This picture shows an automobile on the provincial exhibition racetrack and many spectators attending the event. As motorized vehicles became widespread in the first part of the 20th century, motor sports like car racing increasingly developed. As we see here, the sport was already very popular in the 1920s.

1910 - 1944

Sports in the early 19th century

Following his visit to Québec City at the end of the 19th century, the instigator of the modern Olympic Games, Pierre de Coubertin, deplored French Canadians’ lack of involvement in sport. In Québec City, summer sports were primarily practised by the English-speaking members of elite and exclusive clubs. Many of our sports—horse racing, tennis, golf, regattas, to name a few—have British origins. As urbanization progressed at the turn of the 20th century, sports slowly became more widespread and French speakers became increasingly involved.

Race cars at the Québec City provincial exhibition

Studio Brunet This picture shows an automobile on the provincial exhibition racetrack and many spectators attending the event. As motorized vehicles became widespread in the first part of the 20th century, motor sports like car racing increasingly developed. As we see here, the sport was already very popular in the 1920s.

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

Depicted period: 1923

Source: Ville de Québec Document in the public domain (free of copyright). Mandatory mention: Raymond Villeneuve Fonds. - Date: 1923

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