What is the provincial flag of Quebec?

Our Quebec flags show off your patriotism and pride for this Canadian province with the distinguished style and beauty of our premium quality, nylon flags.

• Two sizes available including Official Canadian Standard and official standard ratios
• Strong and durable 200 Solarguard® Nylon
• Single Reverse Imaging with canvas heading and brass grommets
• Lightweight and quick drying

Our Quebec flags create beautiful displays at your home, school, museum, church o government offices. The flag may be flown with at the official ratio of 2:3 (3'H x 5'W) when flown in absence of the national Canada Flag. They should be flown in a 1:2 standard ratio (3'H x 6'W) when flown with the flag of Canada. Carrot-Top offers both sizes of Quebec's Fluer-de-lis flag. Select the size or sizes that meet your display needs.

The elegant Quebec flag contains a blue field with a white cross at the center. A fleur de lis symbol is in each quadrant of the flag. Often called the Fluerdelise', the flag was adopted by the administration that served the province's 16th premier from 1936to 1939 and from 1944 to 1959. It was the first provincial flag officially adopted in Canada and was first displayed on January 21, 1948. The symbols, which include the fleur-de-lis representing purity and the blue field signifying heaven, pay tribute to a banner honoring the Virgin Mary which the French-Canadian militia carried at General Louis-Joseph de Montcalm's victory at Carillon. The flag is Azure.

Carrot-Top proudly supplies the national flag of Canada in several sizes as well as flags of all Canadian provinces and territories. (See our Canadian Province page for display instructions regarding the correct display of territory and province flags.) Be sure to shop our extensive collection of flags of nations from every corner of the globe. Carrot-Top offers flags of all types including sports flags of Canadian major league baseball teams like the Toronto Blue Jays, NCAA sports team flags of colleges and universities and Olympic flags. Carrot-Top's American flags include our exclusive Beacon® Nylon American flag and Patriarch® Polyester American flag. For further details, please fill out our contact us form and one of our Customer Care Representatives will be in touch with you.

The Quebec flag represents the province's French history | © Ulrich Schade / Alamy Stock Photo

Known as the Fleurdelisé in French, the blue-and-white Quebec flag was officially adopted by the provincial government in 1948. Representing the province’s French roots, the history of the flag can be traced back to medieval Europe. Culture Trip explores the rich symbolism and history behind it.

Quebec’s flag combines three main design elements: the fleurs-de-lis, the white cross, and the color blue. All three elements carry their own historical origins.

Fleurs-de-lis were displayed in the region that is now modern-day France from as early as the 12th century. Traditionally, the backdrop of the French royal arms was blue, and up to the late-16th century many French flags combined blue and white in their scepters and coats-of-arms. Lis means “lily” in French, and in the Roman Catholic tradition that informed the worldview of early modern France, lilies were associated with the Virgin Mary. Sailing across the Atlantic Ocean, the French came to control vast areas of North America during the colonial era, with images of lilies engraved on the oversized crosses that Jacques Cartier erected in Gaspé Bay in 1534 and Stadacona (now Quebec City) in 1536, claiming the land for Francis I.

Historically, the white cross can be traced back to the Crusades. It represented France during the Hundred Years’ War, in opposition to England’s red version. In turn, the white cross against a blue background was adopted by the French Merchant Marine around 1535, while French explorer Samuel de Champlain claimed that it was still in use through the early 17th century.

Drawing again from Catholic symbolism, the colour blue is associated with the Virgin Mary’s traditional blue mantle, as well as the blue cloak of Saint Martin of Tours, who was the patron saint of the Kingdom of the Franks (modern-day France).

The colony of New France was conquered by the British in 1763, and French banners were replaced by the British flag. But as the territory that would eventually become Canada continued to develop, French Canadian identity was in turn shaped by significant events such as the Lower Canada Rebellion of 1837 and 1838, alongside attempts to reinforce British colonial rule on the French population that continued into the 20th century. French Canadians maintained a distinct language and culture from their British counterparts, however, and wanted their own flag.

When a historical flag uncovered in Montreal in the mid-19th century, thought to have been flown by the victorious French Canadian troops at the Battle of Carillon (Ticonderoga) in 1758, a modified version of that design was adopted as an unofficial French Canadian flag. With a blue background, a gold fleur-de-lis in each corner, the Catholic symbol of the Sacred Heart of Jesus formed the focal point of the flag at the time.

Several versions of the fleur-de-lis flag existed well into the 1940s, until the official design was legislated and adopted in 1948 under the provincial government of Maurice Duplessis. The design was simplified, and the religious motifs were removed. While the symbolism behind the design elements is not officially acknowledged, it is understood that the flag reflects the province’s history and identity as a francophone nation in North America.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel – and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Epic Trips, Mini Trips and Sailing Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travellers and friends who want to explore the world together.

Epic Trips are deeply immersive 8 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and enough down time to really relax and soak it all in. Our Mini Trips are small and mighty - they squeeze all the excitement and authenticity of our longer Epic Trips into a manageable 3-5 day window. Our Sailing Trips invite you to spend a week experiencing the best of the sea and land in the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm – and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.

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What does the Quebec flag look like?

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Why is the Fleur