World City Guide

Montreal (Montréal) is unique in North America, blending a brash New World urbanity with the romantic charm of its European-flavoured historic districts and a Gallic sense of joie de vivre evident in the city’s many pavement cafés and dynamic nightlife. Although its downtown skyscrapers are a testament to the economic clout of Canada’s second largest city, visitors are more likely to be drawn by the promise of a horse-drawn calèche ride along the cobbled streets of Old Montreal near the St Lawrence River or around Mount Royal, the city’s landmark.

Montreal is situated on an island, 50km by 16km (31 by 10 miles), sandwiched between the rivière des Prairies and the St Lawrence River. When Jacques Cartier first ‘discovered’ the island in 1535, it was already inhabited – the Iroquois village of Hochelaga stood at the foot of Mount Royal. By the time Paul de Chomedey, the Sieur de Maisonneuve, arrived in May 1642 to found Ville-Marie, the first permanent European settlement, Hochelaga had been abandoned. The cross on the top of Mount Royal, which is visible from much of the city, marks the spot where de Maisonneuve planted a wooden cross in thanks for the city being spared from flooding during its first winter. The French held onto their colony until 1760, when Montreal fell to the British, whose influence can be felt in the architecture of the beautiful 19th-century mansions and such institutions as the Museum of Fine Arts and McGill University.

French resentment at the English dominance in their economic affairs was one of the factors leading to the ‘Quiet Revolution’ of the 1950s and 60s, culminating in the October Crisis in 1970 and the referendums on sovereignty in 1980 and 1995. As a result, French has become prevalent in the workplace and a number of Québécois companies are active in worldwide markets. Some 67% of the inhabitants claim French as a mother tongue, making Montréal the second most populous French-speaking city in the world. But Montreal is also home to a cosmopolitan mix of immigrants from around the globe, all of whom contribute to the rich cultural heritage and lively atmosphere of the city. This is never more evident than during one of the frequent large-scale festivals celebrated in downtown Montreal, notably the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, when tens of thousands of revellers fill the streets each day.

The charming buildings of Old Montreal, which was the heart of the city until the end of the 19th century, are today filled with boutiques, bars, hotels and restaurants. Montrealers and visitors alike promenade along the adjacent Old Port. The nearby islands in the St Lawrence (Ile Ste-Hélène and Ile Notre-Dame) were the site of the Expo 67 World Fair, and now comprise the city’s largest park, Parc Jean-Drapeau. Another legacy of a major international event (the 1976 Summer Olympics) is the Olympic Stadium, which has the world’s tallest inclined tower and is next door to the city’s expansive Botanical Garden.

The ‘real’ Montreal, though, exists in neighbourhoods that celebrate their ethnic origins – like Little Italy and Chinatown and especially the multicultural Plateau Mont-Royal. Boulevard St-Laurent (‘The Main’), which runs through the Plateau and divides Montreal into east and west, is the city’s most lively street, where the shops, bars and ethnic restaurants draw crowds until well into the night.

The best time to visit Montreal is in the summer, when even the nights can be sultry and the whole city seems to be partying, as the festival season moves into high gear. The cooler autumns bring out the colours in the leaves and are a great time to visit the forested Laurentians or the rolling hills of the Eastern Townships. Even the cold and snowy winters are bearable – inside the Underground City’s network of shops and entertainment spots, if not on the ski slopes.

Getting There By Air

Montréal – Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL)
Tel: (514) 394 7377 or (800) 465 1213.
Website: www.admtl.com

Montréal-Trudeau is located 25km (15 miles) west of the city centre. It handles around eight million passengers annually on national and international flights.

Airport facilities: Facilities include bureaux de change, ATMs, restaurants, cafés, bars, newsagents, duty-free and other shops and tourist information. A valet parking service is also available. Car hire is provided by Alamo, Avis, Budget, Hertz, National and Thrifty.

Transport to the city: L’Aérobus airport shuttle service (tel: (514) 931 9002) links Montreal-Trudeau Airport with the Montreal Bus Central Station and the Aérobus Station. From the Aérobus Station, passengers can take the complimentary shuttle service to major downtown hotels. A much slower option is local bus 204, which links the airport to Dorval train station, from where passengers can transfer to commuter trains to reach Downtown or to bus 211 to Lionel-Groulx métro station. Taxis and limousines are also available.

Approximate flight times to Montreal: From London is 7 hours 5 minutes; from New York is 1 hour 20 minutes; from Los Angeles is 5 hours; from Toronto is 1 hour 10 minutes and from Sydney is 20 hours 25 minutes.

