Quote:
Originally Posted by Nantais
On the other hand, lot of things that are considered as European aren't necessarily "European" : for example I keep on reading in these kinds of threads how Québec looks so European or so French. If Québec's center looks indeed very different from the other North American downtowns, it still doesn't really look like any French city. And, of course, Québec's metro area outside the city core actually looks like typically North American.
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Indeed
There are somethings that don't really feel right about the old Quebec City to look like a city of France.
It gives me an even more uneasy feel than many other examples.
I can't really give what is the exact thing that seems wrong.
Is it a lack of density? Maybe, a city of the size of Quebec city woud have a much denser old town.
The architecture ? Maybe but there are also some very different french cities.
Maybe a very different 19th century architectural style. It's a time when France tried to uniformise a bit the country. The idea to create a republican identity.
A too well kept ambience that in one way look too authentic to be true and give a more Epcot feel than a French city ? The shops.
The old town of Quebec city seems very touristy based while old part of a medium and large French city could have some districts where tourist trade dominate but those are next to other commercial areas more oriented toward local trade (that includes chains stores).
People tend to compare old Quebec city with the Place du Tertre area in Montmartre but it's not representative of Paris. Infact Montmartre wasn't part of Paris until 1860 and it's a very touristy part that locals avoid.
Rue Norvins, Montmatre
Rue du Mont-Cenis
It's even worse than Times Square or Hollywood blvd. Locals have literally nothing to do there. I don't feel I'm in Paris there.
The Champs Elysees (often seen as too touristy) is much more local than this area of Montmartre.
Now a look of the streets just around.
Those are much more representative of Paris.
Rue de Clignancourt
Rue Lamarck
Rue Damrémont
Quote:
Originally Posted by begratto
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The comparision with St Malo is interesting.
St Malo is much smaller city.
Only 80,000 inhabitants in its metropolitan area. About 110,000 if we includes the nearby Dinard.
The streetscape of Saint Malo is denser.
For a walled city, old Quebec is not very dense.
Saint Malo has been heavily bombed during WW2 and what you see was actually built during the late 1940s and early 1950s.
The "old" center of Saint Malo seems more and more oriented toward tourists trade.
Most of the major chains stores are in big boxes or shopping malls in the outskirt.
It's always interesting to see where is the local FNAC (large retailer of electronic, books, DVD...). It's often worrying when it's not downtown.
The FNAC for St Malo area is in a shopping mall in the outskirt of Dinard.
FNAC Dinard-Pleurtuit