Quebec City is possibly the most European city in North America, and that is especially reflected in its shopping.   The Vieux Port (Old Port) area is one the most thriving and diverse commercial areas in the city. This area was one of the leading ports in Canada until about a century ago, and its merchant heritage lives on. Note that the Old Port Interpretation Center is currently closed, and will resume normal activities in spring 2009.

    There are several major malls in Quebec. Among them: the beautifully designed  Place Fleur de Lys not far from the downtown area, and the very large Galeries de la Capitale mall. One needs a car to reach Galeries de la Capitale, while Place Fleur de Lys could  be reached by city buses — but it's definitely better to drive over to these two malls.

     Simply getting out and exploring places like Old Québec and the Vieux-Port  will introduce you to a number of other shopping options, from souvenirs to boutique items, art galleries to local delicacies and bakery items, and much more.

Other options include:

 -- OLD QUÉBEC, Upper Town :

• The whole St-Jean Street, ''inside the walls''.  The section '' outside the walls '' is less known by tourists and well worth a visit, heading west from Dufferin HWY, in a neighborhood called ''Quartier St-Jean-Baptiste'', where the first Protestant Burying Ground could be seen (oldest protestant cemetery of the province, where many historical figures were buried between 1772 and 1860). Vintage stores, exclusive clothing, decoration, one vegetarian restaurant (Le Commensal), trendy boutiques, record stores, a museum on chocolate (you may eat or drink some, including the very same hot chocolate Mayas are said to have enjoyed!). Do not miss J.A. Moisan , a 135 year old grocery store and its tempting delicacies — it is said to be the oldest grocery store in North America. 
• Rue du Trésor, near Château Frontenac : pedestrian very small street. Artists sell their works between the Place d'Armes little park, east of the Château Frontenac, and the basilica. 
• Cartier St : restaurants, sidewalk cafés, food hall with a fabulous cheese shop, book store, special shops. Vibrant, and close to Grande-Allée St.
  

• Rue Petit Champlain , next to the river. Said to be the oldest street in North America. Restaurants, unique shops. Quaint, and popular. You may reach the area by car (street) or by foot through the funicular between Lower and Upper Town ($1,50 per person), or walking down one of the staircases from the Terrasse Dufferin, next to the Château Frontenac). The Petit Champlain neighborhood has its own interesting and comprehensive website.
  
• Charest and St-Joseph streets, in Quartier St-Roch (St-Roch neighborhood). Decoration, outdoor gear, etc, all styles. Getting trendier. Within walking distance from the train/bus station "Gare du Palais".
• St-Paul St. : antiques, antiques, antiques... plus a few other kinds of shops, restaurants for all budgets and sidewalk cafés. Also worth a visit in the area:  2 micro-breweries : L'Inox and La Barberie. The Marché du Vieux-Port  (Old Port Market) is a popular food market a few meters away from St-Paul St. Fruits and veggies in season, it holds a fantastic winter market with fine products (a wide array of ice ciders you may taste, fine meat delicacies, local fine pastries, jams, home-made beers (even spruce beer!), etc., along with one or two jewelry stands whose choice and prices are to die for, medicinal herbs and so on). If you're around in December,  the Christmas market   is not to be missed, from December 1st to the 31st. The Marché du Vieux-Port is open from 9:30 to 6PM, Fridays until 8PM. Closed Dec 25 & 26.

• Wanna shop 'til you drop? The shopper's paradise lies on Laurier Boulevard, not far from the bridges, in Sainte-Foy (about 5 km west of Old Québec - easy to drive to, or take a nr 800 or nr 801 express bus from Old Québec or from the Vieux-Port area). Free parking. Nothing less than 4 shopping malls in a row await you, the biggest one being Place Laurier , with its 350 stores, including 40 restaurants, visited by over 12 million people every year. The second biggest one of these four is Place Sainte-Foy (125 stores; French website), where one could go, amongst many other unique stores, to Simons , established in Québec since the 19th century (head office and store in Old Québec, bigger stores in Place Sainte-Foy and other locations) and offering stylish clothes for both sexes, accessories and linen.

See: details and maps

 

Where to buy groceries, when staying in the Old Town?

Mostly in the neighborhood called Faubourg St-Jean-Baptiste , colorful and extra-muros, west of Dufferin, outside the walls. The references numbered 1 through 6 are all located in this neighbourhood, and all on St-Jean St. [Have a glimpse at a few things you may see over there in this link]  :


        1. About 3 blocks west of Dufferin, on the northern side of the street, there is a small grocery store, part of a chain, named Intermarché.

        2. Nearby, on the south side of St-Jean St, J.A. Moisan , mentioned above in the 'Old Québec (Upper Town)' section, has been a grocery store since 1871. ''General store'' type, selling delicacies, cheeses, breads, fine pâtés and cold cuts, oils, etc.

        3. L'Épicerie européenne, owned and operated by an Italian family. Cheeses, cold cuts, choice of olives, pastas, coffee, etc. Yummy take-out sandwiches.

        4. Across the street from L'Épicerie Européenne: Le Paingruel at 375 St-Jean St,  is a small bakery with a wide variety of organic breads and a few pastries


        5. Chocolate lovers will not want to miss Choco-Musée Érico , at 634 St-Jean St, in the same neighbourhood. You may learn, eat on the premises, and even treat yourself with a steaming hot spicy chocolate, the drink Mayas enjoyed a long time ago...

        6. There is a health food store co-op in the same vicinity, Le Crac and La carotte joyeuse ('The Merry Carrot') — organic veggies, cheeses, dried mushrooms, specialty breads, vitamins, books, cosmetics, etc. 

        7. On Côte du Palais St, Upper Town (near the McDon. on St Jean St and across the street from the hospital) there is a small grocery store

        8. At the foot of Côte du Palais (where the Hôtel-Dieu hospital is — incidentally the oldest hospital north of Mexico!), is the Marché du Vieux-Port, a very popular farmers' market , open four seasons (with a special Christmas market). See link above, under ''Other options (...) St-Paul st''


        9. Within a walking distance from the Marché du Vieux-Port, on Charest St (Lower Town), is a Métro supermarket. The biggest store in these 9 options.