Getting There By Water

Getting There By Road

Montreal is well served by a network of autoroutes (motorways), which are normally two-digit numbers identified by red and blue signs; as well as main (100-199) and secondary (200-399) highways, which have green signs. Traffic drives on the right. Road signs are international but are usually in French. Maximum speed limits are 100kph (62mph) on motorways, 80kph (50mph) on rural highways and 50kph (31mph) in built-up areas. It is illegal to turn right at a red light on the island of Montreal; however, these turns are legal elsewhere in the province (unless posted otherwise).

The minimum driving age is 16 years. An International Driving Permit is recommended, although it is not legally required for visits of less than six months. Proof of insurance (minimum C$50,000 third-party liability) must be carried. Non-residents may be covered for compensation under the province’s no-fault insurance if driving a vehicle registered in Quebec or a province or US state with a reciprocal arrangement. The Société de l’Assurance Automobile du Québec – SAAQ (tel: (514) 873 7620; website: www.saaq.gouv.qc.ca) provides further information. There are often road checks for intoxicated drivers; the maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving is 0.08%. Seatbelts are compulsory for all passengers. Radar detection devices are strictly prohibited and may not be carried in automobiles. Snow tyres are a necessity in winter.

Information on road conditions is available from the Ministère des Transports (tel: (888) 355 0511; website: www.mtq.gouv.qc.ca). CAA-Québec (part of the Canadian Automobile Association) offers travel planning, insurance and other services to motorists (tel: (514) 861 5111; website: www.caaquebec.com).

Emergency breakdown services:
CAA-Québec (514) 861 1313 (Montreal area only)
CAA/AAA (800) 222 4357 or *222 from most mobile phones

Routes to the city: Highways 20 and 40 (the Trans-Canada Highway) are the main east-west routes through the city, arriving from Quebec City to the east and Toronto (via Highway 401) and Ottawa (via Highway 417) from the west. US Interstate 87 from New York City becomes Highway 15 at the border, south of Montreal.

Coach services: All buses depart from the Station Centrale d’Autobus Montréal (Montreal Bus Central Station), 505 boulevard de Maisonneuve East (tel: (514) 842 2281; schedules and fares for all coach companies). Facilities include ATMs, a bureau de change, bars and restaurants, car hire (Avis), Internet access, left-luggage and coach passes.

Orléans Express (tel: (888) 999 3977; website: www.orleansexpress.com) is the main coach company within the province of Quebec. Greyhound Canada (tel: (800) 661 8747; website: www.greyhound.ca) runs services from Canadian destinations west of Ottawa as well as the United States. Other coach services include Adirondack Trailways (tel: (800) 776 7548; website: www.trailwaysny.com) from New York City, Coach Canada (tel: (800) 461 7661; website: www.coachcanada.com) from Toronto and Voyageur Colonial Buses from Ottawa.

Getting There By Rail

VIA Rail (tel: (514) 989 2626 or (888) 842 7245; website: www.viarail.ca) is Canada’s national rail service provider. Services from the USA are operated by Amtrak (tel: (800) 872 7245 or (215) 856 7954 for international sales; website: www.amtrak.com). Montreal’s Gare Centrale (Central Station) is located at 895 rue de la Gauchetière West. It has several restaurants and is directly linked to the Underground City’s network of shops and hotels. Trains arriving from the west also stop at the basic Dorval Station, near the airport.

Rail services: Montreal is located along the Quebec City-Windsor corridor, which accounts for 85% of Canada’s passenger rail traffic. Both economy and first class (VIA 1) cars are available on corridor trains, which link Montreal with Quebec City to the east, and Ottawa and Toronto to the west. The carriages are clean and quiet, with large windows that confer a sense of the country’s vastness as the train passes acres of farmland and mixed conifer and deciduous forests; VIA 1 fares include a surprisingly good meal and complimentary Canadian wines. Eastern transcontinental services are the daily Ocean from Halifax and the thrice-weekly Chaleur from Gaspé, both with economy and sleeper classes. Amtrak runs daily trains from New York and Washington, DC.

Getting Around

Public Transport
Montreal is served by a métro system, an extensive bus network and commuter rail services. Public transport services for the whole of the island of Montreal are run by the Société de Transport de Montréal – STM (tel: (514) 786 4636; website: www.stm.info). Commuter rail and off-island bus services are co-ordinated by the Agence Métropolitaine de Transport (website: www.amt.qc.ca).

The clean and efficient métro has four lines and 65 stations, 10 of which are linked to the Underground City. It is integrated with the 160 STM bus routes that crisscross the island; each bus stop has a unique telephone number for up-to-date schedule information for the buses at that stop. The métro and buses run approximately 0600-0100 and are supplemented by a limited system of 20 night bus routes. The métro and bus routes also link to the five commuter rail lines, connecting Montreal with the outer suburbs.

