10 Reasons Canada is the Most Romantic Country

by Madelle Morgan

This month the blog is hosting Canadian romance authors. Here are a few reasons why Canada is such a romantic country.

1.  Quebec City—the most romantic city in North America. Winters are so cold you have to snuggle under the blankets, like in this calèche (horse & carriage).

2. Prime minister Justin Trudeau. Enough said...

3. Niagara Falls—a traditional honeymoon destination. 

4. Long nights and Northern Lights.

5. Harlequin—the world's biggest romance publisher originated in Canada. It's now a division of HarperCollins.

6. Hunky Canadian hockey players, many of whom, like Mike Fisher, Carrie Underwood's husband, play(ed) on American teams. You're welcome!

Canadians can lease Crown land for wilderness cabins

7. The wilderness is owned by all Canadians. The majority of Canada's remote lake shores, forests, mountains, and tundra is well beyond the roads network, accessible only by air or water. Only 11 percent of Canada's landmass is in private hands, most of that in a swath along the Canada-United States border. The Crown (government) controls the rest, although aboriginals have legal rights via land claims. They were here first.

8. Canadian Hollywood stars (male): Ryan Reynolds, Ryan Gosling, Keanu Reeves, Nathan Fillion (Castle), Hayden Christensen (Star Wars), Jason Priestly (90210), Eric McCormack (Will & Grace) and many more.

9. Canadian Hollywood stars (female): Neve Campbell, Cobie Smulders, Rachel McAdams, Sandra Oh, Anna Paquin, Sarah Chalke, Tamara Taylor (Bones) and many more.

10. French is a romance language and Canada is a bilingual country—English and French! Regardless of the fact that Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Romanian also have Roman/Latin roots, French is the language of love. Why else would it be called "French" kiss?

About Madelle

Quebec City / Ville de Québec is Madelle's hometown. After university she slept for five years under the northern lights in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories (where her romantic suspense, Diamond Hunter, is set. 

She now lives and writes in Ottawa, Canada's capital. She's traveled to every province and territory in the immense country of Canada, and has dipped her toes in the three oceans touching Canada's shores. She speaks French and English.

Connect with Madelle on her website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads | Wattpad

Madelle writes romance set in Canada. Find all her books on Amazon.com. 

Put Québec City on Your Bucket List

by Madelle Morgan

What if the best-ever experience happened before you even had a bucket list?

Image Credit: thedailyquotes.com

My hometown, Québec City aka La Ville de Québec, is the most romantic city in Canada. 

Old Québec, a meticulously restored 400 year old walled district, is a UNESCO world heritage site.


Only after I traveled more widely in my twenties did I realize how lucky I was to grow up in Québec City:

*North America's most European city*    *Shopping*    *Fashion*    *Music and art festivals*    *Wonderful restaurants and cuisine*    *Antiques*    *Museums and heritage sites*    *Skiing and snowboarding minutes away*

Inside the wall, Old Quebec

Visitors don't need to speak French. In the tourist areas of the province of Québec the locals are bilingual. There's lots to see outside of the city as well. In summer an LRT train runs between Québec City and Charlevoix, along the shore of the St. Lawrence River. That trip is on my bucket list.

Québec City is a special vacation destination at any time of year, but twinkling lights and snowy nights make it truly magical. If you can tolerate the cold, that is...

Image Credit: Julia De Santis

As a teenager I loved to shop, ski, dine in quaint restaurants and brasseries, visit the ice palace and watch the winter carnival parade. As kids my sisters and I threw snowballs off the top of the St. Louis Gate/Porte St. Louis below.

Image Credit: Old Quebec Information

World-class Downhill Skiing

My family skied at Mont Sainte Anne and Stoneham before snowboarding became popular. Experts favor the famous Le Massif with the highest vertical drop east of the Rockies. Ski buses run between the city and the hills. The view from the top of Mont Sainte Anne is incredible.

Image Credit: The Canadian Encyclopedia

Québec is a Fashion Mecca

Discover the latest fashions. For trendy clothing, some sourced from France, Simons is my favorite store. The original Simons is in Old Québec, and there's a larger store at the Place Ste. Foy shopping center, walking distance from my childhood home. Back then, Place Ste. Foy/Place Laurier comprised the largest indoor shopping complex in Canada. Their retail outlets continue to be the most fashion-forward in Canada.

Simons   Image Credit: Ombrages.com

Québec City Winter Carnival

Image Credit: Julia Pelish/Vacay.ca

The carnival was always the highlight of the winter, but today the carnival is bigger and more exciting than ever for kids of all ages. Activities are spread over several weekends from the end of January to mid-February.

*Parades*    Toboggan Slides*    *Dogsled races* through the streets of the walled city. And much more. 

See pictures of fun activities that make this the best winter carnival in Canada. Maine student Julie De Santis describes her great school trip to a recent winter carnival in her blog post.

Want to put Quebec City on your Bucket List?

Hotel rooms are likely all reserved for the 2016 winter carnival/carnaval de Québec. I suggest booking a hotel at least four months in advance of a trip. Here are some websites to gather information on what is happening during the carnival and the rest of the year.

Quebec City website      Winter Carnival website

Stay in a Castle

Is sleeping in a castle on your bucket list? The renovated Château Frontenac, originally a CP railway hotel, is in the heart of Old Québec and overlooks the St. Lawrence River. I attended a New Year's Eve dinner dance in the ballroom.

Have you already visited Québec City? What activities do you recommend?

Have a fun-filled 2016!

Madelle

About Madelle

Madelle writes romantic suspense and contemporary romance novels set in romantic, beautiful Canada. 

Her debut romantic suspense, Diamond Hunter, is available in ebook format on Amazon and Kobo for $0.99 USD and 0.99 GBP.

Madelle tweets and posts about Hollywood, film-making, dogs, the settings for her stories, and, of course, writing. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter, or subscribe to her blog at MadelleMorgan.com