Based on a one week trip to the Montreal area in 1999.
As a result of my visit to Quebec, I now understand why people in this state are thinking about independence. It really is a different culture from the rest of Canada. An absolutely amazing mix of North American and French! The French influence is surprisingly strong as is apparent in the language, the food, the architecture and many other things. Quebecan French may sound a little funny when you are used to European French, but as a matter of fact, it is the Quebecans who take more care to preserve the French language: They still use many of the original French terms while the French have often shifted to English terms (e.g. Quebecan say "la fin de semaine" rather than "le week-end", and "le stationnement" rather than "le parking"). By contrast, Quebecans don't really use the formal "vous" when adressing strangers, but rather the informal "tu", maybe as a result of the Amercan influence. To put it in a nutshell, Quebecans are just perfect in that they combine the best of both worlds: French charms and the North American relaxed attitude.
Montreal is a very beautiful city and its surroundings are awesome. Within a few hours drive are pristine forests and lakes for hiking and camping in true Canadian wilderness.
My next trip to Canada is going to be to Vancouver. I'm also thinking about working in Canada under one the bilateral programs between Canada and Germany (see the Canadian embassy website for more information).