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Photos of Canada Photos of Quebec

Remco Evenepoel Wins the 2026 Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec

Cyclists climbing the Côte de la Montagne during the GP cycliste de Québec 2026
Cyclists climbing the Côte de la Montagne during the GP cycliste de Québec 2026

The cycling teams competing in the Grand Prix cycliste de Québec, complete the same course twenty times, giving photographers the opportunity to hone their photography skills. Today, Remco Evenepoel will win the race.

A slow shutter speed blurs the background and the spokes of the bike wheels, enhancing the sense of speed as riders climb the Côte de la Montagne.

The gradient of this climb ranges from 9 to 13 percent. However, a 17 percent section awaits cyclists who choose the inside of the curve. Many of these professionals climb the hill in the saddle and at a steady pace.

The Red Bull - Bora - Hansgrohe cycling team in Quebec City in 2026.
The Red Bull – Bora – Hansgrohe cycling team in Quebec City in 2026.

Above, the German Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe cycling team speeds past the Place d’Armes in the Upper Town. One by one, the cyclists take turns taking the lead to help Remco Evenepoel (second from the left in the photo) conserve his energy until the final laps. In other words, he’ll have to fight on his own later on.

Cyclists riding on St Louis Street in Old Quebec for the GP cycliste de Québec 2026
Cyclists riding on St Louis Street in Old Quebec for the GP cycliste de Québec 2026
Remco Evenepoel fightingfor the first place at the GP cycliste de Québec 2026
Remco Evenepoel fightingfor the first place at the GP cycliste de Québec 2026

In the photo above, Remco Evenepoel is battling it out against other big names in international cycling. With just a few laps to go, Remco is on track to secure first place in Quebec City.

Remco Evenepoel wins the Quebec City GP Cycliste 2026
Remco Evenepoel wins the Quebec City GP Cycliste 2026

After a frenzied sprint against Giulio Ciccone, Remco Evenepoel won the 2026 Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec.

However, the crowd made it difficult to get a good view of the riders crossing the finish line. Fortunately, there was a concrete block near the safety fence. So, I was able to use it to get a better view.

Finally, after waiting for two hours while balancing on the block, the Belgian champion rode past us, delighted with his first victory in Quebec City.

Click on the link for more articles and photos from Quebec on my blog.

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Photos of Canada Photos of Quebec

A young girl dances in the fountains.

A young girl dances in the fountains of the Quebec City Hall gardens.
A young girl dances in the fountains of the Quebec City Hall gardens.

During an evening photo shoot in the Quebec City Hall gardens, I caught this young girl dancing through the fountain jets. The atmosphere was beautiful, with very soft light just before nightfall.

The photography technique called for a tight frame to eliminate anything that might distract from the main subject, the young girl. I chose a shutter speed just fast enough to prevent motion blur. I was able to keep the ISO low enough to maintain good image quality, which was made possible by the shallow depth of field. In any case, the people on the other side of the jets weren’t of any interest, other than to highlight the dancer’s graceful presence.

Click the link for more photos of Quebec City on my blog.

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Photos of Quebec

Beautiful sunsets in September in Matane.

Sunset in Matane, 2026
Sunset in Matane, 2026

While on vacation in Matane for a few days, we took the opportunity to snap a few photos of the magnificent sunsets that are the hallmark of the area.

Sunset in Matane, Quebec, 2026
Sunset in Matane, Quebec, 2026

You never know what to expect, because in the evening the sky often clouds over or clears up in a matter of minutes. You have to be ready to capture the most beautiful colors, which last only a very short time—sometimes just a few seconds.

Sunset in Matane in September 2026
Sunset in Matane in September 2026

The entire region along the St. Lawrence River between Matane and Quebec City offers spectacular sunsets. The Kamouraska region sometimes features colors so intense that it’s hard to post them on social media without people thinking the photos have been edited and oversaturated.

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Photos of Quebec

Bike ride between Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies and Rivière-Ouelle.

Beginning of the bike ride between Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies and Rivière Ouelle
Beginning of the bike ride between Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies and Rivière Ouelle

Since cycling tourism is very popular, I’d like to suggest a beautiful bike ride between Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies and Rivière-Ouelle in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region. This round-trip route, which is about 43 kilometers long, takes you along the St. Lawrence River and offers a few spots where you can stop to enjoy the view.

