Well-being in Quebec

A destination to recharge

Beyond its fortifications and historical heritage, Quebec is a city where the art of slowing down is carefully cultivated. Its spas, monasteries, and contemplation spaces offer a beneficial counterpoint to the intensity of urban life.

The traveler arriving in Quebec for the first time is often surprised by the city's duality: on one side, the energy of festivals and lively terraces; on the other, the serenity of cobblestone streets in the early morning, the silence of the city hall gardens, the contemplation of the river from the Plains of Abraham. Quebec is a city that knows how to both speed up and slow down.

This duality is reflected in its exceptional wellness offerings: places that truly allow you to disconnect, refocus on what matters, and leave refreshed. From the monastery to the Nordic spa, including yoga studios and massage therapy centers, Quebec has everything needed to take care of yourself in an exceptional setting.

Monastery of the Augustines

A unique place in the world

Founded in 1639 by the Augustinian nuns who came from France to care for the sick in New France, the Monastery of the Augustines has become a unique renewal center that combines historical heritage with contemporary well-being.

Strøm Nordic Spa

The Nordic ritual facing the river

Strøm Spa Nordique on Île d'Orléans (a few minutes from Quebec City) offers the complete Scandinavian circuit: sauna, cold bath, hot bath, hammam, Nordic bath, and outdoor rest area, all with a breathtaking view of the Saint Lawrence.

The Strøm Spa Nordique revolutionized the wellness offering in the Quebec region by bringing the Scandinavian concept of the bath circuit into an exceptional natural environment. The Nordic protocol alternates between extreme heat (sauna at 80-90 degrees), cold water immersion, and rest periods: a cycle that stimulates blood circulation, releases endorphins, and provides an incomparable state of deep relaxation.

Located on the banks of the Saint Lawrence with a view of the Île d'Orléans bridge and the Charlevoix mountains in the background, Strøm Spa is a destination in itself. Heated outdoor pools in winter, terraces facing the river, and forest rest areas create a total sensory experience that reconciles body and mind with the Nordic nature.

Spas of Old Quebec

Relaxation in the heart of the city

Without leaving the walls of the old town, several establishments offer quality treatments in intimate and refined settings.

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  Spa of Château Frontenac: The spa at Fairmont Le Château Frontenac offers a full range of high-end treatments in an exceptional historic setting. Massages, facials, indoor pool access, and hammam: a luxury experience available to both residents and visitors.
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  Spa at Auberge Saint-Antoine: Auberge Saint-Antoine, in the Lower Town, houses an intimate spa offering treatments inspired by the natural resources of the Quebec territory. Clays from Abitibi, essential oils from the boreal forest, hot stone massages: an experience rooted in the local terroir.
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  Massage therapy centers in Old Quebec: Several independent practitioners offer their services in the neighborhood, providing therapeutic massages, reflexology, and energy treatments in intimate and professional settings. These addresses, less known to tourists, are favorites of Old Quebec residents.

Yoga and meditation

Contemplative practice in Quebec

Quebec offers a dynamic yoga and meditation scene, supported by independent studios that have made the practice a true urban lifestyle art.

Old Quebec and the Saint-Roch district concentrate several yoga studios and meditation centers where practices from all traditions (vinyasa, yin yoga, mindfulness meditation, yoga nidra) are taught by passionate teachers. The community of practitioners is diverse, cosmopolitan, and welcoming to visiting guests.

The Monastery of the Augustines also organizes meditation workshops open to all, in the exceptional environment of the historic convent. These sessions, guided by contemplation experts, are among the most unique experiences Quebec can offer a visitor seeking meaning and serenity.

The wellness break

Integrating care into daily life

Well-being isn’t limited to retreat weekends. It’s also cultivated in small daily gestures: a well-chosen coffee break, a moment of calm in a historic garden, a walk along the river.

The great lesson from wellness houses like the Monastère des Augustines is that care begins with attention to everyday details. Choosing quality coffee over convenience coffee. Sitting down to savor rather than consuming on the go. Looking up at the architecture instead of staring at your phone. These small choices, repeated, build a different relationship with time and space.

At Carrera Café, we have built our philosophy on the same principle: offering a break worth truly stopping for. A carefully prepared coffee, a thoughtfully composed platter, a terrace inviting contemplation. It’s our way of contributing to the daily well-being of Petit-Champlain’s residents and visitors.

Carrera Café

The sensory break in Petit-Champlain

After a spa session or a morning retreat, Carrera Café is the ideal place to extend the feeling of well-being in an elegant and flavorful setting.

Returning from the Monastère des Augustines or the Strøm Nordic Spa with a calm mind and settling on the terrace at Carrera Café: this transition honors both places. Our Podium coffee, with notes of roasted hazelnut and dark chocolate, perfectly complements this post-treatment lightness. Our Latte Pit Stop, smoother and creamier, is perfect for days when the body needs a little milky comfort.

Our selection of Quebec Cheeses and Organic Charlevoix Charcuterie completes the sensory experience: local, carefully crafted products that respect the land and delight the palate. A way to extend, through tasting, the care and quality that characterize Québec’s best wellness spots.