Lévis face à la Ville de Québec — vue sur le fleuve.
1. Lévis at a glance
Lévis is a city in the Chaudière-Appalaches region, on the south shore of the river, across from Quebec City. It has about 150,000 residents — the 7th-largest city in Quebec.
Lévis is divided into three boroughs: Desjardins (including Vieux-Lévis), Les Chutes-de-la-Chaudière-Est and Les Chutes-de-la-Chaudière-Ouest.
The Caisse populaire Desjardins was founded here by Alphonse Desjardins in 1900 — a cooperative institution that has since spread across Canada.
2. The three boroughs at a glance
Here is an overview to orient you before the municipal-service details.
Vieux-Lévis and Saint-Romuald are the most sought-after sectors for their proximity to the ferry to Quebec City and major employers such as the Valero refinery and the Desjardins head office.
Saint-Étienne-de-Lauzon and Saint-Nicolas remain the most affordable and offer more single-family homes with large lots. Before signing a lease, consult our housing guide to compare ranges sector by sector.
| Borough | Main sectors | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Desjardins | Vieux-Lévis, Pintendre, Saint-Joseph-de-la-Pointe-De Lévy | Historic, near the ferry |
| Les Chutes-de-la-Chaudière-Est | Saint-Romuald, Saint-Jean-Chrysostome, Charny | Most populous |
| Les Chutes-de-la-Chaudière-Ouest | Saint-Étienne-de-Lauzon, Saint-Nicolas, Saint-Rédempteur | Suburban residential |
3. Errands at City Hall
Lévis City Hall handles municipal services. Many errands can be done online via the citizen portal at ville.levis.qc.ca:
- Payment of municipal taxes
- Requests for permits (renovation, tree felling, pool)
- Reporting street issues (pothole, broken street lamp, snow clearing)
For any question, call 311 — service in French and English.
4. Libraries and services
The Lévis library network has several branches across the three boroughs. Membership is free for residents.
You will find:
- Books in French and English, magazines, DVDs, board games
- Quiet workspaces
- Free workshops: book clubs, talks, digital workshops for seniors, story hours for children
Present a proof of address in Lévis on your first visit to get your card. The 311 is available in French and English.
5. Garbage and recycling collection
Lévis offers garbage, recycling and organic compost collection. Each home gets three bins: black (garbage), blue (recycling) and brown (organic compost).
Collection is done early in the morning — put your bins out the night before. Check your address on the city's collection calendar.
6. Schools and family services
Public schools are run by the Centre de services scolaire des Navigateurs, which covers all of Lévis.
- Schools above the provincial average
- Welcome classes for immigrant children in several schools
- Free registration for permanent residents and naturalized citizens
- School transport (yellow bus) included for children more than 1.6 km from school
Post-secondary:
- Cégep Lévis-Lauzon on site
- Université Laval: campus across the river in Quebec City, reachable by ferry in 12 minutes
7. Your landmarks
A few places to know:
- Vieux-Lévis — Saint-Joseph Street and the Lévis Terrace with a view of Quebec City
- Galeries Chagnon — large shopping mall
- Parc de la Chute-de-la-Chaudière — 35 m suspension footbridge
- Ferry terminal — at the heart of Vieux-Lévis
- Desjardins head office — Lévis-Lauzon, a major financial-sector employer
8. Frequently asked questions
The most common questions from newcomers in Lévis: administrative difference between Lévis and Quebec City, English-language service access, and best sector to settle in for the first year.
Are Lévis and Quebec City the same city administratively?
No. Lévis and Quebec City are two distinct municipalities, separated by the river. Each has its own city council, mayor, taxes, and services.
- Lévis: Chaudière-Appalaches region — Lévis 311, ville.levis.qc.ca
- Quebec City: Capitale-Nationale region — Quebec City 311, ville.quebec.qc.ca
Provincial services (RAMQ, SAAQ, schools) work the same way on both sides — they're regulated at the Quebec government level.
Public transit is also separate: STLévis on the south shore, RTC in Quebec City, with the OPUS card working on both.
Can you get served in English in Lévis?
Yes for essential services. The 311 is officially bilingual. Hospital emergency rooms, banks, large grocery chains and shopping malls such as Galeries Chagnon generally have English-speaking staff.
That said, daily life in Lévis is in French — neighbours, small shops, parents at school. Lévis is French-speaking at more than 95%.
Handling essential business in English works; integrating socially essentially requires French. The Centre de services scolaire des Navigateurs offers welcome classes for immigrant children, and several adult francisation programs exist via the MIFI.
Which borough should I choose for my first year in Lévis?
Depends on your work.
- Commute to Quebec City: target Desjardins, especially Vieux-Lévis — walking distance to the ferry terminal
- Work at Valero or the Saint-Romuald industrial cluster: Les Chutes-de-la-Chaudière-Est
- Family with single-family home: Les Chutes-de-la-Chaudière-Ouest (Saint-Étienne-de-Lauzon, Saint-Nicolas) — the most affordable and the most suburban
General advice: rent for 12 to 18 months before buying. The three boroughs are very different and you need time on the ground to find the right one. The market doesn't move so fast that you have to rush a decision.
9. See also
To go further once you are settled in Lévis:
- Read finding housing in Lévis to compare Desjardins, Chutes-de-la-Chaudière-Est and Ouest before signing.
- See transport in Lévis (STLévis and ferry) to combine bus and ferry to Quebec City.
- Discover parks, leisure and outdoors in Lévis for the terrace, the falls and the parcours des Anses.
- Prepare back-to-school with registering your child for school in Lévis to understand the school service centre and welcome class.
10. Official sources
Call 311 for any question about municipal services.
Author's Note: Go to the Lévis Terrace on a summer evening — the view of illuminated Quebec City is one of the most beautiful you will ever see.
