Canadian Coast Guard Amundsen icebreaker on the St.Lawrence river near Quebec City 2026
The freezing weather of winter 2025-2026 in Quebec requires frequent interventions by the Canadian Coast Guard to open passages on the St. Lawrence River. In the photo above, the icebreaker Amundsen, clears the way in front of Quebec City.
This ship occasionally works in the Canadian Arctic on research projects. It also ensures a Canadian presence in Canada’s northernmost territories.
Note the helicopter parked at the rear of the ship. Other larger icebreakers are under construction at various shipyards across the country, including the one in Lévis. Some of them are intended to strengthen Canadian territorial sovereignty in the Arctic.
Ferries at work in the ice in front of Quebec City winter 2026
Ferries make their way through the ice in January 2026. They ensure the crossing for pedestrians and vehicles between Quebec City and Lévis.
Ship moving through the ice on a winter night in front of Quebec City
For this nighttime photograph, I used a Canon EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM lens. It requires very little light and allows the photographer to take a picture of the Ocean tugboat and the merchant navy ship as they pass in front of Quebec City. I took the photo from the Dufferin Terrace and cropped it to enlarge the image.
HDR picture of the Château Frontenac at Christmas 2025 from Côte de la Montagne in Quebec City.
During the holiday season, the Château Frontenac is decked out in red and green. For an interesting effect, try taking a picture of the castle’s main tower from Côte de la Montagne. To do this, you have to point the camera upward, but all the lines that are normally vertical become slanted.
Photographic Technique
To correct this effect and restore the architectural lines to near verticality, some computer work is necessary. In a few minutes, after cropping and changing the photographic plane, the photo regains the natural appearance that the eye observes when climbing Côte de la Montagne.
HDR photo of the Château Frontenac and surroundings in winter in Quebec City.
The photo above shows another beautiful view of the Château Frontenac. In the middle of the tourist season, passersby in Old Quebec are plentiful in front of the camera lens. Long exposure times mean that several “ghosts” will appear to be moving around when taking nighttime photographs.
How can you avoid these “ghosts” as much as possible? Timing is important. Once the blue hour has passed, complete darkness provides uniform lighting. This allows you to choose a moment when no one is passing by the camera when taking each shot to achieve the HDR effect. Five shots with different apertures will give you the desired HDR result. I use a tripod and a Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM wide-angle lens mounted on a Canon 5DSR full-frame camera.
There is only one person very close to the camera lens during the entire session. I remove her from the HDR photo. Since she was working with a tripod, she moved very little during my five shots, which allowed the correction tool in the digital processing software to teleport her to a parallel universe.
Château Frontenac during Christmas time in Quebec City
The photo above shows a section of the German Christmas market in Quebec City in front of the Château Frontenac. As usual, there was a large crowd that day in Old Quebec but I waited for the pedestrians to disperse a little before taking the picture. The blue hour is approaching…
Below, the huge Christmas tree installed at Place Royale occupies the foreground of this photo of Notre-Dame-des-Victoires Church in Old Quebec. This year, anonymous donors have made it possible for the interior of the church to be festively illuminated for the 2025 holiday season.
The Notre-Dame-des-Victoires church in Old Quebec during Christmas time in 2025.
Click on the link for more photos of Quebec City on my blog.
While visiting Old Quebec, I took the opportunity to practice my night photography. The photo above shows some Christmas decorations at the intersection of Saint-Paul Street and Saint-Pierre Street. This is HDR photography, as I stacked five photos of 50.6 megapixels each.
Christmas decorations on rue Saint-Pierre in Old Quebec
For the photo above, I am a little cramped in the old Rue Saint-Pierre. It was only with the help of a Canon EF 11-24 mm F/4L USM super wide-angle lens mounted on a tripod that I was able to take this shot. There is only one shot, because the HDR effect would not produce anything interesting, accumulating the lights on the illuminated sign to such an extent that everything would become diffuse.
The format is not standard, but that only matters to photographers who are unable to break free from the theoretical rules of photography.
On a beautiful day in December 2025, I spent a few hours in Old Quebec and its surroundings to take some pictures on the eve of the holidays.
Two pedestrians in Old Quebec during winter 2025.
At this time of year, the German market in Quebec City attracts residents from neighboring towns and tourists alike. Today, it’s -10°C and very windy, but people are still out and about.
Since photography requires the use of a tripod and often involves standing still, the priority is to dress as warmly as possible.
A stand in the Quebec German market in Old Quebec 2025
I challenged myself to work only with a 300mm telephoto lens for part of the evening, in order to isolate scenes that my eye would not automatically see. This method sometimes leads to beautiful visual discoveries, such as the close-up of the kiosk above.
The Christmas German market of Quebec City and the Glühwein Bar 2025
In contrast to the previous photo, the above result cannot be achieved without the help of a wide-angle lens. A cell phone solved the problem of low light and captured this winter scene from the German market. It even allowed the “Glühwein Bar” to be included in the shot.
