Lévis
Lévis (French pronunciation: [levi]) is a city of 149,700 (2021) in the Chaudière-Appalaches region of Quebec, located on the south shore of the St. Lawrence River, opposite Quebec City. A ferry links Old Quebec with Old Lévis, and two bridges, the Quebec Bridge and the Pierre-Laporte Bridge, connect western Lévis with Quebec City.
Understand
[edit]
The current incarnation of Lévis was founded on January 1, 2002, as the result of a merger among ten cities, including the older city of Lévis founded in 1861. The city is divided into three arrondissements or boroughs comprising different communities:
- Desjardins – Lévis (including Lauzon), Pintendre, Saint-Joseph-de-Lévis
- Les Chutes-de-la-Chaudière-Est – Breakeyville, Charny, Saint-Jean-Chrysostome, Saint-Romuald
- Les Chutes-de-la-Chaudière-Ouest – Saint-Étienne-de-Lauzon, Saint-Nicolas, Saint-Rédempteur
Get in
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Map of Lévis
By car
[edit]Lévis is located along Autoroute 20 (Trans-Canada Highway), with the downtown area being accessible via exits 325 or 327. The Pierre-Laporte Bridge (Autoroute 73) and Quebec Bridge (Route 175) connect with Quebec City.
By boat
[edit]- 1 Québec – Lévis Ferry, 6001 Rue Laurier (Lévis intermodal station), toll-free: +1-877-787-7483, stq-quebec@traversiers.gouv.qc.ca. Société des traversiers du Québec operates a ferry between Lévis and Quebec City. Crossing time is approximately 10 minutes.
Get around
[edit]See
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- 1 A.C. Davie Shipyard Historic Site (Lieu historique du chantier A.C. Davie), 6210 rue Saint-Laurent, ☏ +1 418-838-8202, acdavie@ville.levis.qc.ca. The only remaining vestige of a 19th century shipyard in Quebec in a unique museum covering the history from 1829 to 1989. The site offers exhibitions at the interpretation centre. Guided tours or self-guided tours.
- 2 Chapelle processionnelle Saint-François-Xavier du Vieux-Lauzon (Saint-François-Xavier of Vieux-Lauzon Processional Chapel), Rue Saint-Joseph. Built in 1822.
- 3 Chapelle processionnelle Sainte-Anne du Vieux-Lauzon (Sainte-Anne du Vieux-Lauzon Processional Chapel). Built in 1789.
- 4 Chaudière Falls (Chutes-de-la-Chaudière), 3300, rue du Parc-des-Chutes, Lévis (accessible by A-73 (exit 13) or A-20 (exit 311); then take Route 116 west), ☏ +1 418-838-6026. early May to late October, from 7 a.m. until sunset. A public park in Lévis featuring the Chaudière River Falls, located at the northern end, near its mouth. These last falls of the Chaudière River have a height difference of 35m, making them the largest on this watercourse. This park offers hiking and cycling trails (1.5 km) with interpretive panels, picnic areas, a children's playground, a 113m suspension bridge (23m above the river) for observing the falls and the hydroelectric plant. This cycling segment (intermediate difficulty level) is part of the Route Verte and the Trans-Canada Trail. In addition, a trail of nearly 4.5km of trails is developed (supplemented by interpretive panels). Activities: fishing, outdoor shows, picnicking gratuit.
- 5 Lévis Forts (Forts de Lévis). A group of three forts that were an integral part of the Québec fortifications, built by the British Army to defend Québec City from Lévis south of the St. Lawrence River. Fort No. 1 was built by the British Army, while the other two were built by the Worthington brothers, all three in 1865. Fort No. 1 has been almost completely restored, while Fort No. 2 is now the headquarters of Assurances du Mouvement Desjardins, and remains of Fort No. 3 can be seen at the disused concrete plant. Fort No. 1 is managed by Parks Canada and is a National Historic Site of Canada.
- 6 Maison Alphonse-Desjardins, 8 rue du Mont-Marie. Neo-Gothic style residence built between 1882 and 1884 for Alphonse Desjardins, founder of the Desjardins credit unions, who lived there until his death in 1920, now serving as an interpretation centre. It housed the first credit union in Quebec. It is classified as a heritage building.
