Animated Crime Walking Tour in Old Quebec: Ghost of a Criminal

A criminal's ghost leads you through Old Quebec after dark, not a daytime stroll through tourist squares.

This is a 90-minute guided walking tour through Old Quebec led by a live performer playing the ghost of Jean Rattier, a famous criminal from New France. You visit the Common Prison and Place-Royale, hearing stories of execution and crime as the sun sets. The tour runs in English or French, and a minimum of two people per booking is required.

Step-by-step itinerary

Ghostly crime tour in Old Quebec

• Meet ghostly host
• Walk through Old Quebec
• Pass by Common prison of Quebec
• Pass by Quebec Royal Square

The Experience

The tour starts once darkness falls over Old Quebec's walls. Your ghostly host—the executioner Jean Rattier and his wife Marie Rivière—leads you through the narrow streets of the old city, stopping at the Common Prison and Place-Royale. The lugubrious atmosphere the performer creates is the whole point: this is not a daytime historical walk with plaques and dates. You're walking through the darkest years of New France with someone who lived them, or so the staging goes, and the timing and the character make that work.

The tour lasts an hour and a half, which is long enough to move through multiple stops but short enough to hold the mood without fatigue. Live entertainment is included—the performer carries the narrative and the atmosphere throughout. You'll need at least moderate physical fitness to walk the cobblestones and hills of Old Quebec, and the tour is not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health. Children must be accompanied by an adult, and infants can ride in a pram or stroller. Service animals are welcome.

Book in English or French; the guide speaks both languages. A minimum of two people is required per booking, and availability for shows cannot be checked without making a reservation—credit cards are only charged once the show is confirmed. Public transportation options are available nearby if you need to reach the starting point.

What’s included

Live entertainment by a performer playing a criminal ghost from New France; walking access to the Common Prison and Place-Royale in Old Quebec.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for heart conditions

Operated by Les Promenades Fantômes

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want a theatrical, character-driven experience rather than a traditional historical walking tour—the performer and the nighttime setting are what set it apart from daytime sightseeing. The 90-minute length and moderate fitness requirement mean it suits walkers comfortable on cobblestones and hills, but not those with cardiovascular concerns or mobility limitations.

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Top questions

What exactly happens at the Common Prison and Place-Royale during this tour?

The Common Prison and Place-Royale are the two main stops where your ghostly host tells the stories of crime and execution from New France. The performer uses these real locations to bring the colonial-era narrative to life, but the tour focuses on the character and atmosphere rather than a detailed historical lecture at each site.

Does this tour work for children, or is it too dark and scary?

Children can join if accompanied by an adult, and infants can ride in a stroller. The tour is animated and theatrical rather than genuinely frightening, but the criminal theme and nighttime setting mean it's best suited to children old enough to enjoy a spooky story without being upset by it.

What language options are available?

The tour is offered in English or French, and you choose your language when you book. The live guide speaks both languages.

How do I know if the show will actually run on the night I want to book?

Show availability cannot be checked before you make a booking. Once you reserve, the operator confirms whether the tour will run on your chosen date, and your credit card is only charged after that confirmation.

Is this tour accessible if I have mobility issues or use a wheelchair?

The tour is not recommended for travelers with reduced mobility. Old Quebec's streets are cobblestone and hilly, and the walking route includes multiple stops over 90 minutes, so accessibility may be limited.