This year, the Alsace pavilion at the German market is still offering hot food and drinks, but like many businesses, it is ignoring official inflation and significantly exceeding it. Be sure to read the menu and associated costs carefully before ordering, or you may be in for a big surprise.
The Grande-Allée and some Christmas decorations in Quebec City 2025.
A final nighttime photograph shows a small section of Grande-Allée with some Christmas decorations, with the Le Concorde hotel highlighted in blue in the background. This part of Quebec City has received a lot of attention from retailers.
I will explore the city again in a few days to bring back more memories of this Christmas atmosphere before it’s too late.
Leaving Tadoussac, the road continues along the Côte-Nord (North Shore) and we pass through Forestville to reach Baie-Comeau and take the ferry to Matane, on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River.
We arrive in Matane at dusk, just in time to set up the camera equipment on the beach. There’s no way I can take the photo above from the ferry, because a long exposure requires absolute stillness. I want to capture this beautiful September moon rising above the houses.
I miss a few shots by relying on autofocus. I quickly change my photography technique. Liveview (Live View) mode and manual focus will improve the sharpness.
Fishing boat at dusk in Matane, Quebec 2025
The next day, a boat leaves Matane just before nightfall for a fishing expedition off the St. Lawrence River. The relative calm of the waters offers interesting reflections. The low light and distance of the boat require the use of a high-quality lens, in this case the Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM.
On the way back from Matane to Quebec City, a stop at Bic National Park allows us to take a few photos, including this fishing boat returning to port. The sailors’ departure time varies constantly depending on the river tides.
Fishing boat in the Parc national du Bic, Québec 2025
Another location well known for its beauty is the municipality of Sainte-Luce-sur-Mer. Below, the colorful houses along the beach attract the attention of tourists and contribute to the area’s reputation. I preferred to capture an overall effect by including vegetation in the foreground. The few small low cumulus clouds also add to the dynamic of the scene.
The village of Sainte-Luce-sur-Mer and its colorful houses.
One last photo shows the sunset in Berthier-sur-Mer. This area, along with the Kamouraska and Notre-Dame-du-Portage regions, regularly offers exceptional panoramas when the sun sets. So much so that some photos can look like they’ve been retouched.
I saw reds and purples so pronounced that it became obvious that the photographer would have been accused of oversaturating his shots.
Sunset at Berthier-sur-Mer en 2024.
After an excellent meal at the beach restaurant in Berthier-sur-Mer, we finally reach our final destination, the beautiful city of Quebec City.
Ferry Baie Sainte-Catherine Tadoussac in the province of Québec, 2025
The ideal time to visit Tadoussac, the fjord, and the surrounding area is in May and June until Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, then immediately after Labor Day.
If travellers decide to go there during the summer anyway, they will see tourists everywhere.
View from Hotel Tadoussac in the province of Québec, 2025
If you can, book one or two nights at the Tadoussac Hotel, preferably with a room overlooking the river. In the morning, the space will be much brighter than a room facing the backyard. The hotel has undergone extensive renovations, which will continue discreetly in 2025.
The hotel is close to everything, and you can explore many local attractions without having to use your car. The docks are also a ten-minute walk away when it’s time to take a whale-watching cruise.
Beluga whale sculpture in front of the interpretation center in Tadoussac, Quebec 2025
Numerous chairs on the grounds in front of the hotel Tadoussac allow guests to enjoy magnificent views of the surrounding landscape and the St. Lawrence River. The hotel restaurant is decent and features a beautiful glass roof. However, don’t expect the same level of culinary experience as Chez Truchon in La Malbaie.
As for the tourist attraction of booking a cruise on the St. Lawrence River to watch humpback whales and beluga whales on the AML Grand Fleuve, I would advise you to pay the extra fee that gives you exclusive access to the upper deck of the boat. You will be much more comfortable there and able to take pictures of the marine mammals than if you find yourself crammed in with dozens of other curious people on the main deck.
Fin whale in the St. Lawrence river near Tadoussac, Québec 2025
However, I don’t think it’s worth paying extra to sit in the VIP lounge and have a glass of wine. If alcohol is your priority, skip the cruise and stop at one of the bars along the beach instead. You’ll save a lot of money.
Another tip: a cell phone won’t be very userul for taking pictures. In general, belugas and whales are not close enough to the ships for cell phones to capture them clearly. If you want to bring back a high-quality digital souvenir, bring a decent camera with a telephoto lens that can crop images without too much degradation.
Cloud formations near Tadoussac and the Saguenay River 2025
I can’t stress this enough: even if it’s warm or cool in Tadoussac when you set out on the river, the temperature will drop significantly once you’re out on the open water, sometimes by as much as 10 degrees Celsius. A hat and several layers of clothing will allow you to truly enjoy the experience and stay outside the cabin throughout the trip. Those who are less well-dressed focus on protecting themselves from the cold, stay inside the cabin, and see practically nothing.
