Bonjour and bon shopping from Quebec

Travel isn't only about seeing new sights. Exploring new destinations means discovering new places to shop -- or, even better, old places to shop.

We are touring (and shopping) in Quebec, a beautiful and romantic city that looks as if it might have been plucked from Europe and set down on the banks of Canada's scenic St. Lawrence River. Don't miss J.A. Moisan, North America's oldest grocery store, which has been operating since the 1870s on charming Rue Saint-Jean, one of the primary byways in the oldest section of Quebec.

Compared to the city -- Quebec marks its 400th anniversary in 2008 -- J.A. Moisan is a mere bebe. It offers the best in its old-fashioned blend of treats, which include terrine of bison, maple syrup, crusty pain de manage and hand-made soups. There also are luxurious chocolates and gorgeous regional cheeses. Adding to these tempting aromas is a perfumerie, a section devoted to soaps, potions and scents.

A few steps down the street is W.E. Begin, a boucherie that sells 12 tons of ham at Easter. Erico, which serves up splendid ice cream, as well as fruits, nuts and other confections, also offers a tiny chocolate museum, tucked into the back of the shop. My favorite treat is a bebe gorille (that's baby gorilla) a $10.20 fanciful creation fashioned from three kinds of chocolate: dark chocolate for the gorilla's fur, milk chocolate for his overalls, and white chocolate for his eyes and the buttons on his clothes.

With a bounty of wonderful food, you might think the locals would be as round as barrels, simply rolling down the city's sleep inclines. But the natives are walkers, stylishly stepping uphill and down without spilling a drop of cocoa. Magnifique!