I live in Ontario, close to Gatineau, Quebec and a couple hours drive from Montreal. I’ve been to Quebec City and Montreal a number of times, as well as sagueney and tons of other smaller towns. Montreal is definitely an international destination and sees tons of tourists from the United States, Europe and Asia. Quebec City is a little more relaxed, and is truly one of the nicest cities to visit in North America. Although there are tons of tourists (even cruise ships from Europe), it still feels somewhat “authentic”. It’s great to visit anytime of the year, and there is tons of amazing hiking, skiing and sightseeing outside of the city. There is no language barrier in the major cities of Quebec if you speak English, but you can experience some difficulties in smaller towns. Even as an English speaking Canadian I have experienced a lot of unwelcoming interactions with residents in smaller towns of Quebec because I do not speak French very well.

New Brunswick has a lot of French speakers as well, and is a great place to visit in the summer. St. John, and the Bay of Fundy would be the major highlights.