both are walkable and parking is limited and expensive.
Pick up a rental car in Quebec City for Charlevoix, either on day six for Île d'Orléans or on day seven. Baie-Saint-Paul is about an hour and a quarter away and La Malbaie about two hours. Routes 138 and 362 are scenic, with steep grades in places. Road signs are in French, so learn a few words such as arrêt for stop.
Where to Stay
In Montreal, Old Montreal is the romantic base. Hotel Le St-James is grand, Hôtel William Gray is stylish with a rooftop and boutique hotels fill the old warehouse streets. Downtown, the Ritz-Carlton Montreal is the classic address on Sherbrooke Street.
In Quebec City, the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac is the landmark and the splurge, best with a river view. Auberge Saint-Antoine in the Lower Town mixes modern rooms and old stone. Small inns in historic houses in the Upper Town often have fireplaces.
In Charlevoix, Fairmont Le Manoir Richelieu in La Malbaie is the grand hotel on the river. Auberge La Pinsonnière is the food-lover's inn. Le Germain Charlevoix in Baie-Saint-Paul is modern with a spa. As an approximate guide, expect US$250 to US$600 a night for good boutique hotels and inns, more for river-view suites.
When to Go
June to early October is the best window. Summer is warm, with highs usually in the 70s and low 80s Fahrenheit, patios open everywhere and festivals filling the calendar. Montreal's jazz festival in late June and early July and Quebec City's Festival d'été in July raise hotel prices.
Late September and early October bring crisp air and red maples on Mount Royal, Île d'Orléans and the Charlevoix hills. Whale watching runs into October, though some boat trips stop earlier.
Winter is properly cold, often well below freezing, but beautiful. Quebec City's Winter Carnival and Charlevoix's ski slopes above the river suit a different trip. If you go in winter, rental cars must have winter tires. April and November are the gray months, with slush, rain and fewer things open.
Budget and Booking
Book the Château Frontenac or Auberge Saint-Antoine first, especially for summer festival weeks and fall weekends. Then book Montreal, your Charlevoix inn, train tickets and the rental car. Whale-watching cruises and Bota Bota can be booked a week or two ahead, more in July and August.
As an approximate guide, good boutique hotels and inns run about US$250 to US$600 a night, with river-view rooms at the grand hotels costing more. Prices are in Canadian dollars, which usually helps US travelers. Dinner at the top Charlevoix inns can be a splurge, so budget for one tasting menu.
Tipping in Quebec follows US habits, about 15 to 20 percent in restaurants. Mention your honeymoon when you book. Many hotels and inns add a small welcome.
Staying Comfortable and Safe
Quebec is easy and safe for visitors. Use normal city sense at night in Montreal, as you would in any large city.
French is the main language. Most people in Montreal and Quebec City switch to English easily, but in Charlevoix you will meet more people who speak only French. Start every conversation with bonjour. A few words of French go a long way.
Old Québec is steep, with stairs and cobblestones, so pack comfortable shoes for both of you. Whale-watching boats are cold even in July, since the water is frigid, so bring warm layers, hats and gloves. On Charlevoix roads, steep grades and trucks call for patience. Watch for moose at dawn and dusk. Mosquitoes and black flies can be fierce in early summer, so bring repellent.
Make It Shorter or Longer
For a 7-day trip, spend two nights in Montreal, two in Quebec City and two in Charlevoix. You keep the train, Dufferin Terrace and the whales.
For 12 to 14 days, add three nights in Mont-Tremblant, about an hour and three quarters north of Montreal, for a Nordic spa, canoeing and a summit gondola. Another option is adding two nights in Tadoussac, across the Saguenay from Baie-Sainte-Catherine by free ferry, for more whale time.
Couples who want more city can split Charlevoix between Baie-Saint-Paul and La Malbaie, or skip Charlevoix and add two nights in Montreal and one more in Quebec City. The countryside is the part most couples remember, though.
