Experience in Quebec, Canada by Fred

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What is it like to live in Quebec? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

I've been living in Quebec for 3 years and I am in love with it. It is a small city where you feel good, not so crowded and dirty like Montreal. Don't be afraid of the winter. Yes, there are some days that are really cold in January/February, but with the right clothing it's ok. And there are a lot of activities, festivals in the winter, like the Carnival or the Igloofest, to fully embrace the winter.

What is the student lifestyle like in Quebec?

The campus of Université Laval is a bit outside of the city center, and all the faculties are together (except for art and architecture) and you have many services on campus, like a hairdresser or a small grocery store.

Usually you take between 4 or 5 classes per session. That involves 3 hours in class, and then depending of the class, some groupworks, and that might add some hours of study.

There is one reading week per session. But it is also a nice time to travel.

How much does it cost to live in Quebec?

• A rent in the residences on campus costs 300$, you can find an apartment near the uni for 400-500. But I recommend to live in the residences while on exchange, because everybody lives there and you will always find someone in the kitchen.
• Food: 50$/week
• The books for uni can be really expensive, if you are lucky you can find them at the used market.
• Going out might be expensive, since you have to add the taxes and tip 10-15% every time. The same in bars, you have to tip. A meal in a restaurant is around 15-20$.
• Alcohol is expensive, you have to buy it at a store owned by the state (you can find beers and wine in the normal stores).

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Quebec? Is there any advice you can give?

It is easy to get a room in the residences, for an exchange I really recommend it, because everything is happening there. Big dinners, pre-games, you have all your friends just a few doors away...

But you can easily find an apartment on websites like Kijiji, where people look for flatmates, there are also some groups on Facebook.

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

The typical meal you will have to taste, and that is perfect after partying at 3am is Poutine, which consist in fries with a brown sauce and a cheese that make "scouich scouich". You either love it, or find it disgusting.

Then there is the maple syrup. You will surely have the chance to go to a sugar shack, where they make it (even if most of the time now they are just big restaurants for tourists). The meal there will be scrambled eggs, ham, beans, sausages, pancakes... with a lot of maple syrup all over it.

What places would you recommend visiting in Quebec?

The old center is small but so nice that you will always come back to its tiny streets or the terrace in front of the famous Chateau Frontenac or chill in the park Plaines d'Abraham.

You will go to Montreal, which is a bigger city, with tall buildings.

Don't miss the chance to go to NYC, it's only 7 hours by bus.

You can go see the whales at Tadoussac, do a road trip in Gaspésie to enjoy the canadian nature, etc.

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Is it good to eat out in Quebec? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

There are some really good restaurants. For Quebecois food, Le Cochon Dingue, and they have some delicious desserts. It is also a good spot for brunch. You can also take a breakfast at Cora, it's a brand of restaurants that only do breakfasts.

For sushi, you can go to Tokyo on sundays, the makis are only 5$.

On campus there is the Pub Universitaire, everything on the menu is good, and it is so easy to go there by the underground tunnels from you room in the winter.

Is the nightlife good in Quebec? Where is good to go?

On campus there is already many things to do. But everything has to be closed by 3am.

There is the Pub Universitaire which is really crowded on Thursday nights, more chill the other days. Some faculties change there cafeteria into a dance-club on Thursdays.

Next to campus you can have a beer at the Temps Perdu. There is La Petite Grenouille where you can have a Mega Buck (1L of beer) for 6$(+tip) on wednesday and enjoy a band playing quebecois, french and american classics with a guitar, it is my favourite place.

In the city centre, there are many bars on the rue St Jean: Sacrilège, Nelligan, Ninkasi, etc. And then you end on Grande Allée where the clubs are: Maurice, Dagobert, Ozone..

What advice would you give future students heading to Quebec?

Don't be afraid of the winter. You will have so much fun that you won't feel it!