There is free parking very close to the highway exit, though it’s slightly off the main road. You’ll find it fairly easily. Very early on in the bike ride, you’ll see a small side path that leads to the St. Lawrence River. (Photo below)

Two ladies discussing at the halte de la Pointe Rouge near the Grande-Anse bike path.
Two ladies discussing at the halte de la Pointe Rouge near the Grande-Anse bike path.

On the Grande-Anse bike path, cyclists ride completely protected from cars. On one side is Highway 20, and on the other are trees and the St. Lawrence River.

On the Chemin des Berges between Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies and Rivière Ouelle
On the Chemin des Berges between Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies and Rivière Ouelle

The Chemin des Berges trail, which starts in Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies, is a gravel path.

Bike path between Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies and Rivière Ouelle
Bike path between Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies and Rivière Ouelle

As you approach Rivière-Ouelle, you’ll ride a very short distance on Route 132, and then, after the Rivière-Ouelle bridge, turn left onto a paved secondary road with little traffic. This road leads cyclists to Rivière-Ouelle Beach.

Second section of the bike ride between Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies and Rivière Ouelle
Second section of the bike ride between Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies and Rivière Ouelle

At the end of the trail, you have direct access to the beach for at least one kilometer. There are a few benches and even a picnic table.

Stopover at Rivière Ouelle during a bike ride in Québec in 2026
Stopover at Rivière Ouelle during a bike ride in Québec in 2026

Then it’s time to head back to Saint-Roch-des-Aulnaies. The total distance of the hike is about 43 kilometers. It’s an easy hike, as it has only one hill and the distance is reasonable.

Have a great hike!

Click the link to see more photos of Quebec on my blog.

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Photos of Quebec

An 80 kilometers bike ride in Kamouraska

Map of a 77 km bike ride in the Kamouraska region.
Map of a 77 km bike ride in the Kamouraska region.

This intermediate-level, 77-kilometer bike route in the Bas-Saint-Laurent runs entirely on paved roads, unlike Vélo Québec’s Églantiers loop (55 km), which includes a 14-kilometer gravel section. The cycling tour follows a sort of elongated rectangle running parallel to the St. Lawrence River.

Exit for St-Pascal and Kamouraska
Exit for St-Pascal and Kamouraska

To get there by car, take the St-Pascal exit and head toward Kamouraska. Parking at the village church is free.

The bike route begins heading southwest, first along Route 132 toward Saint-Denis-De La Bouteillerie. Cyclists are treated to beautiful views along the way, whether of ancestral houses, flower-filled or plowed fields, farms, monadnocks, the river, or the mountains in the distance. When I was there, a massive drone controlled from the roadside was spraying crops.

Once you reach Saint-Denis-De La Bouteillerie, turn left onto Route 287 and continue toward Saint-Philippe-de-Néri. Eventually, you’ll pass under Highway 20 and reach Route 230. There, turn left again and ride along Route 230 to Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska. Generally speaking, the route heads northeast.

Kamouraska fields, Summer 2026.
Kamouraska fields, Summer 2026.

In Saint-Alexandre-de-Kamouraska, a left turn brings you onto Route 289, which you follow until you reach Route 132, near the river. Along the way, a long downhill stretch allows for a bit of a break and allows to reach a speed of 60 km/h. For reference, by the time you turn onto Route 289, you’ll have already covered about 50 kilometers.

Once you reach Route 132, turn left to ride along the river and head back toward Kamouraska. At this point, there are between 15 and 20 kilometers left to go. A possible stopover is the small lighthouse in Saint-André de Kamouraska.

Small lighthouse of Saint-André de Kamouraska
Small lighthouse of Saint-André de Kamouraska

Throughout this hike, there are several opportunities to take a shortcut inland to reach Kamouraska more quickly. This can be helpful if you’re tired, injured, or for any other reasons.

Once you’re back in the village of Kamouraska, there are a few interesting spots worth visiting to grab a bite, pick up some unique souvenirs, and even take a walk near the beach.

Have a great trip!

Seaside and flowers at Kamouraska

Seaside and flowers at Kamouraska

Click the link to see more photos of Quebec City on my blog.

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Aviation photography

The Patrouille de France and the Alpha Jets over Quebec City.

