Category: Photos of Quebec

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Photos of Quebec

Tudor, Alaphilippe and the Grand Prix cycliste de Québec 2025.

Cyclists on côte de la Montagne at the Grand Prix cycliste de Québec 2025
Cyclists on côte de la Montagne at the Grand Prix cycliste de Québec 2025

Julian Alaphilippe of the Swiss cycling team Tudor is the winner of the Grand Prix cycliste de Québec 2025

Now that we know the winner, here are seven photos of Julian Alaphilippe, the Tudor team, Marion Rousse (the winner’s partner), Tadej Pogacar and Pavel Sivakov.

The Tudor team and Alaphilippe on côte de la Montagne at the GPC Québec 2025
The Tudor team and Alaphilippe on côte de la Montagne at the GPC Québec 2025

The 216-kilometer race took place between https://www.quebec-cite.com/en/old-quebec-city Old Quebec, the Plains of Abraham, the Montcalm neighborhood, and Champlain Boulevard. Above, cyclists climb Côte de la Montagne, which has an average gradient of 9% over 600 meters, but with a steep section reaching 13%.

Below, a photo of the main peloton with the Château Frontenac in the background.

View of the Château Frontenac during the GPC Québec 2025
View of the Château Frontenac during the GPC Québec 2025

Near the Château Frontenac, I take the opportunity to snap a photo of Tadej Pogacar and Julian Alaphilippe, two of the most famous names in the race.

Pogacar and Alaphilippe the winner of the GPC Québec race 2025
Pogacar and Alaphilippe the winner of the GPC Québec race 2025
The Tudor cyclist team opens the way for Alaphilippe at the GPC Québec 2025
The Tudor cyclist team opens the way for Alaphilippe at the GPC Québec 2025

On Rue Saint-Louis, the young Swiss Tudor team worked to save Julian Alaphilippe’s efforts. Below, Julian Alaphilippe after his victory. In the background are Tadej Pogacar and Pavel Sivakov of the UAE team. The latter finished two seconds behind Alaphilippe, while Alberto Bettiol of the XDS Astana Team took third place, four seconds behind.

Pogacar was well positioned, but at the end of the race, the group he was riding with refused to take turns at the front. So, he decided to slow down and watch someone else win.

Alaphilippe, Pogacar and Sivakov after the Grand Prix cycliste de Québec 2025
Alaphilippe, Pogacar and Sivakov after the Grand Prix cycliste de Québec 2025

Marion Rousse, former French champion and actual director of the Women’s Tour de France, was working as an analyst at the GPC in Quebec City. She left her post for a few minutes to congratulate her partner, Julian Alaphilippe. She can be seen in the photo below walking towards the Tudor team.

Marion Rousse arrives to congratulate Julian Alaphilippe at the GP cycliste de Québec 2025
Marion Rousse arrives to congratulate Julian Alaphilippe at the GP cycliste de Québec 2025

It was once again an exciting race, held for the fourteenth consecutive year under sunny skies and ideal temperatures. Every year, more and more cycling enthusiasts come to watch this UCI World Tour race. The same is true for the race in Montreal.

Here is the link for all the results of the Quebec City race.

Click on the link for more photos of the province of Québec on my blog.

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Photos of Canada Photos of Quebec

Paddleboarding in Jacques-Cartier National Park

A paddleboard enthusiast on the Jacques-Cartier River in Quebec 2025
A paddleboard enthusiast on the Jacques-Cartier River in Quebec 2025

An excellent spot for paddleboarding (SUP) in the Quebec City area is located at kilometer 25 (EKWATEK) of Jacques-Cartier National Park. There are no services as such at this location, but a large free parking lot provides easy access to the riverbank, which is only a few meters away.

The natural surroundings are breathtaking. Bring a good camera (or at least a cell phone) in a waterproof bag. There are several splendid spots for landscape photography.

As summer progresses, the water level drops. However, even in fall, the river remains deep enough to enjoy your sport in complete peace of mind. At first, paddleboarders follow the gentle current of the Jacques-Cartier River southward. So there’s no need to paddle vigorously! You can just let yourself go. You’ll know when it’s time to turn back when you see small waterfalls in the distance. To avoid damaging the board, you turn around.

On the return trip, the effort required is greater, but not excessive. In strong north winds, bring a paddle to which you can attach an oar in place of the handle, giving you the feeling of paddling like a kayaker. Sitting or kneeling on the board, you will return to your starting point more quickly.

In the event of a southerly wind, the energy required to return is minimal. This allows you to make several round trips and spend a few hours on the river without getting exhausted!

