It's one of those perfect places that is neither hidden nor obvious, neither close nor far. Québec is a part of Canada and yet it is not, the eldest province but the blackest sheep. It is half a million square miles of mountain, river, and lake; art, music, and good food; church-studded countryside, resplendent metropolises, and cobblestone streets.

And although Québec is an enormous landmass — more than twice as large as Texas — it's eminently drivable. We've traced a route along its amazing southern edge, a journey of five to seven days that takes you from the joie de vivre of Montréal to the cottage country of the Laurentian mountains, from the lamp-lit alleys of old Québec City to the meteorite-wrought hills of beautiful Charlevoix.

While Québec is a French-speaking province, English is widely spoken, particularly in Montréal and the tourist areas of Québec City. Still, a little French will go a long way, and the language difference can help make the province feel like a little slice of Europe here on this side of the Atlantic.

MONTRÉAL
Québec's biggest, boldest city, Montréal is also its cultural ambassador, a patchwork of distinctive, vibrant neighborhoods whose artists, gourmands, and students take their cue from Paris, not Toronto: Better the good life, Bohemian and exuberant, than the harried stockbroker mindset.

To fully appreciate Montréal, start in the historic heart of this island city, Vieux-Montréal. First built in the 1600s — and due to fire, rebuilt periodically since — it's a crisscross of cobblestone streets south of downtown, packed with restaurants, cafés, and small hotels. Take a stroll and revel in the small moments — the flash of light off the St. Lawrence River, the smell of fresh croissants at Olive & Gourmando's, a browse among the fine crafts of the restored 1847 Bonsecours Market, the clatter of horse-drawn carriages along rue St-Paul. Step back in time at the gothic-inspired Notre-Dame Basilica and marvel at its soaring vaulted ceiling and elaborate stained-glass windows. When it's time to recharge, Chez L'Épicier, Laurent Godbout's home of nouvelle cuisine québécoise, serves inventive gourmet food in a warm, modern space.

Montréal's lifeblood runs beyond its eldest quarter, northward into the Plateau and Mile End, where even the road signs offer a taste of Europe — they're not streets, they're rues; it's not Mount Royal Avenue but avenue Mont-Royal. Follow boulevard St-Laurent north to see the green dome of Mount Royal itself, a vast park designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the man behind New York's Central Park, where you can wander wooded paths or ride a paddleboat on Beaver Lake. For shopping, dining, and night life, try St-Laurent and rue St-Denis, both most exciting between rue Sherbrooke and Mont-Royal. Schwartz's is Montréal's most famous deli, but The Main, just across the street, is quieter, open later, and it's where the locals take their pastrami. Vegetarians should opt for Aux Vivres and its intimate back patio.

Additional gastronomic treasures are found along avenue Laurier, a foodie haven offering everything from local foie gras to handmade chocolates. As in Paris, patisseries are plentiful. Leméac is a fine French bistro with European-style late-night specials and a marvelous weekend brunch. Croissanterie Figaro serves continental cuisine in an art deco setting, or you can venture farther north to the Jean-Talon Market and its superb local food. Don't miss the Hamel cheese store or Havre aux Glaces, known for its innovative ice creams — there's a good chance you'll fi nd yourself in line behind one of the city's top chefs, all of you waiting for a scoop of green tea or cassis sorbet.

THE LAURENTIDES
Outside the island of Montréal sprawls a countryside of mountain and lake, with pockets of Continental elegance amid the blue-green spruces. Just an hour from the city it can already feel like the wilderness.

Take Autoroute 15 north across the Rivière des Mille Îles, then follow Route 344 west into Montréaler cottage country. Pause by the historic church in St-Eustache, and take in the view of the placid tree-lined St. Lawrence River from the walkway behind it. Continue west past Ste-Marthe-surle- Lac to Oka, stopping at the old-fashioned Boulangerie d'Autrefois for an exquisite homemade butter tart — a Canadian treat that's like a miniature pecan pie minus the pecans. Oka is a hilly gem on the water known for its beautiful abbey, where Trappist monks sell traditional Oka cheese and other regional delicacies amid the sound of Gregorian chants under a cleric's calm gaze.

Follow 344 past the forested Oka National Park to Lachute, then head north on Route 327 into the Laurentian Mountains. Settlements become fewer and far between, and before long remarkable vistas open before you, overlooking valleys cleared by hand 100 years ago, where red-roofed homes and European- style churches stand on land hard-won from the forests.

