Montreal, QC Hotels

While other parts of Canada embody the Anglo-Canadian personality (a blend of Britain’s poised politeness and America’s earnest enthusiasm), Montreal personifies the more risqué and worldly attitude of their French-Canadian brothers and sisters.

For everything Canadians have in common (the whole country is fluent in ice hockey), there is a deliciously dangerous difference running between the French and English cultures. Decidedly European in its architecture, Montreal also embraces every sub-culture and immigrant tradition that ever set foot in the ‘Great White North’.

Watching over Montreal is the hill from which it gets its name, Mont Royal. While not in Whistler’s league it is still used for tubing and tobogganing in the winter.

While most of Canada has strict public drinking laws, Montreal thumbs its nose at such Anglo Puritanism, with street parties a common occurrence. So it’s small wonder people say that for the best of Canada’s nature you should visit the west coast, and for the best of its culture you must visit the east, where Montreal sits like saucy French knickers beneath Canada’s demure reputation.

Montreal’s Top 10

AROUND MONTREAL

Downtown

The filling in the sandwich held together by its hilly namesake and the St Lawrence River, downtown Montreal is the spiciest, most complex array of flavours one could ever hope to fit between two slices of bread. The skyline of downtown Montreal, dominated by architecturally impressive skyscrapers (none of which is allowed to be higher than Mont Royal itself) is one of the most beautiful in the world. But it’s not just a pretty face, there’s a lot going on underneath. Literally.

Montreal boasts an ‘underground city’, which is home to over 1500 shops. Because when the temperature gets down to -40°C, you can be damn sure people don’t want to do their shopping above ground! Then there’s the Olympic Stadium, a concrete atrocity that is the most popular inside joke in Montreal. ‘The Big O’ is notable, however, as the site of the Biodome, a wildlife and ecosystem museum, and Montreal Botanical Gardens.

Vieux Montreal (Old Montreal)

Steeped in nostalgia and history, this district lies south-east of downtown and is home to some of Montreal’s most prized buildings, including the Notre Dame Basilica, Montreal City Hall and Chateau Ramezay. A stroll down its cobbled streets will evoke the charm and history of Europe – without the snooty attitude.

Latin Quarter

Anything Paris can do, Montreal can do – and with more guts. Montreal’s Latin Quarter is a dining and entertainment hub with a vibrant buzz, especially in the summertime. A popular haunt for students, the vibe is one of music, laughter and sex.

The Village

Home to one of the largest gay communities in North America, The Village is party central from dusk till dawn. It also plays host to the annual Divers/Cité Gay and Lesbian pride festivalin late July, which draws over a million rainbow-clad (and a few rubber-clad) visitors from all over the world.

MANGER À MONTRÉAL (MONTREAL EATS)

Eating in Montreal could be the sole purpose of your visit. Try the famous (and heart attack-inducing) Poutine, a decadent, calorie-laden concoction of French fries slathered in gravy and melted cheese curds. Perfect for soaking up a belly full of cocktails. It’s the perfect introduction to Montreal’s famous a French-meets-everything-else fusion style.

MONTREAL EVENTS

Montreal is the festival capital of Canada, and while the biting winters bring temperatures so cold they make you want to set your boots on fire, the warm summers bring out the best in a city that plays host to live music, food fairs, fetes and beautiful people.

June sees Les FrancoFolies de Montreal, a celebration of French music from around the world, held in Downtown Montreal. Every style from hip-hop to chanson is featured, so chances are you’ll either want to get your groove on or throw up.

Also in late-June/early-July is the International Jazz Festival, the largest in the world. 3000 artists from 30 countries perform 650 gigs (including 450 free ones) to 2.5 million visitors. Cool, man!

Every July, the Just for Laughs Comedy Festival attracts some of the best comedians from all over the world. The festival has launched the careers of many of the biggest comedy stars.

On Saturday and Wednesday nights from late-June to late-July, Montreal offers a real bang for the buck with an international fireworks competition, International des Feux Loto-Québec. Watch the dreams of some competitors soar and others go up in smoke at a variety of paying and free viewing points.

You can even warm yourself in the depths of winter with February’s High Lights Festival. Fine food and entertainment abound, both indoors and, if you’re brave, out.

WHEN TO GO

While Montreal takes on a fairytale quality in the winter and is sure to be blanketed in snow, the extreme low temperatures and short daylight hours are hardly conducive to sightseeing. Plus, you may miss the opportunity to enjoy all the festivals, public drinking and general rowdiness summer brings. June, July and August are perfection in Montreal, but any visit between late-April and late-September will be pleasant weather-wise.

GETTING AROUND

Montreal has an extensive underground Metro system, reliable buses, an underground pedestrian network (no need to brave those freezing temperatures) and ubiquitous taxis.

WHAT TO MISS

Like any city, Montreal has its dodgy areas, but if you exercise caution and travel in groups, most parts are fairly safe. The East End of the city is notoriously sketchy, and a good rule of thumb is to avoid anything south of Rue Ontario and Rue Amherst.

· Parking – hard to come by, confusing, expensive (in Canadian terms). Best hold off on hiring a car until leaving the city.

· St Catherine Street, Downtown – if being around strip clubs offends you.

GENERAL INFORMATION

ATTRACTIONS

EVENTS

Montreal, QC - General information