The star-shaped fortification at the southern end of the Plains of Abraham is still an active military base, garrisoned by the Royal 22e Régiment — the Van Doos, Canada's only francophone regular infantry regiment. Guided tours run through the grounds, the regimental museum, and the Governor General's summer residence (Maison du Gouverneur) on the site. The tour gives access to parts of the fortification otherwise off-limits.
The Changing of the Guard ceremony happens every morning at 10am from late June through early September — a formal affair in scarlet tunics and bearskin hats, clearly modelled on the British original but with a distinctly Québécois character underneath the pageantry. The Citadelle was completed in 1850 by the British, who were worried about American invasion after the War of 1812. America never invaded; the fort has never fired a shot in anger.
story: "The Citadelle houses a museum dedicated to the Royal 22e Régiment, which fought in both World Wars and Korea. In the Second World War, the Van Doos were among the first troops to land in Sicily; their battle honours include Ortona and the Gothic Line — among the bloodiest Allied actions in Italy."