In the 19th century, snow removal was everyone’s responsibility. We see here how residents of Monseigneur-Plessis Street had to dig a deep trench to get out of their homes. Snow-clearing operations were not centralized, and everyone had to do their bit or face a fine. Unlike today, priority was given to clearing snow from sidewalks.

1840 - 1894

Ah! “It has snowed, oh, how it has snowed!”

These words were written by the famous Québécois poet Émile Nelligan in the late 19th century. Since then, they have been repeated at every large snowfall. And Québec City is certainly one of the places where this poem is quoted most often: It is one of the snowiest cities in the world! Explore this album of photos and other artworks to learn how 19th-century residents of Québec City made the most of winter. Lots of questions about these images await!

Monseigneur-Plessis Street in Québec City after a snowstorm

Louis-Prudent Vallée In the 19th century, snow removal was everyone’s responsibility. We see here how residents of Monseigneur-Plessis Street had to dig a deep trench to get out of their homes. Snow-clearing operations were not centralized, and everyone had to do their bit or face a fine. Unlike today, priority was given to clearing snow from sidewalks.

Chronoscope Can you locate this place on the map? (unilingual French for a limited time)

Depicted period: 1879

Source: Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec Document in the public domain (free of copyright) - Date: 1879

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