Before the Québec Bridge opened in 1917, residents had two ways of crossing the river. In summer, they could take a boat across. In winter, however, they crossed on the ice bridge that formed when the river froze over. It was then that the crossing—by horse-drawn sleigh—was the quickest and easiest, and that the residents of Québec City and Lévis, on the opposite bank of the St. Lawrence River, spent the most time together. Rediscover this bygone era!
Philip John Bainbridge
Ice cutters played an essential role in the Québec City of yesteryear, before refrigeration. Residents could count on ice from the Saint-Charles River or Beauport Bay to preserve their food. Yet cutters harvested it under difficult conditions, in particular, to serve Québec City’s fancy hotels.
We use browser cookies to operate and enhance our services, as well as for advertising purposes. Your privacy is important to us. If you're not comfortable with the use of this information, please review your settings before continuing your visit. Personal Information and Privacy
Our website stores four types of cookies. At any time you can choose which cookies you accept and which you refuse. You can read more about what cookies are and what types of cookies we store in our Cookie Policy.
are necessary for technical reasons. Without them, this website may not function properly.
are necessary for specific functionality on the website. Without them, some features may be disabled.
allow us to analyse website use and to improve the visitor's experience.
allow us to personalise your experience and to send you relevant content and offers, on this website and other websites.
