Month guide · Quebec City · Canada
Quebec City in May
What May is really like in Quebec City: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Wilfredor, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
May is a shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 17°C (63°F), lows of 5°C (41°F), about 13 rainy days and roughly 15 hours of daylight. Trees leaf out, terraces reopen and the walking season starts; evenings remain cool.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 17°C (63°F) / 5°C (41°F)
- Rainy days
- About 13
- Daylight
- About 15 hours
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in May
May is the 5th-warmest month in Quebec City: days average 17°C (63°F) against a yearly average high of 9°C (48°F), and nights fall to about 5°C (41°F). Rain falls on roughly 13 of its 31 days. Compared with April (8°C (46°F)), May is warmer; by June highs climb to around 22°C (72°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 05:10
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 20:12
- Daylight
- About 15 hours
Spring (March–May). Sugar-shack season in March and April, then a slushy thaw before trees leaf out in May; quiet and inexpensive but weather is mixed.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 3 for crowds (the peak is July at 5) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in July). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in May
May has no major recurring festival in Quebec City, which usually means easier bookings.
What to do in May
With frequent rain, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Religious site · Old Québec – Upper Town
Notre-Dame de Québec Basilica-Cathedral
Visit quietly outside service times and look for the crypt tours, which run at certain periods of the year.
- Time needed
- 30–45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Architecture · Montcalm and Grande Allée
Parliament Building
Quebec's Second Empire-style Hôtel du Parlement, completed in 1886, has a façade lined with bronze statues of figures from the province's history.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- History
- Architecture
- Rainy day
Market · Limoilou
Grand Marché de Québec
Buy cheese, cider and maple products here rather than in old-town souvenir shops.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Free
- Rainy day
- Shopping
Historic site · Old Québec – Upper Town
Morrin Centre
Built as the city's first prison and later a college, this building now houses the Literary and Historical Society of Quebec and a Victorian-era library with wooden galleries.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
- Architecture
What to pack
For highs near 17°C, lows near 5°C and 13 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Quebec City?
A shoulder-season month. If your dates are flexible, June–October are better overall. Compare every month.
Quebec City in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Quebec City?
It is a shoulder-season month. Trees leaf out, terraces reopen and the walking season starts; evenings remain cool.
+How warm is Quebec City in May?
Average highs are around 17°C (63°F) and lows around 5°C (41°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Quebec City in May?
Expect rain on about 13 days of the month, so pack for wet weather.