When you reach Route 364, head east toward St-Sauveur, a favorite destination for Québécois skiers, hikers, and scenery lovers. Nestled in the mountains, the village has been beautifully preserved: Chain stores are banished to the outskirts, while the quaint rue Principale remains a haven for pedestrians, fine dining, and Québécois artisans. Try the raisin danish at Boulangerie Pagé, or the house-roasted coffee at the Brulerie des Monts. The Manoir St-Sauveur resort offers tennis, swimming, and an extensive spa (try the rain massage), and the restaurant has a fi ne set menu (table d'hôte) featuring local fi sh, duck, and game.

QUÉBEC CITY
Descend from the mountains on Route 117 South; when you reach St-Antoine follow Route 158 east into Québécois farmland, draped in golden fi elds that provide a marked contrast from the tufted wilderness of the Laurentians. Watch for the silver-steepled church of St-Lin-Laurentides as you continue eastward on the 339 to Autoroute 40. The village of Ste-Anne de la Pérade — one of Canada's ice-fi shing capitals — is worth a short detour for a picnic at the incredible, scarcely known cathedral, a vision of white stone and bluegreen glass that seems like something plucked from a Gallic folk tale.

An hour farther east lies Québec City, one of the most magical places in the New World. Founded in 1608 (12 years before Plymouth, Massachusetts), the city is a trophy over which the French and British fought for years — in 1775 the Americans even tried their luck — and thankfully, its elevated Old Town has been gorgeously preserved.

Walking along Terrasse Dufferin and past the Château Frontenac, you can feel as if you've slipped centuries into the past. You're not alone: The provincial capital is celebrating its 400th anniversary with an $83 million party. On July 3-6 Vieux-Québec's labyrinth of lamp-lit streets will become a canvas for artists, whose projections and artworks will dapple everything from the funicular to the Notre-Dame Basilica to the citadel's vast (and still intact) city walls.

Wander along the hidden street called rue Sous-le-Cap, passing narrowly between the struts of old buildings. Dine, drink, or relax at the Auberge St-Antoine, a hotel built on the ruins of an old warehouse and filled with rescued artifacts — broken glass, ceramic, and splintered wood — resurrected as modern art for the breathtaking decor. Sample a gourmand's take on traditional Québécois food at Aux Anciens Canadiens, where old-fashioned specialties such as caribou, foie gras, and maple-syrup pie are served in one of the city's oldest homes.

Québec's battlefield-turned-park, the Plains of Abraham, will be the site of anniversary concerts featuring everyone from Celine Dion to Cirque du Soleil, while local art superstar Robert Lepage has designed a high-tech sound and light show using huge grain silos. At the Old Port, stroll through the Ephemeral Gardens, which were designed by artists, architects, and horticulturists from around the world in honor of the quadricentennial — 3,200 miles from Paris, it's as if you're wandering the grounds at Versailles.

CHARLEVOIX
From Québec City, the final leg of your journey beckons east to Charlevoix, one of the country's most spectacular — and most underappreciated — areas. Fjords and valleys abound, formed by an enormous meteorite impact some 350 million years ago, and the roads winding along villages and coastline recall the picturesque landscape of Scandinavia.

Drive east along the St. Lawrence River on Route 138 East. The Montmorency Falls just outside the city are the highest in the province and offer a spectacular view from the top of the cliffs, accessible via staircase or cable car.

Back on the highway, you're among the conifer forests and rolling hills of Charlevoix, with countless stalls along the road offering everything from fresh blueberries to home-smoked salmon. The highlight is Baie St-Paul, an artists' colony filled with galleries and workshops hidden in the countryside. The Marion Grill is a fine-dining experience tucked inside an otherwise unremarkable inn; on chilly nights, its fireplace is welcome indeed. Try the locally sourced emu tartare, or gorge on a fleurmier of roasted cheese, pesto, and dry sausage.

The International Centre for Art, Nature and Landscape in St-Hilarion is a must-see. Its original farmhouse and stable have been integrated into the breathtaking landscape, and the verve of the contemporary art exhibitions transforms the one-of-a-kind site into a perfect encapsulation of Québec: at once stylish, wild, and rooted in history. Tours are available, as is lodging at the on-site bed-and-breakfast.

The trek ends at Tadoussac, nestled along the Saguenay Fjord on Route 138. In 1600 it was the site of Canada's first permanent fur-trading post, but today it's best known for whale-watching; the Tourist Office has information on cruises. Finish with a seafood crêpe and a gaze at the bay at La Bolée, then retrace your route west back to where you started: Montréal, buzzing and cosmopolitan, glittering with Old- World style and New World je ne sais quoi.