Quebec City celebrates its festive 400th

QUEBEC CITY, Quebec -- One wonders what Samuel de Champlain might have thought about the white-faced, mute provocateurs strolling the piers along the St. Lawrence River at "Esplace 400," the multimedia fair where this charming city's 400th anniversary is being celebrated.

When Monsieur Champlain stepped out of his boat on July 3, 1608 on the then gravely river shore at Kebec, an Algonquin word meaning "place where the river narrows," his intent was to establish an outpost in the wilderness for the trading post. It's unlikely he had any concept that what was then France's first permanent settlement in North America would grow into a world-class metropolis with its own Franco-phonic flair.

But these "in-your-face" pixie-like figures straight out of Cirque du Soleil are here all summer to engage visitors who take in the special exhibits and musical performances of Quebec's Quadricentennial.

Rather than being greeted by Algonquin warriors, how would that Gallic adventurer have taken to being misted with water from a spray bottle and have his lapels dusted off by a jolly minx wearing a lighted flower pot on her head?

These were some of the special treats I experienced on a recent trip to Quebec City to observe this major milestone.

I've been here twice for its Winter Carnival and came away both times with a warm affection for this most European and third oldest of North American cities. It came as no surprise that the city is even more agreeable in the more temperate seasons when everything is bloom.

Old Town, the city's historic center that was declared a World Heritage site in 1985, is divided into two parts. "Haute-Ville," the upper town, grew inside city walls around a citadel erected by the British army on the high bluff above the river after they defeated French forces in an epic 1759 battle, less than one year after they also had expelled the French from the forks of the Ohio.

After two centuries as the political and cultural capital of the province and for a time all of Canada, the upper town is home to the city's most famous structures and dramatic views, with cathedrals, basilicas, the Quebec parliament building and the citadel, all dominated by the Chateau Frontenac, the imposing, green turreted hotel that may be Canada's most celebrated architectural landmark.

The "Basse-Ville," the low town, is situated on the river plain where Champlain first stepped ashore and set up shop. Many of the rough stone buildings date from the early 17th and 18th century and have been lovingly restored into a vibrant enclave of small restaurants and quaint shops. There are many dozens of historic buildings in all of Old Town, but not a single chain restaurant or brand-name boutique. Taken together, these attributes add up to one of North America's most agreeable smaller cities to visit almost any time of the year.

The center of festivities this summer is Espace 400, a riverside facility constructed on several piers in the Louise boat basin in the Old Port. Its Grand Square is the covered venue for free concerts, debates and performances every night until Sept. 28. Nearby the Ephemeral Gardens feature 11 avant-garde gardens conceived by creative horticulturists representing the several nations most closely involved with Quebec's history.

Another high-concept creation at Espace 400 is "Passagers/Passengers," a poignant multimedia installation that celebrates the lives and lineages of the 5 million immigrants from all corners of the planet who have passed through Quebec over the past four centuries. Set in an imaginary airport transit lounge created inside a refurbished cement plant, its three galleries feature a multitude of ethnicities and takes each visitor on a journey of their own.

Finally, the "Image Mill" is a 40-minute extravaganza of sound, images and video creating an impressionistic portrait of the city in four movements, one for each of its four centuries. It will be projected evenings through July 29 at sunset on the flanks of 81 concrete grain silos across the boat basin from Espace 400, creating a screen nearly 2,000 feet long and 100 feet high -- reportedly the largest multimedia presentation ever shown.

In addition, special festivities are scheduled this week to mark the actual dates of remembrance. On July 3, official ceremonies include a huge military parade and commemorative show, including a specially commissioned historical opera and a midnight fireworks extravaganza billed as Canada's largest ever.

Several other major events scheduled for the summer include two free concerts. On July 20 by Paul McCartney will perform and on Aug 22 Quebec's favorite native chanteuse Celine Dion. Both performances will take place on the Plains of Abraham, the grassy park created on the grounds outside the citadel walls where the battle for control of Canada took place 249 years earlier.

The festivities will close Oct. 17-19 with special performances by the Cirque du Soleil conceived especially for the Quebec City's 400th. This vibrant international entertainment empire was born a few miles upriver from here 25 years ago and took root on these creative streets.

The city's cultural institutions also have special programs created around the event.

The primary art museum, the Musee National des beaux-arts du Quebec is hosting a one-of-a kind exhibit, featuring 274 items on loan from the Louvre in Paris. Titled The Arts and Life, the exhibit spans 5,000 years of history and civilization from Ancient Egypt to the European Middle Ages organized around four major human themes; loving and dying, learning and making, dwelling and decorating, celebrating and enjoying. It runs through Oct. 26.

And the Musee de la Civilization is hosting special exhibitions during this festival year, including "Urbanopolis," an exploration of the future of cities, and the "Visionaries Garden," which covers the museum's stair-stepped roof with colorful plantings and multimedia wishing well.

But the star attraction is a dazzling new exhibit curated by the museum. Titled "Gold in the Americas," it examines and chronicles the impact the quest for this precious metal has had on the Western Hemisphere, from Spanish conquistadors to the California and Yukon Gold rushes.

The 450 objects assembled from nine countries range from pre-Columbian jewelry to the actual gold nugget James Marshall picked out of California's American River on Jan. 24, 1848, setting off the Gold Rush. Along with bullion and other fabulous items, there's a special coin from the Canadian mint consisting of 250 pounds of 99.999 percent pure gold. In addition to items that sparkle and seduce, another section examines gold's myriad utilitarian and industrial uses, as well as the impact mining it has on the environment.

All in all, Quebec's big birthday bash provides so many reasons to make a visit this summer, the hard part may be finding a room.

But even more than an event staged to attract people to the city, one gets the sense that much of major hoopla is being provided for the benefit local citizenry. Major infrastructure investments range from a magnificent new fountain in front of the Quebec Parliament building to various river bank improvements, including a 4-mile bike path/recreational trail along the St. Lawrence.

The clear message is that Quebec City is indeed a special place, especially for the millions of people who have contributed a chapter to its four centuries.