Which city in Canada is most like France? (2023)

Which Canadian city is like France?

In truth, Quebec City and the greater, French-speaking province of which it is a part are so much more than a new copy of the Old World. It's a unique and likable fusion of two intersecting continents. Take poutine (pronounced "poo-teen"), for instance -- the area's greatest culinary gift to the world.

Montreal is the second biggest city in Canada, and a popular tourist destination for visitors from other parts of North America. As North America's largest French-speaking city, it is a place with an atmosphere that is very special.

Quebec is the only province whose official language is French. The capital city is Quebec City, with a population of 700,000. Quebec is also home to Canada's second largest city, and the second largest French speaking city in the world, Montreal (3.8 million people).

Montreal. Why You Need To Go: Around every Montreal corner there are little tastes of Paris. From the greystone architecture and French bistros, to the iconic cathedrals and the cobbled streets, it's hard to believe this city is in Canada and not France.

Montreal has all the hallmarks of a great European city, and so much more. Montreal is easy to access from the rest of North America by train, plane, bus, or car, but its chic European vibes make it feel refreshingly far from home.

They're both the largest cities in each country with a highly dense population living in a somewhat small area. As such, they both have that city vibe many urbanites crave, terrific public transportation (although Toronto's is undeniably cleaner and nicer), and a host of amenities that come with city dwelling.

English – While it may be obvious, it's still important to point out that English is the most spoken language in Toronto.

While most French-speaking Canadians live in Quebec, many live in other provinces or territories across Canada. The size of Francophone communities (link opens in French only) in cities and towns outside Quebec varies.

Though Toronto is still reeling from its solid British colonial roots, the latest census lists 1.1. % of the city with French as their mother tongue (compared to 3% Italian, and 2% Portuguese).

Toronto also has a strong French-speaking community and is also a popular destination for French speakers. According to the 2021 census, over 60,000 people speak French or French and another language, as their first language. Over 239,000 people also have some knowledge of French.

Does Quebec City look like France?

It looks like France.

Founded in 1608 by French navigator Samuel de Champlain, Québec City is one of North America's oldest cities and its architecture reflects that.

Vienna. Vienna joins Paris as a sophisticated and elegant capital city. As the seat of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire, Vienna is packed with historical imperial architecture and museums. It's also famous for its own café culture.

A clutch of historic streets leading down to the St. Lawrence River, Old Montreal is the perfect place to begin exploring Canada's second largest city.

When it comes down to it, Montréal really is like no other place in the world. Some call it European with American influence, and some say it's the other way around. The Telegraph calls it “half Brooklyn, half Paris.” But whatever you call it, make sure you put it on your bucket list!

While Old Quebec City is often recognized for its cobblestone streets and impressive architecture, there are plenty of pockets of European charm reminiscent of the Italian countryside and the south of France.

Old Quebec has some of the oldest and beautiful structures in the country. Its a must-see for all Canadians.

It is a French province, despite being in Canada. Although many people in Montreal speak English, in any other part of the province you will find that English is rarely used. This is also true of parts of New Brunswick, the province to the east of Quebec.

Paris (2021 population, 14,956) is a community located in the County of Brant, Ontario, Canada. It lies just northwest from the city of Brantford at the spot where the Nith River empties into the Grand River. Paris was voted "the Prettiest Little Town in Canada" by Harrowsmith Magazine.

Toronto is a typical city with a huge sports stadium, a standout skyline (hello CNN tower), plenty of museums and art galleries. Montreal has a quieter, more subtle side. It's more about the old town, city gardens, obscure museums, and historical buildings.

London is known for its historical landmarks and cultural attractions, while Toronto for its multicultural diversity. London has a wider variety of housing options, while Toronto has more affordable housing. Yet, London is also more expensive to live in, but it offers more job opportunities.

What percentage of Toronto is French?

Languages. Federal government departments provide service in English and French, but most of the population speaks English as either a first or second language. The City of Vancouver is quite cosmopolitan and is a mix of many multicultural groups.

English is the official language of Ontario, Manitoba and Alberta, but government services are available in French in many regions of each.

Ontario. Although French is the native language of just over half a million Canadians in Ontario, francophone Ontarians represent only 4.7 per cent of the province's population.

Quebec City and Montreal

As the province with the highest proportion of French speakers in Canada, Quebec is an ideal starting point for anyone seeking to learn “quelques mots”!

In Canada outside Quebec, more than half of the population whose first official language spoken is French lived in Ontario and one-quarter lived in New Brunswick.

The French colonized Canada first. However, the British took over all French colonies in the Maritimes and Québec through different wars, including the Queen Anne's War (1702-1713) and the Seven Years' War (1756-1763).

Where do Francophones live? Most Franco-Ontarians live in the eastern part of the province, in and around Ottawa. Other main areas include northeastern Ontario (Sudbury, North Bay) and central Ontario.

There is only one bilingual province in Canada (New Brunswick) and one monolingual province whose official language is French: Québec. The rest of the Canadian provinces are monolingual English areas, at least according to the government.

How French is Montreal?

French is the city's official language. In 2021, it was spoken at home by 59.1% of the population and 69.2% in the Montreal Census Metropolitan Area. Overall, 85.7% of the population of the city of Montreal considered themselves fluent in French while 90.2% could speak it in the metropolitan area.

French Canadians are the majority population in Montreal, which is often said to be the second largest French-speaking city in the world (after Paris), though the accuracy of that statement is sometimes questioned (principally by those who make the same claim for Kinshasa and Algiers).

