The long wooden boardwalk along the cliff edge in front of the Château Frontenac offers the best panorama in Québec City: the St. Lawrence River spread before you, the Lower Town and Place Royale immediately below, Île d'Orléans in the middle distance, and the Laurentian plateau beyond. The terrace was built in 1879 and extended several times since; it runs for 671 metres along the cliff edge.
In winter, the toboggan slide on the terrace is a Québec City institution — open from late December through March, it sends riders from the top of the cliff at considerable speed to the ice below. The slide has operated continuously since 1884, with only brief interruptions. In summer, street performers, telescope operators, and tourists fill the terrace from morning to late evening.