Quebec Botanical Garden and Capital Green Spaces

April 29, 2026Carrera Café
Jardin botanique de Québec et espaces verts de la capitale
★ Carrera Café — The Coffee Journal

Botanical gardens and green spaces

Quebec breathes. Its parks, gardens, and natural spaces offer green refuges just minutes from Old Quebec. To get lost, recharge, or simply slow down.

ThemeNature in the city SeasonSpring & summer CategoryGardens & parks
The Université Laval Botanical Garden

Nestled on the Université Laval campus, this exceptional botanical garden is little known to visitors but loved by locals. A first-class plant collection in a peaceful setting.

The Roger-Van den Hende Garden, on the Université Laval campus, is one of the most beautiful university botanical gardens in North America. Its 2,400 species and cultivars represent flora from all over the world, organized into thematic gardens: alpine garden, aquatic garden, remarkable tree collection, and aromatic plants section.

Entry is free and the garden is open from May to October. It is one of the most peaceful places in the entire city: just a few dozen meters from the campus bustle, you find yourself in a plant world rich in beauty that invites contemplation and slowing down.

An ideal place for a morning walk before a coffee at Carrera Café: senses awakened by the garden's scents, mind ready for a well-deserved large cup.

Theme
Thematic gardens
Alpine garden, aquatic garden, rose garden, medicinal plants garden: each section of Van den Hende offers a botanical journey into a different world. A structured walk that educates as much as it delights.
Sections
10+ gardens
Season
May to October
Quebec's great urban park

103 hectares of greenery in the heart of the capital: the Plains of Abraham are the park for all seasons, all generations, and all uses.

★ Iconic
Plains promenade
The paths of the Plains of Abraham are suitable for walking, jogging, and cycling depending on the season. In summer, the lawns welcome thousands of families, picnickers, and athletes in a festive and relaxed atmosphere.
Area
103 ha
Access
Free
Trees
Plains Arboretum
The Plains of Abraham host a collection of remarkable trees, some several centuries old. Maples, elms, lindens, and giant oaks line the paths with a majestic presence that changes with the seasons.
Notable trees
Centenarians
Style
Landscape park
Events
Outdoor cultural events
Summer Festival concerts, outdoor screenings, artisan markets, and sports activities: the Plains of Abraham are the beating heart of outdoor life in Quebec during the warm months.
Main events
FEQ, markets
Active season
June to September
The Governors' Garden

This former estate of the Quebec governor is now a public park of rare beauty. French-style gardens, lookouts, and wooded trails just steps from downtown.

Greenhouses
Greenhouses and floral exhibitions
Exhibition greenhouses showcase collections of rare plants and seasonal floral displays. A complementary attraction to the outdoor gardens that allows you to extend your visit in any weather.
Type
Botanical greenhouses
Access
Free
The waterfall that impresses Wellington

Higher than Niagara Falls, Montmorency Falls is one of Quebec's most spectacular natural attractions. A national park ten minutes from Quebec City.

Just ten kilometers from Old Quebec, the Parc de la Chute-Montmorency (Sépaq) offers a breathtaking natural experience. The falls, 83 meters high — 30 meters taller than Niagara Falls — plunge into a rocky basin with a roar that can be heard well before it is seen.

A cable car, a suspension bridge over the falls, and hiking trails allow you to observe it from every angle. In winter, the ice cone formed by frozen spray is a unique natural spectacle that attracts thousands of visitors.

The Montmorency manor, restored at the top of the cliff, now houses a restaurant with a panoramic terrace. An ideal place for group meals with breathtaking views of the Saint Lawrence and the falls.

A peaceful haven in the city

This vast 27-hectare estate in Limoilou is one of Quebec's most preserved and diverse green spaces. Arboretum, ponds, gardens, and historic building.

Ecological
Ecological gardens
The ecological gardens of Domaine Maizerets are an exemplary urban greening initiative: native plants, rain gardens, field hedges, and installations promoting Quebec's urban biodiversity.
Approach
Urban biodiversity
Neighborhood
Limoilou
★ Barista tip
The perfect green break in Quebec
Before or after a walk in the Van den Hende Garden or on the Plains of Abraham, nothing beats a coffee break at Petit-Champlain. Start the morning with a strong espresso at Carrera Café, then go explore Quebec's greenery with your taste buds awakened. Nature stimulates the senses: the scents of flowers, the fresh river air, the green lawns. On the way back, a frothy oat milk latte to beautifully close a refreshing morning. Like a final lap before heading back to the garage.
Nature and espresso: the perfect combination

A morning in the gardens of Quebec, then an exceptional coffee at Petit-Champlain. The recipe for a day that feels good, body and mind.

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