Picturing Quebec Trivia Quiz

Answer: Vermont

Quebec is the largest province of Canada - Nunavut is larger, but is a territory. Quebec borders Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick in Canada, and also has borders on Hudson Bay, Ungava Bay, Hudson Strait, James Bay and the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. Most inhabitants live in the part of the province, around the Saint Lawrence river. Montreal, the largest city, and Quebec City, the capital, are both located in this area.

The four US states obviously border the southern part of Quebec. Vermont itself was originally a French possession, and its name has its roots in the French language. Mont Vert would translate to Green Mountain, and is the reason I gave you the green coloured hint in the photo.

Answer: Torngat

The Torngat Mountains are located on the Labrador Peninsula and cover parts of Quebec, Labrador and Nunavut. The name comes from the Inuktitut language and translates into English as 'the home of the spirits'. Mount d'Iberville is the highest mountain of the mainland of eastern Canada, and is 5,240 feet (1,652 metres) high. It is the highest mountain in both Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador, with the latter claiming the most lofty part, since the peak lies on their side of the border.

The picture clue shows a piece of paper with the corner torn off, which may have helped.

Answer: John the Baptist

Also known as Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day, the tradition arrived with the French and has been adopted by Quebec, and other parts of Canada and the USA, as a celebration of French Canadian culture. The day, which is also Midsummer's Day, is an official public holiday and celebrations include bonfires, concerts, fireworks and parades.

The photo clue shows some honey, since the Bible tells us that John the Baptist lived on locusts and honey. I thought you'd prefer honey to locusts, both to look at and, definitely, as food.

Answer: Angell Woods

Angell Woods cover approximately 250 acres (100 hectares) and are just under 60% privately owned, with the rest in public ownership in the early part of the twenty-first century. The woods are situated to the west of the city of Beaconsfield, which is a dormitory area, or commuter town, for people who work in Montreal. Their name derives from the original owners, not from any heavenly bodies.

The photo clue is meant to depict an angel. I included 'Sky' and 'Halo' as options, although these are made up names as regards Canadian woods. Allegheny Highlands Forest is real, though.

Answer: Trois

The city is Trois-Rivières, meaning three rivers, a name which dates from 1599. It is situated at the point where the Saint-Maurice river joins the Saint Lawrence river. Islands in the Saint-Maurice divide it into three distinct parts at this point, from which the name derived. Although de Champlain suggested the location in 1603 the settlement was actually founded by the Sieur de Laviolette who is commemorated by a bridge named for him and a bust created in 1934, the city's three hundredth anniversary.

The photo is of a series of triangles to point you towards the number three.

Answer: Fort-Rupert

The river was named by Henry Hudson in honour of Prince Rupert, who was the governor of the Hudson's Bay Company. The trading post was established at the river's mouth in 1668, and was renamed as Fort-Saint-Jacques during the period of French occupation, between 1686 and 1713. The people living there in the twenty-first century are mainly of Cree Indian descent, and the name of Waskaganish, meaning 'little house', comes from the Cree language.

The photo shows a model of Rupert Bear, who first appeared in comic strips in 1920.

Answer: Bonsecours

The market is located in rue Saint-Paul and has a long history as a market and as a place to hold exhibitions and banquets. It also housed various government officials in its earlier years. It narrowly escaped demolition in the 1960s although it has been protected since 1984 as a National Historic Site of Canada. The church from which it took its name is Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours, which dates from 1771.

Bon secours translates as 'good help' - the church is 'Our Lady of Good Help', hence the clue. Bonne chance is good luck. Bon courage has a similar meaning, but is used when the task is particularly difficult. Bon marché literally means good market - we had a shop called that where I grew up, but it wasn't pronounced the French way.

Answer: Cape Diamond

Cape Diamond, or Cap Diamant in French, was named by Jacques Cartier in 1535 from the belief that the stones he could see in the cliffs were diamonds, although they were actually quartz. The city grew from two forts set up by Samuel de Champlain. The first, now the lower town, was founded in 1608 while a second fort was built at the top in 1620. It became the provincial capital in 1791 and designated as a city in 1832. The city's name is officially just Quebec, but City is normally added to differentiate it from the province.

The photo was meant to guide you to the shape of the wire, not the colour, and from there to the correct answer.

Answer: Lake Mistassini

The lake was discovered by European explorers in 1672, with Charles Albanel being credited as the first Frenchman to see it. The lake is around 900 square miles (2,330 square km) in area and is situated in the Nord-du-Québec region. Its name means 'large rock' in the indigenous languages of the region, and various spellings have been used over the years. The spelling used for the question was established in the late nineteenth century.

Although all the lakes listed can be found in Quebec, I chose a photo of trees shrouded in mist for your additional clue.

Answer: Quebec City

The Plains of Abraham were the site of a decisive battle in 1759, between Britain and France, for the control of the region. The troops were led by James Wolfe for the British and the Marquis de Montcalm on the French side, and neither man survived the battle. The British occupied Quebec City, and Canada became a British possession under the Treaty of Paris, signed in 1763. The Battlefields Park was opened in 1908 and has memorabilia relating to the battle.

The picture is of the flag of Quebec City, which was adopted in 1987. The ship depicted represents that of Samuel de Champlain, the founder.