Alpha Jets from the Patrouille de France flying by Quebec City July 2026
Alpha Jets from the Patrouille de France flying by Quebec City July 2026

In July 2026, the Patrouille de France arrives from the United States and makes a stopover in Montreal and Quebec City for the last time with its Alpha Jet twin-engine jets. These aircraft will be replaced by Pilatus PC-21s starting in 2030.

Photographing the flyover of Quebec City requires choosing between a close-up of the Alpha Jets—aircraft we will never see again—or a wide-angle shot showing the contrails in the colors of France as the pilots fly over the Quebec Bridge.

The Alpha Jets are moving quickly over the St. Lawrence River. The photographer cannot change lenses to capture both a close-up and a super-wide-angle shot in a single pass. He must choose…

A telephoto lens is ideal for capturing the details of aircraft as they fly by. The Canon EF 70-200 mm f/2.8L IS II USM will do the trick. Set to ISO 200 and mounted on a Canon 5DSR full-frame camera, it allows for significant cropping without any loss of quality when zooming in. The excellent light conditions allow for a fast shutter speed.

But every choice involves a trade-off. So, I have to forgo a high-quality super-wide-angle shot taken from the base of the bridge. It would have shown the entire metal structure along with the planes flying by. But the planes would have been too small to be identified.

The Quebec Bridge cannot be overlooked, as it is the world’s largest cantilever structure. Furthermore, the structure—which is over a century old—collapsed twice during its construction.

The Patrouille de France flying over the Québec bridge in 2026
The Patrouille de France flying over the Québec bridge in 2026

The telephoto lens will allow for a decent photo of the Patrouille de France and the Quebec Bridge in the distance, but nothing more. Viewers will have to settle for a scene full of compromises where neither the planes nor the bridge are clearly visible. However, it did allow for some impressive close-ups of the Alpha Jets, as shown in the first photo.

Click on the link for more photos of airplanes on my blog.

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Photos of Quebec

Old Quebec, photographed with Canon’s ultra-wide-angle lens.

St. Louis Street in Old Quebec in June 2026.
St. Louis Street in Old Quebec in June 2026.

Here’s a photo of Saint-Louis Street in Old Quebec before the massive influx of tourists. Nothing blocks the view of the buildings across the street.

Photography Technique

Today, the area is beautifully lit, and the few clouds add dynamism to the sky. Rather than capturing the scene around noon, it’s better to wait until dinnertime. The light remains bright, and the sun’s angle at that hour creates some nice shadows.

I’m taking advantage of a clothing sale to add some life to the photo. By framing the shot with a Canon EF 11–24 mm f/4L USM zoom lens, I can include the little multicoloured dresses in the image. We use whatever we can to improve the final result of the photographic composition.

Canon’s high-performance zoom lens allows me to capture numerous buildings while preserving all the vertical lines, without distortion.

Old Quebec buildings and virga.
Old Quebec buildings and virga.

Above is an alley in Old Quebec, near Saint-Louis Street, but in a different context. This is a composite photo, meaning the sky is not the original one. I had some fun using digital editing software to search for clouds with precipitation that doesn’t reach the ground (virga).

The final result creates an interesting atmosphere, though it’s a bit gloomier than the first shot. The pronounced bluish tint on the building on the right comes from adjusting the vibrance. I moved the slider a little further to the right than usual.

So, we have two very different photos: an unaltered, authentic view of Rue Saint-Louis, and a composite alleyway.

Click the link for more photos of Quebec City on my blog.

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Photos of Quebec

The Price Building and the fountain at Quebec City Hall.

City Hall Fountain and Price Building 2026
City Hall Fountain and Price Building 2026

Photography Tips

Here are a few photography tips for taking a decent photo of the Price Building, the only skyscraper in Old Quebec, with the multicoloured fountain at Quebec City Hall.

Ideally, you should use an ultra-wide-angle lens. In the picture above, I’m using the Canon EF 11–24 mm F/4L USM zoom lens. At 11 mm, it frames the Price Building and the fountain without cutting anything out.

It’s best to photograph the scene during the blue hour. At this time, the cloud formations that are still visible create a more vibrant sky. The colours of the water jets also stand out better. Of course, a tripod and a camera shutter release cable are necessary.

The height and colour of the water jets vary constantly. It takes several attempts to get the jets high enough and achieve the desired colour. This way, you’ll capture large reflections on the tiles that ultimately create long, straight lines of colour.

