Quebec City’s Public Restrooms: Wee Wee? Oui Oui!
Yes, that’s right, I’m writing a whole post about Quebec City’s public restrooms. Why? Because the world should know about Quebec City’s public restrooms.
I’m often amused by people who refuse to use toilets outside of their own home. I assume that either these people have phenomenally large bladders or (more likely) they simply don’t get out enough. Well, I get out quite a bit. And I have an insanely small bladder. There–now you know. In fact, it is so small that I’ve contemplated making that my blogging niche–the small-bladdered traveler dot com (or something more well-thought out and punny).
Yet it continues to boggle my mind how not-well-designed-for-humans the world is. Humans pee. Sometimes they poop. Yet major tourist destination cities–Paris, New Orleans, New York–fail to take into account the fact that a good many of those millions of visitors per year are going to need somewhere to go (never mind the homeless population of almost every major city who also deserve a dignified method of relief; but that’s a rant for a different blog). You won’t always be near your hotel when nature calls, and the ‘buy a drink to use the facilities’ method is quite counter productive. Yet most major cities I’ve visited lack public toilet facilities.
But not Quebec City. Quebec City gets it. Everywhere I went, I was met with signs like the (adorable) one above, or this (less adorable, but still appreciated) one…
Notably absent from shop and restaurant windows were the ‘restrooms for patrons only’ signs; presumably because they have no need for such signs, as desperate passers-by can happily and without fanfare visit the public facilities designed and built for them. And these public facilities aren’t even gross (Central Park, I’m looking at you); the restrooms in Place Royal were cleaner than my own bathroom at home (which I guess isn’t saying much) and the washrooms in the visitors’ center in Upper Town–across from the funnicular–featured granite sinks and actual flower arrangements.
Bravo, Quebec City! You’re number one! (What? You didn’t think I could end this post without at least one bad potty joke, did you?)
I am so with you on this, Tracy. Every city should have (clean) (and free) public restrooms, but especially major tourist destinations. Yet so few do. I hate having to buy a drink to use the bathroom, because as you say, it’s counterproductive–I’m just going to have to turn around and do the same thing an hour later. Even worse is when you go to that trouble and discover that the bathroom in question is so skeevy you don’t even want to use it.
Honestly, I don’t even need them to be free. I was fine with paying for toilet facilities in London (though I could have done without the attendants. I don’t need help in there, thank you very much!)
I just look for a big box store or a McDonalds!
McDonalds is typically my go-to as well! Especially on road trips (I never eat there though; I guess that’s bad?)
Are these 24/7 restrooms?
I don’t think so, no. They are open pretty late though–I recall being out at night in the square and still being able to use it. Possibly closed between like midnight and six am?
Get a coffee at least. It’s good too. And I even like the bacon egg cheese Biscuit. These are the two items I buy on road trips and bathroom stops at McDonalds. Thank you for this info, I agree that Every city even sizeable town needs to
Provide public restrooms. Especially when they
Claim status as “Tourist Destination.”
I feel like buying a coffee every time you need to pee is counterproductive! Ha! But I HAVE purchased meals for strangers in exchange for the use of the facilities. That’s my favorite way to not be a jerk about using public restrooms. Everyone wins!
Thank you so much for this information. My husband and I are traveling to Quebec City in 2 weeks. He has a medical condition that will cause him to need those abundant and clean restrooms, and he was very concerned about where he would “go”. Now he is reassured that he can enjoy the wonderful cafe’s.