Quebec City Shopping

Markets
In the Old Port, 160 rue Quai Saint-André, is the large public market, Le Marché du Vieux-Port, selling fresh produce, flowers, cheese and meat. For farm-fresh goods, head to Ile d'Orléans (just a 20-minute drive from the city), where dozens of roadside stalls are heaped with fruits and vegetables throughout the summer and cabanes à sucre (sugar shacks) offer maple syrup products in the spring.

Shopping centres
Larger suburban shopping malls are located beyond Old Quebec, along rue Saint-Joseph in the Saint-Roch district or on avenue Cartier, a delightful street of boutiques, local fashion designers and restaurants. To the southwest of Quebec City, in the suburb of Sainte-Foy, is one of the largest shopping complexes in North America, made up of three adjoining shopping malls (Place Laurier, Place Sainte-Foy and Place de la Cité) with over 600 shops between them.

Key areas
The most atmospheric shopping area is in the Quartier Petit Champlain, in Lower Town. Here, the cobblestone streets are lined with boutiques and shops selling artisanal wares, as they have done for centuries. The Verrerie La Mailloche is especially interesting as it combines a glass-blowing workshop, displays on the craft and a boutique.

Within Old Town, the main shopping areas are on rues Sainte-Anne, De Buade and Saint-Jean, where there is a mix of tourist shops, clothing stores and boutiques selling everything from handicrafts to Inuit art.

Shopping hours
Shops in Quebec City are generally open Monday to Wednesday 1000-1800, Thursday and Friday 1000-2100 and Saturday and Sunday 1000-1700.

Tax-free
The 5% federal Goods and Services Tax (GST) and 7.5% provincial Quebec Sales Tax (QST) are levied on most products and services. Non-residents can no longer apply for a rebate on the GST portion on goods for use outside of Canada.