Fun-filled winter sports and recreation on the Plains

News release

Quebec City, Quebec, November 24, 2022 – Beginning in December, the Plains of Abraham will be offering sports and recreational activities for winter fun in this great historic park. Everyone will have free access to cross-country ski trails, walking and snowshoeing trails, areas for sliding, and a skating rink. A breath of fresh air in the heart of the city! A warming station will be available in the Joan of Arc Garden, where lovers of beauty can enjoy a beautifully lit space for contemplation. For families, an interactive tour of winter sports will take little explorers on a quest to find a lost good-luck charm. Open year-round, the exhibitions Aeria, Battles 1759-1760, and Identities will continue to plunge visitors into the history of the Plains by means of life-size sculptures, an immersive panoramic projection, and artefacts.

As of December 1, there will be a new version of the activity Shoot, score!, which children may use to discover different winter sports that have been played on the Plains of Abraham since the 19th century. With a smartphone and a keen mind, parents and children will go from the challenges of one interactive station to those of the next. Perhaps they will join the long line of champions who got their start on the Plains! Families can also have fun in the areas for sliding behind the Plains of Abraham Museum, either by bringing their own equipment or by renting a snow carpet.

New this year! The cross-country ski trails are getting names in addition to the numbers they already have. Besides adding a special touch to the trail experience, the names will help visitors learn about the park’s history. Trail 51 will be called Des Braves, after the park at the site of the Battle of Sainte-Foy in 1760. Trail 52 will be called Gilmour, after the road that runs downhill from the Plains of Abraham to Boulevard Champlain. That name comes from John Gilmour (1812-1877), who opened a shipyard in the cove where the road comes down to the river. Trail 53 will be called Martello in honour of nearby Martello Tower 1. Like the other Martello towers of Quebec City, this one was built in the early 19th century to meet the threat of an American invasion. Trail 54 will be called Cap-Blanc after the staircase it goes by. Built in 1868, the staircase was used by workers to walk up to the Cove Fields munition factories. Finally, Trail 55, which partly follows the cliff edge of Cap Diamant, will be called Cap-aux-Diamants. That was a name given to the cape in the 17th century. The shorter version of “Cap Diamant” has prevailed since the 18th century.

Quotes

The Plains of Abraham have a rich history we’re continually seeking to make better known and more accessible. The choice of cross-country ski trail names was made with that end in mind, and I thank all of the people who contributed. We’re pleased to welcome you this winter to the newly named trails!

- Annie Talbot, Secretary and CEO

Quick facts

  • Sports and recreation

    Trails for classic and skate cross-country skiing, trails for walking and snowshoeing, a refrigerated skating rink (in partnership with Quebec City), and areas for downhill sledding.

    The Plains of Abraham skating rink will be open from December 8, 2022 (approximately) to March 13, 2023. The trails will be groomed when snowfall permits (grooming can be tracked in real-time on the Nordic Pulse app). A trail map is available online. Access is free, and equipment can be rented at the skaters’ chalet for a fee ($).

  • Shoot, score!

    Interactive family tour of the Plains of Abraham.

    From December 1, 2022 to April 2, 2023. Ideal for children 6 to 12 years old. A smartphone with cellular data is required. $12 + taxes per group. Online purchase. In partnership with Défi-Évasion.

  • A warming station in a wondrously lit garden

    This warm space, complete with a fireplace and chairs, is part of a network of warming stations across Quebec City. The surrounding Joan of Arc Garden is lit up with soft, enchanting colours. 

    The Garden is lit year-round, at nightfall. The warming station will operate from December 9, 2022 to March 19, 2023. Sunday to Wednesday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Thursday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Free access.

  • Exhibitions

    Aeria, Battles 1759-1760, and Identities

    Open year-round, at the Plains of Abraham Museum. Every day, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Rates online.

  • For detailed information and programs: online at theplainsofabraham.ca, by phone 418 649-6157, or at the reception desk of the Plains of Abraham Museum (835 Avenue Wilfrid-Laurier, Quebec City, Quebec G1R 2L3).

Associated links

Contacts

Media inquiries: 
Nathalie Allaire
Communications Director
The National Battlefields Commission
nathalie.allaire@ccbn-nbc.gc.ca
418-455-8712 

Information:
Plains of Abraham Museum
information@ccbn-nbc.gc.ca
418-649-6157

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