A beautiful summer day in Jacques-Cartier National Park
A beautiful summer day in Jacques-Cartier National Park

On your way to kilometer 25, you can admire several scenes like this. The surroundings are magnificent! Green, yellow, and orange are the colors of autumn. There is very little red in the area. The orange color is concentrated mainly at the beginning of autumn, while the yellow persists much longer. The photo above was taken at the beginning of August.

Click on the link for more photos of the province of Québec on my blog.

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Photos of Canada Photos of Quebec

Photography in Jacques-Cartier National Park

Reflections in Jacques-Cartier National Park in summer.
Reflections in Jacques-Cartier National Park in summer.

Photography technique

Even if the initial goal is to go paddleboarding on the Jacques-Cartier River, you can bring a camera, just in case a special scene merits a photo. It is best to shoot in RAW mode to make it easier to correct imperfections later.

Today, the complete absence of wind allows for exceptional reflections for landscape photography. But you have to choose your environment carefully: no distractions should break the effect. The goal is to create momentary confusion through a mirrored scenery.

A tight frame keeps the panorama identical in both parts of the photo. You must then ensure that the horizon is as straight as possible. Finally, you can improve the initial image by reducing the smoke haze. Indeed, the summer of 2025 in Quebec will have been the one where forest fires in Western Canada considerably impacted on visibility in Quebec.

The sun slowly sets over Jacques-Cartier National Park.
The sun slowly sets over Jacques-Cartier National Park.

I took this photo of the Jacques-Cartier National Park Valley in the late afternoon to profit from the soft lighting. Also, in August at this time, the sun in the southwest hits the eastern slope. The light is then reflected in the middle of the valley and diffused through the smoke. Some of the haze can be removed, but it is important to keep enough of it to preserve the majestic effect of the landscape.

In the foreground, paddleboarders, barely visible, enjoy the exceptional light of the late afternoon.

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

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Photos of Quebec

Blue Hour, Winged Demon and Rabagliati in Montreal

Montreal city view from Mount Royal in the evening in HDR.
Montreal city view from Mount Royal in the evening in HDR.

This photo of Montreal in the evening during the blue hour is actually three photos superimposed with different apertures (HDR photography). In the absence of a tripod, I placed the camera on the rampart at the top of Mont-Royal. This allowed me to use a very low ISO and a nice depth of field.

Mount Royal is a major tourist attraction. The many visitors crowd along the rampart and compete for a selfie. Getting through the three HDR exposures without being hit by a curious onlooker is a miracle. As soon as my camera moves the slightest bit, I have to take all three photos again. And that evening, Mount Royal was crowded! But luck eventually smiles on us.

Sculpture of a winged demon on a Montreal building.
Sculpture of a winged demon on a Montreal building.

In Montreal, you can expect many styles of sculpture to grace the facades of buildings. The red-eyed demon above has an strong effect on the pedestrian! Good thing it’s not in front of a restaurant…

Rabagliati artwork on a Montreal building.
Rabagliati artwork on a Montreal building.

On the Plateau Mont-Royal, there’s a space reserved for a creation by Michel Rabagliati, the Quebec author renowned for his Paul series of comic strips. He also produces graphic novels, of which “Rose à l’île” is a good example. The winter scene on the building contrasts with the warm summer day in Montreal at the time of our visit.

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

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Photos of Quebec

A pedestrian takes a break in Old Quebec.

A pedestrian takes a break in Old Quebec, with the Price building in the background.
A pedestrian takes a break in Old Quebec, with the Price building in the background.

A pedestrian rests in the evening in the shadow of the Price building in Old Quebec. Many residents and tourists alike appreciate the safety of the Old Town. Accompanied or unaccompanied, even the elderly feel at ease here late in the evening.

The Price building is the only skyscraper allowed in Old Quebec. During my photography sessions in this area, I enjoy finding different vantage points and special lighting to feature this unique building. At the time I captured the scene, there was still a bit of blue in the sky. This color blends delicately with the surrounding orange-yellow.

Click on the link for more Quebec photos in my blog.

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Photos of Quebec

Religion and astronomy are one and the same in Quebec City.

Full moon seen from the St-Michel church in Québec, 2023
Full moon seen from the St-Michel church in Québec, 2023

Saint-Michel de Sillery church replaced the former Jesuit chapel built in Quebec City in 1644. The new building now stands on a headland with an exceptional view of the St. Lawrence River.

Passing through the church parking lot for a night photography session, I took advantage of the sculpture honoring the eight Canadian martyr saints to highlight the full moon.

