Timeless Canada

Gatineau, until recently known as Hull, is based just across the river from Ottawa in the province of Quebec, and, as a result, many federal bureaucracies have their headquarters here. For years, Gatineau has been a more relaxed and fun-loving counterpart to the capital, an attitude that reveals itself even in its officialdom – City Hall, for instance, boasts a meditation center.

From Hull’s establishment in 1800, the city’s liquor laws were far more lenient than Ottawa’s, and so this was where Ottawa politicians came to party (the city still has a lower drinking age). Gatineau contains one of Canada’s best museums, the Canadian Museum of Civilization, which provides a fascinating tour of Canada’s history over the past 1,000 years.

Gatineau Park

This 360 sq km (140 sq miles) oasis of lakes and rolling hills between the Gatineau and Ottawa Rivers is a weekend playground for city residents. The park contains fragments of Gothic buildings, collected by the former Prime Minister, William Lyon MacKenzie-King.

Alexandra Bridge

Built in 1900, this handsome steel-framed bridge spans the Ottawa River and links Ontario to Quebec. From footpaths, drivers’ lanes, and cycle routes, the bridge offers fine views of the river, the Canadian Museum of Civilization, and the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa.

Maison du Citoyen

The heart of this modern complex is a vast atrium, the Agora, meant to serve as an all-weather gathering place for Gatineau’s citizens, as well as an airy meditation center for the city’s workers. Opening from it are City Hall, a library, a theater, and an art gallery.

Promenade du Portage

Linked with the city bridges, this main route downtown is a good shopping center with large stores and lively cafés. After dark the area and nearby Place Aubry become the focus of the city’s excellent nightlife.