Petit Champlain

Petit Champlain (French pronunciation: [pəti ʃɑ̃plɛ̃]) is a small commercial zone in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. It is located in the neighbourhood of Vieux-Québec–Cap-Blanc–colline Parlementaire in the borough of La Cité-Limoilou, near Place Royale and its Notre-Dame-des-Victoires Church. Its main street is the Rue du Petit-Champlain at the foot of Cap Diamant. It is claimed that it's the oldest commercial district in North America.^[1]

Petit Champlain
Coordinates: 46°48′47″N 71°12′09″W
Country	Canada
Province	Quebec
City	Quebec City
Borough	La Cité-Limoilou
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
Website	www.quartierpetitchamplain.com

In French it is referred to as a quartier (neighbourhood) although it is not an official one recognised by the City. It is named after Samuel de Champlain, who founded Quebec City in 1608.^[2]

Attractions

Rue du Petit-Champlain

Main article: Rue du Petit-Champlain

Rue du Petit-Champlain is around 0.16 miles (0.26 km) long, and runs from its convergence with Rue Sous-le-Fort in the north to Boulevard Champlain in the south.

Rue du Petit-Champlain fresco

The fresco painted on the side of the building at 102 rue du Petit-Champlain is a trompe-l'œil measuring 100m² (900 ft²). It represents the history of the district, the bombardments of 1759, the landslides, and the fires which have occurred in the district.^[3]

Breakneck Stairs

Main article: Breakneck Stairs

The Breakneck Stairs or Breakneck Steps (French: Escalier casse-cou), Quebec City's oldest stairway, were built in 1635. Today they are a popular viewpoint for tourists to view rue du Petit-Champlain.