One of the Jesuits made the task easy for me, as he was already pointing his finger skyward. All I had to do was wait for the right moment to link religion and astronomy. Social media have popularized this kind of technique in photography, but it’s still satisfying to get such a shot.

Click on the link for more summer photos of Quebec City and Île d’Orléans on my blog.

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Environment Photos of Quebec

Sunset in a Berthier-sur-Mer flower

Flower in Berthier-sur-Mer, province of Québec
Flower in Berthier-sur-Mer, province of Québec

The day ends at Berthier-sur-Mer, in the province of Quebec. The last glimmers of the setting sunilluminate this magnificent flower directly. There are only a few specimens of its kind on the beach. The flower points directly towards the horizon and the St. Lawrence River. The weak rays of the sun replace a flash to illuminate the plant from within.

I took the photo using a Canon 100mm f/2.8 USM lens designed for macro photography.

Click on the link for tips on how to improve your flower and plant photos on my blog.

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Photos of Quebec

Old and new in Quebec City night shots.

Effect of inversion fog on architectural styles in Quebec City.
Effect of inversion fog on architectural styles in Quebec City.

Photography theory

In March, a heat wave sweeps through Quebec City while there is still snow on the ground. The warm air floating above the snow favors the appearance of fog or mist in places. But if the wind picks up even a little, visibility will quickly improve.

For lovers of night photography, now is the time to get busy! I arrive on Grande-Allée just as the fog begins to lift. The scene presents several types of contrast. Visibility varies at different heights and in the presence of buildings with very different styles.

I position myself so that the old house is directly in front of the more modern building. By framing tightly, I eliminate all distractions. The light fog accentuates the impact of the tower’s numerous lights. This further enhances the chiaroscuro effect. One hour later, the fog has totally disappeared.

Click on the link for more photos of Quebec City and Île d’Orléans in Spring on my blog.

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Photos of Quebec

Between dream and reality in Old Quebec.

Between dream and reality in Old Québec. Inspired by authoritarian governments around the planet.
Between dream and reality in Old Québec. Inspired by authoritarian governments around the planet.

The photo above is the result of a recent outing in Old Québec. Why is the photo displaying such a bizarre mood? Well, the actions of authoritarian governments around the world were enough to change my photographic perception for a moment. A montage was therefore necessary to let the emotion flow through on that day.

Photography Theory

The collection of buildings in this part of the city is of interest, but to produce a special effect, I used considerable cropping. The square format leaves out unnecessary details from the original image. I didn’t want any distractions, just the essentials.

I also imagined a threatening sky over the old constructions of Québec City. But how to express this danger without retouching a normal photo? Indeed, the sky is often too beautiful or too banal to convey a sufficient impression of discomfort.

Editing the sky from a RAW file remained the solution. After digital processing, I achieved a combination of mismatched colours that disrupted the scene. The semblance of a face appeared in the clouds, an effect I hadn’t intended. But I kept it. The whole thing takes us back to a world somewhere between dream and reality.

Click on the link for more photos of Québec City and Île d’Orléans in spring on my blog.

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Photos of Quebec

Château Frontenac and the winter wonderland of Old Quebec

Old Quebec in winter seen from Parc Montmorency in 2025
Old Quebec in winter seen from Parc Montmorency in 2025

It’s time for another winter outing in Old Quebec. The night photography session will be devoted to architecture.

The temperature is about -14 C and the winds are blowing at 15 km/h. Without gloves in order to manipulate the little buttons on the camera, the skin feels -22 C. A regular break is essential to thaw out the fingers!

I took the photo from Parc Montmorency, just up the côte de la Montagne. This historic site is a major tourist attraction in Quebec City. Louis Hébert, Canada‘s first farmer, cultivated the land here on his arrival in New France. It’s important to understand, however, that the natives knew about farming and cultivated the soil long before the arrival of the French settlers.

On the left is a sculpture of Sir Georges-Étienne Cartier, one of the Fathers of Confederation. The Château Frontenac and Price Building are also visible in the distance. In the foreground is a building that has changed function many times. It was originally the first Episcopal Palace.

Photography technique

For this shot, I planted my tripod in 40 centimetres of snow. I used a Canon 5 DSr camera equipped with a Canon EF 11-24 mm F/4L USM ultra wide-angle  zoom lens. I could have set the ISO to 200 thanks to the stability of the tripod, but the wind demanded a faster result due to possible vibrations. ISO and shutter speed are therefore dictated by ambient weather conditions rather than low light.

Click on the link for more photos of Quebec City and Île d’Orléans in winter on my blog.