Québec / Québec Treasures / Drawing 01

Places, Traditions and Discoveries · Drawing 01

Château Frontenac

1893 - the first wing opens

Colouring illustration: Château Frontenac
An original, simplified view of Château Frontenac; windows, roof details and proportions are adapted for colouring.

In Québec City, Château Frontenac looks like a grand castle. But it is a hotel, where travellers have stayed for many years.

Look together

Which tower is the tallest?

An idea to try

Draw a window together and what an imaginary traveller might see in the distance: the river, rooftops or clouds.

For the adult reading along

A little more to discover

Château Frontenac overlooks the St. Lawrence River from Cap Diamant in Old Québec. Its first wing welcomed travellers in December 1893. The building has expanded several times: the tall central tower, for example, was built between 1920 and 1924. Its present silhouette brings together parts built in different periods.

Begin with what your child can see: pointed roofs, towers and windows. Explain that a building can look like a castle while serving as a hotel. Then imagine what someone might see through a window, without trying to reproduce the exact real-world view.

Sources and context

These links lead to other websites. Explore them with an adult. Source titles appear in their original language; some linked pages are in French.

Source review: 2026-09-12. Illustrations simplify places and scenes; they are not historical documents.