- 7 Maison natale de Louis Fréchette (Louis Fréchette Birthplace), 4385 rue Saint-Laurent. Birthplace of the poet Louis Fréchette built by his father between 1837 and 1841, combining the neoclassical style and the architecture of New England from the 17th and 18th centuries.
- 8 Saint-Nicolas Heritage Site (Site du patrimoine de Saint-Nicolas), Rue des Pionniers. The Saint-Nicolas Heritage Site is a small municipal historic district located in the western part of Lévis. It encompasses a group of a half-dozen properties and their dependencies that developed around the estate of a major family. Most of the buildings date from the 19th century, with the oldest dating from the mid-18th century. Two of them were later separately designated historic monuments (French: monuments historiques) at the provincial level.
Do
[edit]- Parcours des Anses (Route of the Coves). Multifunctional path (cycling, pedestrian, skating) along the St. Lawrence River for 15 km ; this cycle route is part of Route Verte 1. Throughout the route, this path offers views of the Pierre-Laporte and Québec bridges, Cap Diamant, Old Québec (and the fortifications), Château Frontenac, the towers of the Upper Town, the Old Port, Montmorency Falls and Île d’Orléans. At night, from the south shore, it offers views of the illuminated city of Québec. Cycling enthusiasts can also extend this route by making a loop on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River by taking the Québec Bridge, the Samuel-De-Champlain promenade and the Québec-Lévis ferry. Another option to extend the route is to take the Harlaka Trail to the east and join the Cycloroute de Bellechasse.
- 1 Quai Paquet, 6075 Rue Saint-Laurent, Lévis (located near the Québec-Lévis ferry dock). Quai Paquet is a 2,400 square-meter urban park located on the banks of the St. Lawrence River, at the base of the Lévis cliff. Quai Paquet offers a panorama of the Château Frontenac and Québec City, day or night. Main attractions: its 169 water jets (up to 9 m high) in two architectural basins, its 172 LED lighting lamps, with its sound and light shows of the Fountain, music and dance shows, a view of the Loto-Québec fireworks, bike path, food trucks, service pavilion, and science festival. The site offers a varied and entertaining summer program. free.
Buy
[edit]- 1 Galeries Chagnon, 1200 Boulevard Alphonse-Desjardins. Mall in Lévis with about 100 stores, including a Raynaud-Bray bookstore.
Eat
[edit]Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]- 1 Grand Times Hotel, 129 route du Président-Kennedy, ☏ +1 418-833-3333, reservationlevis@timeshotel.ca.
- 2 Hotel L'Oie des neiges, 165 A Rte du Président-Kennedy, ☏ +1 418-830-0878, toll-free: +1-888-252-1267.
- 3 Hotel Motel Hospitalité, 3500 Bd Guillaume-Couture (A-20 exit 321), ☏ +1 418-837-6664, toll-free: +1-800-409-6664, fax: +1 418-835-5198, info@hotelmotelhospitalite.com.
- 4 Hôtel & Suites Normandin, 535 Rue de Bernières, ☏ +1 418-831-3119, toll-free: +1-800-749-3119, info.levis@hotelnormandin.com.
- 5 Le Plumard Couette et Café, 5865 Rue Saint-Georges, ☏ +1 418-835-4574, toll-free: +1-877-835-6351, leplumard@hotmail.com.
Connect
[edit]Nearby
[edit]Go next
[edit]| Routes through Lévis |
Montreal ← Victoriaville via  ← |
W   E |
→ Montmagny → Rivière-du-Loup |
| Saguenay ← Quebec City ← | N  S |
→ Saint-Georges → Augusta via  |
| Saint-Hyacinthe ← Victoriaville ← | W  E |
→ END |
| Sorel-Tracy ← Bécancour ← | W  E |
→ Montmagny → Rivière-du-Loup |
| END ← | N  S |
→ Saint-Georges → Augusta via |
| Saguenay ← Quebec City ← | N  S |
→ ENDS at  |