Delight in 17th century architecture and marvel at cutting edge conservation treatments during AIC’s post-conference tour of Quebec City, May 18-20, 2016. Quebec City, founded in 1608 by Samuel de Champlain, is the birthplace of Francophone North America and the only walled city in North America. This distinctively European and North American city, a UNESCO world heritage site, is an open-air museum.
You will not only see Quebec City, but you’ll also have access to museums, storage facilities, and the world-renowned Centre de conservation du Québec through exclusive behind the scenes tours. Our “base camp” for the three days will be the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac. For more than a century, the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, located in the center of Old Quebec City, has been the focal point of life in Quebec City.
You won't just visit historic places; you will have the opportunity to stay in one.
Tour Itinerary (subject to minor changes)
Wednesday, May 18, 2016
8:30 am – Depart from the Hyatt Regency in Montreal.
11:30 am – Arrive in Quebec City, check in at the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac.
1:00 pm – 5:30 pm – Walking tour of Upper Town with David Mendel of David Mendel Tours, which includes a tour of the Ursuline Museum.
Dinner on your own, but we will arrange a dine-around for your convenience and enjoyment.
Thursday, May 19, 2016
Breakfast on your own.
8:30 am – Depart for the Centre de conservation du Québec.
9:00 am – 12:30 pm – Conservation labs tour and visit. With over 40 conservators, the
Centre de conservation du Québec is one of the largest conservation centers in North America. Charged with handling the conservation work for many museums and institutions within the providence of Quebec as well as private collections, many complex treatments are handled by the Centre. You will have the rare opportunity to tour the labs and discuss current treatment projects with their team of conservators. After the tour we will gather with the Centre conservators for a light buffet lunch and you will have the chance to discuss the opportunities and challenges inherent in the treatments discussed on the tour.
1:00 pm – Your walking tour of old Quebec with David Mendel continues – today we will focus on Plains of Abraham, Grande Allée, stop at the Parliament building, and continue our walking tour into the Lower Town.
4:00 pm – 6:00 pm – Behind the scenes tours at the
Musée de la Civilisation. Known for both its excellent stewardship of Quebec heritage and cutting edge international exhibits, this four museum complex is one of the world’s best.
6:15 pm – 8:00 pm – Reception at the
Musée de la Place Royale. Overlooking the place where Québec was founded in 1608, the Musée de la place Royale is set in the heart of historic Old Québec, a perfect location to marvel at this wondrous city over a glass of wine and enjoy good conversation with colleagues.
Friday, May 20, 2016 You will have your choice of activities:
- A behind the scenes tour of the Musée de la Civilisation’s storage facility
- An in-depth look at the Musée de la Civilisation’s archive project
- A stone identification walking tour
- Free Time
(Note: depending on the number of participants not all options may be available)
Individual departures for those not electing to stay an additional night.
Transportation out of Quebec City Included in this tour price is a credit towards train travel between Quebec City and Montreal. The train takes about 3 hours, which is roughly the same as driving. If you let AIC know when you would need to depart (we will provide you with a time table of options) by March 15, we will book the ticket for you. Because we envision participants needing to leave at different times and many may opt to stay additional night(s) in Quebec City, we think giving everyone the flexibility of leaving when they prefer is best. Some travel facts to bear in mind:
- It is about 30 minutes by taxi from the Montreal train station to the airport.
- You should plan to arrive at the Montreal airport no later than 2 hours before your flight. If you are leaving Canada you will need to clear customs in Montreal.
- You can opt to fly into Montreal for the Annual Meeting and out of Quebec City. If you chose this option please be sure to have at least 1.5 hours to change planes in either Montreal or Toronto. If you are leaving Canada you will need to clear customs in either of those cities.
There is more to Quebec City than we can cover on this tour. Please consider staying additional night(s). We can try to arrange extended accommodations for you at the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac. You can also move to another hotel, however, AIC will not be able to book accommodations for you at any other hotel.
Tour Pricing
If purchased by November 15, 2015, we can offer an early bird price of
$549 USD. After November 15, the price for the tour will be
$649 USD. This pricing is based on double occupancy of a room. If you would prefer single occupancy of the room, an additional cost of
$189 USD would be required. AIC will make every effort to pair you with a roommate of the same gender. If we can’t, the single-occupancy supplement fee will apply. You can pay in 2 installments or pay in full upon reservation of your space on the tour. An initial deposit of
$200 USD is required at the time of sign-up and the remaining balance must be paid by February 15, 2016. Spouses and guests (over 21) are welcome.
Online registration is open! If you are ready to pay in full, you can reserve a space today online! If you would like to pay a deposit to reserve your space or if you have any questions about the tour, please call 202-661-8063 or email Katelin Lee at
klee@conservation-us.org.
You may cancel before
December 15 for a full refund. Between December 16 and March 1, 2016 all but the $200 deposit may be refunded.
After March 1 we will not be able to offer refunds. Cancellations due to emergencies and for medical reasons will be considered on a case by case basis after the tour takes place. There is both a minimum and a maximum number of attendees for this tour
. AIC will need to make a final decision about the feasibility of this tour by
November 15, based on interest expressed and reservations. If you are interested please sign up as soon as possible or contact us to let us know about your interest in attending.
