The St. Lawrence River in the Heart of the Boreal Winter

Montreal is the world's second-largest francophone city, set on an island in the St. Lawrence River where French colonial heritage meets North American energy and one of the continent's most exciting food scenes. Must-dos include visiting the stunning Basilique Notre-Dame, eating smoked meat at Schwartz's and bagels at St-Viateur, and exploring the Plateau's bohemian streets. June through September offers peak festival season, including the world's largest jazz festival.

Quebec City is North America's only walled city, a UNESCO treasure where 400 years of French colonial architecture crown a St. Lawrence promontory beneath the iconic Château Frontenac. Visit September through October via Cunard or Seabourn for autumn foliage transforming stone ramparts, elevated Québécois terroir cuisine, and the singular experience of genuine Old World atmosphere on a continent that rarely provides it.

La Baie, Quebec, Canada, offers an authentic North American experience where stunning natural landscapes meet communities of genuine character. Visitors should explore the surrounding wilderness and sample the honest, locally sourced cuisine that defines the region. The ideal visiting period is May through October, when the climate is at its most welcoming for outdoor exploration. Cruise lines including Ponant feature this port on their most compelling itineraries. Whether you have a few hours or a full day, the port rewards exploration at every pace and in every direction.

Gaspe, Canada, offers an authentic North American experience where stunning natural landscapes meet communities of genuine character. Visitors should explore the surrounding wilderness and sample the honest, locally sourced cuisine that defines the region. The ideal visiting period is May through October, when the climate is at its most welcoming for outdoor exploration. Cruise lines including Seabourn feature this port on their most compelling itineraries. Whether you have a few hours or a full day, the port rewards exploration at every pace and in every direction.

Cap aux Meules, Canada, offers an authentic North American experience where stunning natural landscapes meet communities of genuine character. Visitors should explore the surrounding wilderness and sample the honest, locally sourced cuisine that defines the region. The ideal visiting period is May through October, when the climate is at its most welcoming for outdoor exploration. Cruise lines including Scenic Ocean Cruises feature this port on their most compelling itineraries. Whether you have a few hours or a full day, the port rewards exploration at every pace and in every direction.

Saint Pierre and Miquelon is France's last territory in North America, a fog-wrapped archipelago off Newfoundland where croissants, crêpes, and the euro coexist with cod fishing and Prohibition-era history. Must-dos include exploring the rum-running Heritage Museum, dining on fresh cod and French wines, and visiting the haunting cemetery on Île aux Marins. June through September offers the best weather for this improbable outpost of French culture.

Corner Brook sits on Newfoundland's west coast at the head of the Bay of Islands, framed by the Long Range Mountains and steeped in maritime history dating to Captain Cook's 1767 survey. Must-dos include visiting nearby Gros Morne National Park, tasting pan-fried cod tongues, and taking in the bay panorama from Cook's monument. July through September offers the best weather, with autumn foliage adding dramatic color.

Sept-Îles is a frontier port city on Quebec's wild Côte-Nord, where the St. Lawrence River widens into a vast estuary rich with whales, seabirds, and Atlantic seafood. Must-dos include kayaking the seven-island archipelago, tasting snow crab and smoked salmon, and whale watching for humpbacks and minke whales. June through September offers the warmest weather and peak whale-watching conditions in the St. Lawrence.

The Saguenay is a glacially carved fjord of Norwegian grandeur hidden in Quebec, where three-hundred-meter cliffs plunge into waters hosting the world's southernmost beluga whales alongside blue whales, fins, and humpbacks. Visit September through October via Cunard or Azamara for autumn-color fjord transits, world-class whale-watching at Tadoussac, and one of Canada's most spectacular and least-expected natural treasures.

Sept-Îles is a frontier port city on Quebec's wild Côte-Nord, where the St. Lawrence River widens into a vast estuary rich with whales, seabirds, and Atlantic seafood. Must-dos include kayaking the seven-island archipelago, tasting snow crab and smoked salmon, and whale watching for humpbacks and minke whales. June through September offers the warmest weather and peak whale-watching conditions in the St. Lawrence.

La Baie, Quebec, Canada, offers an authentic North American experience where stunning natural landscapes meet communities of genuine character. Visitors should explore the surrounding wilderness and sample the honest, locally sourced cuisine that defines the region. The ideal visiting period is May through October, when the climate is at its most welcoming for outdoor exploration. Cruise lines including Ponant feature this port on their most compelling itineraries. Whether you have a few hours or a full day, the port rewards exploration at every pace and in every direction.

Montreal is the world's second-largest francophone city, set on an island in the St. Lawrence River where French colonial heritage meets North American energy and one of the continent's most exciting food scenes. Must-dos include visiting the stunning Basilique Notre-Dame, eating smoked meat at Schwartz's and bagels at St-Viateur, and exploring the Plateau's bohemian streets. June through September offers peak festival season, including the world's largest jazz festival.