Canada, North America

Quebec City in July

Festival d'ete de Quebec and peak season. Book hotels inside the walls months ahead.

BestWarm, highs near 77F (25C), occasional humid days

Chateau Frontenac, Quebec City — Quebec CityPhoto: Wilfredor, CC0

The straight answer

July is one of the best months of the year to visit Quebec City. Festival d'ete de Quebec and peak season. Book hotels inside the walls months ahead.

Weather: Warm, highs near 77F (25C), occasional humid days
Crowds: 5 of 5
Prices: 5 of 5

What July is like in Quebec City

July is peak season. Highs sit near 77F (25C), with a few humid days, and the city is lively from morning to late night. The Festival d'ete de Quebec brings big outdoor concerts to the Plains of Abraham. Crowds and prices are at their highest of the year, and hotels inside the walls book up months ahead.

It suits music fans, families on school break and anyone who wants the city at full energy. Travelers who dislike crowds or high prices will be happier in June or September. July 1 is also a public holiday, so expect some closures that day.

Make the most of July

What is especially good about Quebec City this month.

Festival d'ete de Quebec

One of Canada's largest outdoor music festivals runs for eleven days in early to mid July. A single pass covers the whole run.

Ile d'Orleans in summer

Farm stands, orchards and cideries are open, and the island makes an easy half-day drive.

Summer nights on the walls

Warm evenings are perfect for walking the fortifications and watching the light fade over the river.

What to pack for July

Breathable clothes for warm, humid days
Comfortable shoes for steep streets and stairs
Sunscreen and a hat
A light layer for cooler nights by the river

Our timing tip

Book festival-week hotels as soon as dates are announced, or stay in Saint-Roch or Montcalm for better value a short walk from the walls.

Book Quebec City for July.

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Hotels. Expedia
Hotels in Quebec City
Opens a hotel search for Quebec City in July, dates filled in. Book early for the best months: the good rooms go first.
Hotels for July
Vacation rentals. Vrbo
Vacation rentals in Quebec City
Whole homes, condos and villas. Usually the better deal for families and groups, with a kitchen and room to spread out.
Rentals on Vrbo
Tours and tickets. Expedia
Tours and tickets in Quebec City
Timed-entry tickets, day trips and guided tours in Quebec City for July. Popular slots sell out in the best months.
Tours and tickets

What's on in July

Festival d'ete de Quebec

Eleven days in early to mid July

One of Canada's largest outdoor music festivals, with the main stage on the Plains of Abraham. A single pass covers the whole run.

Things to do in Quebec City

Full guide

Old Quebec and the Fortifications

Walk the walls, then descend to Petit-Champlain by the Breakneck Stairs or the funicular. Early morning before cruise passengers arrive is best.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Chateau Frontenac and Dufferin Terrace

Often called the most photographed hotel in the world. The terrace boardwalk has river views year-round and a toboggan slide in winter.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Plains of Abraham

The 1759 battlefield is now the city's great park: festivals in summer, skiing and snowshoeing in winter.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Montmorency Falls

About 272 feet (83 m) high, roughly 100 feet taller than Niagara. Cable car, suspension bridge, and a frozen ice cone in winter.

Tickets and tours →

Ile d'Orleans

A pastoral island of farms, orchards, and cideries. Summer and fall harvest are best; many producers close in winter.

Tickets and tours →

Musee de la civilisation

The city's best museum, strong on Quebec and Indigenous history, and a good cold-day refuge.

Official site ↗Tickets and tours →

Beat the crowds

Walk Petit-Champlain and Place Royale before 10am or after 6pm: cruise ship passengers crowd the lower town midday from late summer through October.
Stay inside the walls in the off-season, when rates drop; in July, the Saint-Roch and Montcalm neighborhoods offer better value a short walk away.
For Carnival, visit on weekdays; weekend nights draw crowds from across the province.
Book the Festival d'ete hotels as soon as festival dates are announced; Old Quebec's small hotels fill first.

Know before you go

Old Quebec is fully open in winter: hotels, restaurants, and museums run year-round, and the city leans into the season rather than closing for it.
Ile d'Orleans farm stands, cideries, and many rural attractions are seasonal, mostly open late spring through fall. Sugar shacks open in the maple season, roughly March and April.
June 24 and July 1 are public holidays in Quebec. Some shops and services close; the celebrations themselves are free.
The Montmorency Falls cable car and some trails run on a seasonal schedule; the site stays open in winter for views of the frozen falls.