Shopping · Quebec City · Canada
Shopping in Quebec City
Shopping streets, markets and souvenirs worth the suitcase space.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Guillaume Cattiaux, CC BY-SA 2.0
Quick answer
Shopping in Quebec City focuses on crafts, regional food and art rather than big brands. The Petit-Champlain quarter and Rue Saint-Paul are the most atmospheric streets; Sainte-Foy's malls cover everyday needs. Best souvenirs: Maple products, Ice cider and ice wine and Quebec cheese.
Key facts
- Shopping areas
- 4
- Markets
- 2
- Top souvenir
- Maple products
Where to shop
Quartier Petit-Champlain
Craft boutiques, Quebec-made clothing, jewellery and glassware in historic stone buildings at the foot of the cliff.
Rue Saint-Paul
A row of antique dealers and galleries in the Lower Town near the Old Port.
Rue Saint-Joseph
Independent fashion, design and book shops in Saint-Roch.
Laurier Québec and Place Sainte-Foy
Large shopping malls in Sainte-Foy with department stores and international chains.
Markets
Grand Marché de Québec
Regional producers selling cheese, maple, meat, bread and cider year-round at ExpoCité in Limoilou.
German Christmas Market
Wooden chalets in the old town selling crafts, mulled wine and Christmas food in the weeks before Christmas.
What to buy
Maple products
Syrup in tins or bottles, maple butter and maple sugar candies; buy from producers at the Grand Marché or on Île d'Orléans.
Ice cider and ice wine
Quebec's sweet dessert ciders and wines come in small bottles that travel well.
Quebec cheese
Hard and semi-hard regional cheeses can be vacuum-packed; check your home country's import rules.
Ceinture fléchée
The traditional finger-woven arrow sash, worn by Bonhomme at the Carnaval, sold in craft shops.
Inuit and First Nations art
Galleries in the old town and Wendake sell carvings and prints; look for certification of authenticity.
Streets and markets worth a wander
Street · Old Québec – Lower Town and Old Port
Quartier Petit-Champlain
Rue du Petit-Champlain is a narrow pedestrian street of 17th- and 18th-century stone buildings at the foot of the cliff, lined with craft shops, galleries and bistros.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Iconic
Street · Old Québec – Upper Town
Rue Saint-Jean
The old town's main commercial street runs from inside the walls out through Porte Saint-Jean into the Saint-Jean-Baptiste district.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Food
- Shopping
- After dark
Market · Limoilou
Grand Marché de Québec
The city's main public market at ExpoCité brings together farmers, cheesemakers, butchers, maple producers and bakers from the Quebec City region under one roof, with prepared-food counters for lunch.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Food
- Free
- Rainy day
- Shopping
Food and drink to take home
Edible souvenirs travel best when they are dry or sealed: consider Maple taffy on snow, Sugar pie, Pudding chômeur and Ice cider. Stands during the Carnaval de Québec, sugar shacks on Île d'Orléans in March and April, and maple shops in the old town. Check your home country's rules on bringing food and drink back.
Shopping by neighbourhood
| Area | Price level | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Old Québec – Lower Town and Old Port | $$$$ | Riverside stone streets, Place Royale and the boutiques of Petit-Champlain |
| Montcalm and Grande Allée | $$$ | Terraced bar strip, Avenue Cartier delis and the Plains of Abraham next door |
| Saint-Jean-Baptiste | $$ | Hilly residential streets, independent cafés and the outer stretch of Rue Saint-Jean |
| Saint-Roch | $$ | Renovated lower-town district with restaurants, microbreweries and Rue Saint-Joseph |
| Limoilou | $ | Brick triplexes with outdoor staircases, 3e Avenue bistros and the Grand Marché |
| Sainte-Foy | $$ | Suburban hotel strip on Boulevard Laurier near the university and malls |
Paying and bargaining
Prices are in CAD. Tipping is expected: about 15–20% of the pre-tax bill in restaurants and bars, a dollar or two per drink, and about 10–15% for taxis. Card terminals usually suggest percentages.
- Greet with 'Bonjour' when entering a shop or restaurant; staff will usually switch to English if you need it.
When to shop
Shops and markets are quietest in November; the busiest months are July–August.
- July: Festival d'été de Québec — large outdoor music festival (usually early-to-mid July)
- August: Fêtes de la Nouvelle-France — costumed festival of New France history (usually early August)
- November: German Christmas Market in Old Québec (usually late November to late December)
- December: German Christmas Market continues (usually until shortly before Christmas)
Staying near the shops
$$$$ · Best for couples, shopping, luxury and first-timers
Old Québec – Lower Town and Old Port
Riverside stone streets, Place Royale and the boutiques of Petit-Champlain
Questions travellers ask
+What should I buy in Quebec City?
Maple products, Ice cider and ice wine, Quebec cheese and Ceinture fléchée.
+Where is the best shopping in Quebec City?
Quartier Petit-Champlain: Craft boutiques, Quebec-made clothing, jewellery and glassware in historic stone buildings at the foot of the cliff.
+What are the best markets in Quebec City?
Grand Marché de Québec and German Christmas Market.