Before you visit any city, you want to make sure you do your research so you don't make any cultural pratfalls like drinking the finger bowl water in a restaurant or accidentally using a rude hand gesture to greet someone. Your tourist literature will talk all about the hotels, restaurants, shopping malls, historic sites, and attractions, but what about getting by in everyday life? This guide is designed to serve the average English speaking traveler in search of cheap roaming and a good time in Quebec City.

Language

Although Canada's two official languages are English and French, and Quebec City is part of Canada, you won't find much English spoken here at all. Only about 1.5% of the city's nearly 500,000 residents are Anglophone. In fact, you may encounter some hostility here if you aren't willing to at least make an English-French dictionary assisted attempt at asking your questions in French. So remember: it's not "street" it's "rue." It's not Employ but Emploi. Ottawa is also something of a taboo subject given the divided opinions on Quebec's oft-proposed separation from Canada.

Transportation

It is a good idea for English tourists without a working knowledge of French to take public transit buses or cabs during their visit rather than attempting to rent a car. Though driving is done on the right-hand side of the road like the rest of North America, roads signs in English are few, so you may find it difficult to navigate the city with your English map. Even if you're a landscape designer with a good sense of direction, one wrong turn can get you hopelessly lost and when that happens, you'll most likely only find Francophones to ask for directions.

Religion

Along with being mostly French, Quebec City is also predominately Roman Catholic. 90% of the population identify themselves as members of that faith and many attend church regularly and have very devout views. Therefore, if you have any great jokes that involve a priest or God that you're just dying to tell your new friends in Quebec City, our advice is: DON'T. Also refrain from using epithets involving God or Jesus unless you want to risk offending and alienating all your fellow students at the Quebec City real estate training school.

Weather

Quebec City's climate is humid continental, the same as what you'd expect from Ontario or Michigan but drier than British visitors will be used to and much colder than the Southern United States and Australia, so it won't be attractive to those on a search for apartments dedicated to senior living. Toronto residents will find it familiar: warm summer, snowy winter, wet spring, and colorful autumn.