Quebec City has just notched up its 400th year as a city. Not to be confused with the province of the same name (though it is the capital) – something recently done by Paris Match magazine which infamously had a huge issue on "Quebec's 400th Anniversary" without even once mentioning the city itself, basing everything on Montreal to the merriment of almost the entire journalistic world and the intense annoyance of Quebeckers – Quebec City is North America's only walled city.

Frenchman Samuel de Champlain and his band of hardy sailors arrived in July 1608, establishing a city where the mighty St Lawrence River reaches its narrowest point. There was an earlier (though then abandoned) fort on the site, established by Jacques Cartier in 1535, though that was never planned as a permanent site. High cliffs on both sides of the river, but particularly the north side, made this an ideal point at which to set up an easily defendable town – or so he thought. Over the years wars raged around it, the British taking control in 1759 when General Wolfe defeated the French on the Plains of Abraham, an area now reserved for its fabulous Winter Carnival (see below) and also for open-air rock concerts – Paul McCartney was there in July 2008, performing a free concert in front of 250,000 people.

The focal point of the city, best seen from a river cruise, is the Fairmont Chateau Frontenac hotel, soaring into the blue sky with its fabled green rooftops and pinnacles. In the streets of the old town, below the Frontenac, are dozens of touristy shops but also very good restaurants – Quebec is a piece of Paris set down in North America, so don't go looking for hamburgers – taste real food, much of it grown or produced locally. In mid-summer it is not totally unknown to have to queue for restaurants, particularly on a Saturday evening, yet if you walk around you'll find plenty more. There are also dozens of art galleries with realistic prices for original oil or acrylic.

Little squares, old churches (well, not as old as the Norman churches of England or France naturally), the perimeter walls (some of which are still standing), and stunning views of the river make Quebec an ideal place to be based for a few days. In the summer, in July, is the Festival d'Été – summer festival – with free concerts and street theatre every night. In winter (early February) the Winter Carnival is fantastic, with massive ice sculptures (some of castles in which you can walk), downhill ice rides in Zodiac boats, zip-line "rides", concerts, ice-skating, a huge candlelit procession and plenty of other attractions. There is even an ice-canoe race across the then-frozen river – dangerous, fun and thrilling. And for extreme sport there is the Red Bull Challenge, a downhill skating race that defies description – truly frightening as skaters zip past you at 80km/h – downhill !

Yet despite the fact that the winters can be cold – about minus 35°C; so wrap up in good ski wear and thick gloves – with four feet of snow and more, the summers are hot and glorious. Yes, the odd day of rain but just take in one of the museums (including the Beaux Arts Museum) and when you come out the sun will be shining again.

There are some direct flights from Europe to Quebec City's airport but the easiest way is probably via Halifax or Montreal, with Zoom being probably the best airline on the routes (from Montreal the best way to get there is by train; from Halifax on a budget flight operated by Porter Airlines). The Canadian dollar is around C$2 to the £, so prices are realistic for European visitors. Quebec is five hours behind the UK, six hours behind mainland Europe. The flight time form London to Montreal is just under seven hours, then one hour back to Quebec (or you can travel by train or car, under three hours).