Even though it is quite well known, Quebec is not even one of Canada’s ten largest cities; just over 500,000 people live in Quebec City, which sits in the southeastern reaches of the country. As the capital of the greater Quebec Province, it is a major center for government and administration, in addition to its infamous status as Canada’s center of Francophile culture.

Quebec is an infrastructurally advanced city with many elements of the old and the new on display. An impressive skyline and sleek modern buildings overlook the historic city center, where the oldest fortress ramparts remaining north of Mexico remind citizens of its earliest days as a settlement. Public transportation is a breeze, and world class museums such as the Museum of Civilization and National Museum of Fine Arts of Quebec will ensure that you never run out of cultural stimulation.

If you are studying French in Quebec, try to speak French as much as possible while out and about. Locals are often willing to communicate in English, but the whole point of attending a high school program in Quebec is to immerse yourself in another culture! By speaking French regularly your language abilities will soar and you will be able to enter yourself more authentically into the city life.