After visiting the La Malbaie region, the Saguenay Fjord, Bagotville, and La Baie, all of which were featured in my previous blog post, we continue our journey to Saint-Gédéon, along the Lac-Saint-Jean, Alma, and then back to La Baie at nightfall.
Lac-Saint-Jean, September 2025
Lac-Saint-Jean has a circumference of 263 kilometers and covers an area of 1,003 square kilometers. When we were there, the wind was blowing moderately, and it’s easy to imagine the swells that boaters must face in the middle of this immense expanse of water. Some sources cite waves up to 4 meters high during extreme weather conditions.
Hay bales near St-Gédéon, Lac Saint-Jean 2025
In September, farmers store hay bales. Around 6 p.m. in the Saint-Gédéon region near Lac-Saint-Jean, the sun hits the field from the side, beautifully illuminating the hay still outside. An excellent opportunity for landscape photography.
Just before nightfall and our departure for Alma, we take a few shots of the wind turbines near the lake. The photographic composition requires a vertical frame.
Wind turbines at dusk in Lac-Saint-Jean, Quebec 2025
In Alma, we take the opportunity to eat at the restaurant owned by Mario Tremblay, a star hockey player for the Montreal Canadiens who is now retired. It was well worth the stop! I took a photo of the restaurant entrance where you can see the hockey player in action!
Entrance to Mario Tremblay’s restaurant in Alma
The journey continues in the next article, where we stop in Tadoussac for a whale watching cruise.
Sailboat anchored in the Saguenay Fjord in the province of Québec
Heading up the west coast of Saguenay from Saint-Siméon, you pass through Sagard (home to the Desmarais family’s huge estate and castle) and L’Anse-Saint-Jean. In L’Anse-Saint-Jean, you can book a shuttle for a few hours’ round trip on the Saguenay. This allows you to see Cap Trinité and stop off at Sainte-Rose-du-Nord.
I took the picture above from Baie Éternité. The cliffs rise up to 400 metres. A sailboat has chosen to anchor there for a while.
The Saguenay River at low tide near La Baie, Québec 2025
Just before La Baie, you can walk on the beach at low tide. There are several interesting opportunities for landscape photography, including a lighthouse, mountains, the town at night, and even cruise ships sailing up the Saguenay River in the fall.
Downtown in La Baie, province of Québec 2025
To achieve the above effect in La Baie, I had to remove a few poles and advertisements using digital processing software. The pseudo-HDR method enhances the impact of the clouds by defining them more clearly.
Seals resting on rocks in the Saguenay fjord, Québec 2025
This last photo shows seals resting on the rocks along the Saguenay Fjord. The captain of the ferry was able to approach the cliffs safely because of the great depth of the fjord at this point.
In September 2025, another edition of Vintage Weekend took place in Quebec City. This year, more than 200 vintage cars were on display on Saint-Paul Street and on the grounds adjacent to Espace Quatre Cent in Quebec City’s Old Port.
Stéphane Lavallée’s 1959 Corvette at Quebec City’s Vintage Weekend
As usual, restaurant owners had their hands full serving the many curious visitors who came to admire the cars. In addition, they had to contend with the presence of travelers who had recently disembarked from the three cruise ships moored in the harbor. The next photo shows the energetic team at Bistro St-Malo hard at work feeding passersby.
The restaurateur of Bistro St-Malo at work on St-Paul Street at Weekend Vintage 2025
This year, musicians from Calgary entertained the crowd with songs from the 1950s. The audience was delighted by the excellent quality of the performance, both in terms of singing and music. The same can be said of the dancers, who took us back in time with a few hits from that era.
Retro dancing on St. Paul Street at the Quebec Vintage Weekend in 2025
Below, cars occupy the space surrounding La Vivrière, a fountain sculpture commemorating the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Gary Lynch’s Hudson Hornet Hollywood 7x at Quebec City’s Vintage Weekend
Burger Heaven Lights on for Service at the Weekend Vintage in Quebec City
Paul Forest’s 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air with modified color
1952 Oldsmobile Super 88 Holiday and Michel Savard at Quebec City’s Vintage Weekend
Above, Michel Savard poses proudly next to his 1952 Oldsmobile Super 88 Holiday. As for André Guillemette, he had original parts shipped from Great Britain to do justice to his 1962 Jaguar Mark II, which can be seen below.
André Guillemette’s 1962 Jaguar Mark II at Quebec City’s 2025 Vintage Weekend
Reflections in Michel Métivier’s 1967 Pontiac GTO at Quebec City’s Vintage Weekend
A final photo shows St. Paul Street with Charles Boisseau’s 1965 Corvette Stingray.
Charles Boisseau’s 1965 Corvette Stingray at Quebec City’s Vintage Weekend
