Québec City in the Fall: Best Colours, Walks and Weather

Crunch. That’s what Québec City sounds like in October, long before you notice anything else: boots on a path of fallen leaves, every step louder than the last. Then you look up and the trees are orange and gold, with copper domes and church spires poking out between them. Squirrels dart across the path hunting for a snack, a few of them wonderfully chubby.

My first fall here felt like it lasted one month instead of three, so I had to make every day count.

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Québec City in the Fall at a Glance

Where to See the Best Fall Colours in Québec City

You don’t need a car or a hiking trail to find fall colours in Québec City. The trees sit right between the old stone walls, the cannons and the copper roofs, so even a short walk in the city centre gives you the full effect.

The leaves usually start turning in the city near the end of September. I was out walking after Canadian Thanksgiving, and there was still plenty of orange and gold overhead.

The Governors’ Promenade

The Governors’ Promenade starts with a staircase at the far end of Dufferin Terrace and runs along the Citadel toward the Plains of Abraham. Most of it is wooden boards and stairs, which makes it feel like a walk through the treetops.

In fall, yellow trees crowd in on both sides and lamp posts line the way. You can take it in pieces: I covered part of it rather than the whole thing, and the trees alone made the stairs worth it.

The St. Lawrence and the Ferry to Lévis

Up on the Québec side, the view opens over the rooftops of the Lower Town and across the St. Lawrence to Lévis.

The Québec–Lévis ferry takes 12 minutes and leaves from near the Musée de la civilisation and the Petit-Champlain district. It shows you Old Québec from the water, with the Château Frontenac high on the cliff, and sailings are more frequent at rush hour, so check the schedule first.

Parc Montmorency and the Old Cannons

Don’t miss the cannons. A row of old black guns lines the wall of Parc Montmorency, with mature trees overhead and a spire rising behind them, and in October the path underneath turns into a carpet of orange leaves.

The park sits at the top of Côte de la Montagne, where Québec’s old parliament buildings once stood, and its wall looks out over Place Royale and the St. Lawrence River. Parks Canada has the full story of the site.

Right next to the park, the copper dome of the old post office rises above the trees. This is the Louis-S.-St-Laurent Building, which dates from 1872 to 1873 and was enlarged between 1913 and 1919. Parks Canada has its history.

What Fall in Québec City Feels Like

What I loved most wasn’t even a view. It was the sound of fallen leaves crunching under my boots, which followed me everywhere I walked in the city centre.

Up close, the colours are not just orange. One branch can hold red, orange and green leaves at the same time, and the trees along the walls and paths change a little more every week.

The other thing you’ll notice is the squirrels. They are everywhere in the city’s parks, hurrying around looking for food, and some of them are a little on the chubby side.

Thanksgiving is special to me, too. I grew up in France, where it isn’t a thing, and I still made my family celebrate it every year, pumpkin pie included. This year I finally had a pumpkin pie on the right day, in the right country.

Did you know?

Canadian Thanksgiving is on the second Monday of October (12 October in 2026), more than a month before the American one.

By evening the lamps come on along the stone streets near the Château Frontenac, and the Québec flag hangs out over the pavement.

Fall here goes fast. One week it’s warm, the next it’s properly cold, and still not cold enough for snow.

You could feel in the air that it wasn’t going to last, so everyone in the city seemed to be outside making the most of it before it got too cold for a long walk.

Plan Your Fall Trip to Québec City

When to Go

Weather first, because it changes fast. According to the city’s tourism office, October highs are typically around 11°C (52°F) with lows near 2°C (36°F), and November drops to 3°C (37°F) by day and −4°C (25°F) at night.

I’d pick the first week of October, when Bonjour Québec forecasts the peak. Wind and rain can shift the timing, so check before you book. Late September works too, since the leaves start turning in the city near the end of the month.

Canadian Thanksgiving is a fun time to be in Québec City. It comes a little after the forecast peak, but the trees still had plenty of colour, and it gives you a good excuse to celebrate with a pumpkin pie.

Pumpkins show up in the city centre in October, piled on hay bales beside an old wooden cart.

November is the off-season, with lower accommodation rates, and the German Christmas Market opens later in the month. The colours are gone by then, and an early snowfall is possible.

Getting to Québec City

The train and the bus both arrive at Gare du Palais, in downtown Québec City. If you’re driving, Highway 20 is the direct route, and Route 138 (the Chemin du Roy) is the slower, more scenic option. Québec City’s tourism office has the details.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ask Ever!

Have you been to Québec City in the fall? Tell me what you thought in the comments below!