It’s well known that fountains attract children… and parents. The main challenge when taking photos comes from the number of people making selfies and standing still in the water jets. It’s during those rare moments when no one enters the frame that you capture the scenery.

Shooting in RAW format allows you to enhance the data recorded by the camera later on. I use a fairly low ISO and a shutter speed between 1/60 and 1/125. A slower shutter speed also produces good results and alters the texture of the water jets. The depth of field is around 9.0.

Click the link for more photos of Quebec City on my blog.

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Photos of Quebec

Old Quebec photographed with the Canon EF 11-24 mm f/4L USM lens.

Old Quebec in the evening during Spring 2026.
Old Quebec in the evening during Spring 2026.

The narrow, winding streets combined with the tall houses of Old Quebec are captured beautifully with the Canon EF 11-24 mm F/4L USM ultra-wide-angle lens. It is the widest zoom lens Canon has ever produced.

It has the appearance of a “fisheye” lens, but it doesn’t distort vertical lines, even at 11 mm. This results in more realistic-looking buildings when that’s the desired effect.

Photography Tips

The photo above requires waiting until the end of the day for better light. Position the tripod so that it captures two alleys at the same time. The rule of thirds helps place the main building for a superior photographic composition. This rule of thirds, like other rules for that matter, is always just a suggestion.

The houses at the end of the alley on the right add colour and variety. They also create a visual barrier that draws the eye back to the foreground.

A remote shutter release connected to the camera minimizes camera shake. Five photos taken at different apertures achieve the desired HDR effect.

Of course, fleeting shadows—“ghosts” are often unavoidable in a city with many tourist attractions. This occurs when people move while the camera takes five photos spaced a few seconds apart. The Photomatix software offers the option to reduce the number of these ghosting effects, but you shouldn’t overuse this feature, as it can compromise the picture’s quality.

Verify in Photoshop or a similar digital editing software if the buildings are straight. Shooting in RAW rather than JPEG allows for additional adjustments to achieve a superior final result.

Click the link to see more photos of Quebec City on my blog.

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Graphic novels and comics Photos of Quebec

Michel Rabagliati’s new book: *Y a d’la joie*.

Michel Rabagliati's new book: * Y'a d'la joie*
Michel Rabagliati’s new book: * Y’a d’la joie*

Michel Rabagliati never disappoints me. I thoroughly enjoyed reading his latest book, *Y a d’la joie*. The author starts off strong with a few drawings that speak volumes about the influence of the media today. Then he lets us into his life by taking us on a tour of his neighborhood in Montreal. I particularly enjoy the true stories, as they possess an intensity I don’t find in works of fiction.

Here’s a quick aside: while reading Mr. Rabagliati’s book, I was passing through Montreal and took a few photos, including one of the city with the lilacs in bloom.

Lilacs in bloom in Montreal in the spring of 2026
Lilacs in bloom in Montreal in the spring of 2026

And since the Montreal Canadiens were playing a game that evening that would later eliminate the Buffalo Sabres, it was a must to capture the city’s buildings lit up in red, white, and blue.

Buildings in Montreal decked out in the Montreal Canadiens' colors during the 2026 playoffs
Buildings in Montreal decked out in the Montreal Canadiens’ colors during the 2026 playoffs

Now back to the book. The author presents us with an uncensored Montreal—the one you don’t see on postcards. He rightly rails against the idiots who deface the beautiful murals in his neighborhood and elsewhere in the city. Fortunately, there are still buildings where the artwork remains intact, as shown in the two photos below.

Mural on a building in Montreal 2026
Mural on a building in Montreal 2026
Joker mural in Montreal
Joker mural in Montreal

Mr. Rabagliati introduces us to the businesses in his neighborhood, the people who work there, and those he deals with on a regular basis. He stops by to say hello to his daughter and reminisces about the good times. I love the book’s slow pace and its human touch. His style and words remind me of the Icelandic author Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir.

In short, a superb book that lets us catch our breath a little and reconnect with life bit by bit. If you’d like to see the author in his daily life, you’ll enjoy “Y a d’la joie.”

Click on the link for more comics and graphic novels as well as for photos of the province of Quebec on my blog.

Author: Michel Rabagliati

Title: Y a d’la joie

Publisher: La Pastèque, 2026

ISBN: 978-2-89777-210-9