The tree-lined boulevard immediately outside the Parliament Building and Old City walls is Québec City's main entertainment street, particularly for bars and terraced restaurants. On summer evenings the Grande Allée is one of the most animated streets in Canada — every bar and restaurant runs an outdoor terasse, the energy is high, and the parade of people on the sidewalk goes on well past midnight.
The Victorian mansions that line the street give it an architectural coherence rare in a bar district — many were converted from private homes in the early 20th century. The bars range from straightforward neighbourhood places to large clubs; the clientele skews toward university-age locals and tourists in roughly equal measure. A few of the restaurants on the terrace are genuinely good; most are serviceable at best. The drinking is the point.