The vast majority of Quebeckers, around 94%, speak French. Most can speak at least some English as well, with the city of Montreal — the historic home of Quebec's powerful English-speaking minority — the most functionally bilingual place in Canada.

The Canadian Francophonie by the numbers

French is the first official language spoken for 22.8% of the population. The majority of Francophones (85.4%) live in Quebec and over 1 million live in other regions of the country.

The most well-known and solidly French-speaking province is Quebec. 85% of Québécois speak French, and 80% speak it as a first language. But there's also Acadian French, a language spoken by about 350,000 people, mostly in New Brunswick.

Belgium is by far the most similar country to France. It is just to its north and even has been part of France in the past. Approximately half of the country speaks French natively, although the other half speaks Dutch. The country is mostly Catholic, but its people are not especially religious, like France.

Calais is located on the Pas de Calais, which marks the boundary between the English Channel and North Sea and located at the opposite end of the Channel Tunnel, 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Dover.

New Orleans, Louisiana

But beyond its buildings, New Orleans is steeped in French culture. From the French bread used in the city's iconic po'boy sandwiches, to street names, and holiday celebrations like Mardi Gras and Bastille Day, a visit to NOLA is about as close to France as the U.S. gets.

Montreal has a lot of unique local culture which is totally unlike anything else in the world, including the rest of Canada (outside Quebec). A lot of the francophone (native French-speaking) Montrealers think of themselves as Quebecois, as opposed to Canadian, and think of themselves as Quebecois, (and not French).

Which part of Canada is like Switzerland?

Surrounded by soaring mountain ranges, it isn't hard to fathom why Kaslo was dubbed the "Little Switzerland of B.C."

Montreal is a better choice if you're looking for a more urban feel, amazing food and cafes, and a more bilingual city. Quebec City may be better if you want a charming old town experience, all the major attractions in one place, and a festive winter holiday.

The city is distinctly French and in many ways reminiscent of a small-scale Paris. The main different would be that in contrast to the brightness of Paris, Montreal is a bit more mysterious and edgy, but still just as fashionable. Old Montreal, a lively touristy area of the city.

Yes, you can live in Montreal without speaking French, but it's not enough to emigrate. As we have established before, you must prove that you can speak, read, write and understand it to become a Canadian citizen. For newcomers, learning the mother tongue is a fundamental step of immigration.

Just like Montreal is often lumped in with Laval, or even Ottawa, in certain surveys and assessments, and in conversation, we bring you the metropolitan area of Minneapolis-St. Paul. They love hockey, the weather is abysmal, they sound like Ontarians, and they love mayonnaise. What more is there?

Living in Quebec City without knowing French is not recommended. Being an English speaker will make it difficult to shop, work, or socialize in Quebec City, which is a French-speaking community. Although you can live in Quebec without speaking French, it is better to try to learn the language.

Instead of Paris: Washington, D.C. America's capital city is full of Parisian elements, thanks to French architect and urban planner Pierre Charles L'Enfant, who designed it. Like Paris, D.C. is bursting with history, horticulture, and haute cuisine.

The old town in Quebec City was very much like old parts of many European cities, either in France, Belgium or Austria (depending on the street I couldn't decide what it reminds me of). The architecture was very similar, the streets were narrow in the European way. Even the overall atmosphere felt much like in Europe.

Québécois (someone from Québec) and Français (someone from France) share the same basic grammatical rules, so if someone from Canada and someone from France were both to write the same letter, the letter would read exactly the same due to both of them using standard French in writing.

Since France, Italy and Spain are neighboring Western European countries, whose languages and cultures have descended from Latin, it is inevitable that these countries share similarities on many levels. France, Italy and Spain share similar lifestyles, religious values and cultural heritages.

What state is France similar to?

3) What U.S. state is closest in size to France? France is roughly the same size as Texas. In fact, Texas is actually slightly larger (268,58 square miles to France's 260,558).

Quebec looks and feels like no other Canadian city we've ever been to! I have no idea how the French managed to do this but unlike the more 'British' parts of Canada (British Columbia for example), Quebec looks and feels like you're in France. It's just so distinctly French, right down to food and the architecture.

The cost of living in Paris is 8% less expensive than in Toronto. Cities ranked 404th and 261st ($2095 vs $2286) in the list of the most expensive cities in the world and ranked 2nd and 6th in France and Canada, respectively. Check France vs Canada comparison.

French is the city's official language. In 2021, it was spoken at home by 59.1% of the population and 69.2% in the Montreal Census Metropolitan Area. Overall, 85.7% of the population of the city of Montreal considered themselves fluent in French while 90.2% could speak it in the metropolitan area.

Montréal is more than a big city in North America with skyscrapers, residential neighbourhoods and iconic landmarks. The island also shares fascinating ties with Europe in a bunch of different ways. Like Québec City, Montréal boasts a rich history and represents the ideal blend of North American and European culture.

Montreal is a better choice if you're looking for a more urban feel, amazing food and cafes, and a more bilingual city. Quebec City may be better if you want a charming old town experience, all the major attractions in one place, and a festive winter holiday.

In 2021, 85.5% of the Quebec population reported speaking French at home at least on a regular basis. The number of people who spoke predominantly French at home increased from 6.4 million in 2016 to 6.5 million in 2021, but their proportion in the population fell from 79.0% to 77.5%.