Canada #36 Québec
On 13 September 1759, two opposing armies met on the grassy plains above the St Lawrence River in a battle which lasted less than an hour. The area known as the Plains of Abraham was named after Abraham Martin, a fisherman and river pilot who had farmed the land a century before. French troops, under the command of Louis-Joseph de Montcalm, were overwhelmed by British Army and Royal Navy forces, led by General James Wolfe. Five days later, the city of Québec surrendered to Britain.
More than 250 years later, the Plains of Abraham National Battlefields Park is a place of peace, remembrance and contemplation. Markers commemorating the battle are placed throughout the gardens, detailing important moments and the people who took part.
After overnight showers the morning air is cool and damp and raindrops hang heavy on flowers in the gardens.
It’s a quiet weekday morning and the only creatures we meet are hungry squirrels foraging for breakfast…
and these quirky musical penguins.
Water plays in the centennial fountain, constructed in 1967 to celebrate 100 years since the colonies of Canada, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick united to form one independent nation.
Beyond the manicured lawns and neatly kept gardens, the grass is longer and the path, now just a narrow dirt track, leads to the top of Cap Diamant. We come to a Martello tower, strategically placed high above the St Lawrence River. Once a defensive fort housing a garrison of soldiers, the tower is now a small museum.
Following the path along the edge of the ridge, we arrive at Terrasse Pierre Dugua-De Mons. From this elevated vantage point, we admire again the wide expanse of Dufferin Terrace, the elegance of Château Frontenac and the St Lawrence River, silvery under the overcast sky.
Later, on our way home, we come across memorials to the two leaders of that long ago battle on the Plains of Abraham. Both died after being wounded by musket balls; General Wolfe not long after the battle began and the Marquis de Montcalm the following day.
They may have been on opposing sides in 1759 but today they are equally remembered for the roles they played in Québec’s colourful history.
Join Jo for Monday Walks
Great photos. Historic battle fields are so peaceful now. Always love watching the squirrels. Thanks for sharing.
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We don’t have squirrels in Australia so it’s always a novelty when we see them. They are so active and cheeky.
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Fantastic photos.
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Thank you. The gardens made a lovely subject for photos.
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They do. Keep the photos coming
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Oh! I just understood where the saying ‘ a thin red line’ originated. Never too late 🙂
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That was a revelation for us too Pauline. There’s always something new to learn. 🙂
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Who knows, i Montcalm had won the battle, Canada might now be entirely French-speaking.
Love the squirrel peeping out from those big leaves on the grass 🙂
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Yes, things may have been completely different, although this battle was part of a much longer war but a win may have been a turning point.
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I well remember studying this in school, back in the ‘dirty 30s’ ! 🙂
Your photos are always so good!
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Thank you Yvonne! I do love my new camera. We learned so much Canadian history on this trip.
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What a lovely peaceful walk, Carol, despite all that strife in years gone by. The rain spattered flowers are gorgeous and I love your peeps at squirrels. Ending with a lovely view- who can want more? Many thanks, hon! Wishing you a speedy recovery. 🙂 🙂
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We loved watching the squirrels because we don’t have them in Australia. They are very cheeky.
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Wow if only we could see what that space was like back then!
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Yes! I can’t imagine climbing up the cliffs of Cap Diamant like the English forces did.
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These sites are always very moving.
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True and also very educational. We learned so much on this trip.
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History and battlefields certainly make you stop and think about our ancestors and how much they went through to settle the lands that we now call home. Some of my ancestors are actually from that area. 🙂
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So you have a Canadian background! We really enjoyed learning more about Canada’s history and were surprised to learn that there was a war between the United States and Canada too.
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Brilliant photos that brought back to many memories of our visit to Quebec. We loved the Plains of Abraham and the history of the battles, fascinating and beautiful place.
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It really is a pretty city and the gardens were beautiful and lush. We enjoy the history too.
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I’m glad it’s a nice peaceful place now, but it’s good that visitors are educated about what happened there. How exciting for you to see squirrels! 🙂
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We learned a lot about the battle, particularly about the “thin red line”. It’s an expression we’ve heard but didn’t know how it came about.
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Very interesting and beautifully illustrated.. Glad to have come across your blog via Jo’ s Monday walks.
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Hello and welcome! We enjoyed this day very much, as history is one of our interests. We didn’t know much about Canadian history before this trip and we came away much more learned.
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Visiting old battle fields always feels like walking on hallowed ground. Gives me goosebumps. Lovely post, Carol and I love the cheeky squirrel shots. 🙂
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Thanks! It’s hard to imagine this place being a site of bloodshed. We enjoyed watching the squirrels and took so many photos of them.
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Having grown up in South Africa, I know very little about Canadian and American history, so it’s always an education for me. Interesting and lovely photos.
Peta
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Being Australian, we didn’t know a lot about Canadian history either. It was a great learning experience.
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Those views from Terrasse Pierre Dugua-De Mons are fabulous. You captured those dramatic clouds in the sky, which make the landscape look very moody. That park seems very contemplative.
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It was an overcast day after a very rainy night but it didn’t dampen our spirits at all. The views over the river were amazing.
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It’s good when you can not let the weather dampen your spirits. I have a hard time with that sometimes!
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Such an important place in Canadian history. I too felt the calm and peacefulness when we visited. Seeing your photos brought back memories of our time there. We last visited in late fall so seeing the flowers is an extra treat.
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The gardens were beautiful, especially after soaking rain the night before.
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