Tickets for STM services are cheaper if you buy a carnet of six tickets. It is possible to transfer between the métro and bus at no extra cost, provided a transfer slip is obtained. The same applies to commuter rail within zone one; higher fares apply for outer zones. Off-island buses have separate fare structures. The Carte touristique (Tourist Card) is a pass that is designed specifically for visitors to Montreal and provides unlimited use of bus and métro systems, for one or three days. Weekly passes (CAM Hebdo) are a good deal but are valid Monday to Sunday.

Taxis
Taxis are available from taxi ranks, at major hotels and at the airports or they can easily be hailed on the street in Downtown and in areas where bars and restaurants are clustered.

Taxis can also be ordered by telephone: Taxi Diamond (tel: (514) 273 6331) and Taxi Co-op (tel: (514) 725 9885) are the best known of the many firms in the city. A tip of 15% is customary.

Driving in the City
The large autoroutes that cross Montreal are both a blessing and a curse – with light traffic, they make it easy to get across the island, however, for most of the day they are heavily congested. Visitors will also be surprised at how little notice is given of impending exits (which are on the left as well as the right on some motorways), especially on the east-west Autoroute Métropolitaine (Highway 40). Highway 20, the other main east-west route, becomes the Autoroute Ville-Marie when it tunnels under Downtown. The worst traffic bottlenecks, though, are the north-south Autoroute Décarie (Highway 15) and the tunnel and bridges to the South Shore.

Street numbers increase as one travels north from the St Lawrence River. The east-west divide is boulevard St-Laurent. Montrealers tend to translate ‘arrêt’ signs as ‘slow down’ rather than ‘stop’ and can be fairly aggressive drivers. Motorists are required to yield to city buses if they are signalling that they are moving into the main traffic lane.

Both parking lots and metered parking are abundant. Deciphering street parking signs can be difficult, even for those who speak French fluently – often there are multiple signs restricting parking on various days, times and even months of the year.

Car Hire
In general, drivers must be at least 21 years old and possess a national driving licence and credit card. An International Driving Permit is not required. Insurance is mandatory and drivers should carry proof of this.

Central branches of major car hire firms in Montreal include Avis, 1225 rue Metcalfe (tel: (514) 866 7906 or 2847; website: www.avis.com), Discount, 607 boulevard de Maisonneuve West (tel: (514) 286 1554; website: www.discountcar.com), Hertz, 1073 rue Drummond (tel: (514) 938 1717; website: www.hertz.com), Thrifty, place Dupuis, 855 rue Ste-Catherine East (tel: (514) 845 5954; website: www.thrifty.com), and Via Route, 1255 rue Mackay (tel: (514) 871 1166; website: www.viaroute.com).

Bicycle Hire
Montreal has an extensive network of cycle routes, notably along the Lachine Canal. Roadside bike lanes can be dangerous where motorists don’t have a clear line of vision. Sharing bike paths with pedestrians and/or rollerbladers can also cause problems.

The Maison des Cyclistes, 1251 rue Rachel (tel: (514) 521 8356; website: www.velo.qc.ca), is an excellent resource for cycling information, and also organises tours in the province and further afield. Outside the city, the P’tit Train du Nord is a 200km (124-mile) linear park through the Laurentians on an abandoned rail bed, part of La Route Verte (website: www.routeverte.com), a province-wide network of over 3,000km (over 1,800 miles) of cycle paths. The world’s largest bicycle race, the 45km (28 miles) Tour de l’Ile, sees over 30,000 participants in early June.

Cycle hire is available near the major cycle routes. Vélo Aventure, on Quai des Convoyeurs in the Old Port (tel: (514) 847 0666; website: www.veloaventure.com), is near the Lachine Canal; they also hire rollerblades and offer group tours. On the Plateau, Cycle Pop, 1000 rue Rachel East (tel: (514) 526 2525; website: www.cyclepop.ca), is at the northwest corner of Parc Lafontaine.

Business

Business Etiquette
Although there is more English spoken in the business world than on the streets, a few words of French before switching to English will ensure a much better reception than launching into English straight away. Whether documents should be translated into French depends on the industry, but a translation of the executive summary would be considered a beau geste (good gesture). Due to the touchy political situation, it is best to avoid discussing issues of language rights or the sovereignty movement.

Normal business courtesies should be observed, although Montrealers are less formal than Europeans and usually use first-name terms after initial introductions have been completed. When speaking French, it is best to use ‘vous’ until the other party uses the less formal ‘tu’; after that, lapsing back into ‘vous’ is considered bad form.

Business cards are usually exchanged either at the beginning or at the end of the first meeting. Both men and women generally wear suits but short-sleeved shirts are acceptable in summer and more casual attire is the norm in the new media industries. Business hours are generally 0900-1700 weekdays but often extend to 1800 or 1900; Montrealers are not early risers, as a rule.

Business meals and entertaining range from a formal hotel breakfast meeting to a night out on the town. Many Montreal business deals are clinched in a more informal social setting.

Sightseeing

Sightseeing Overview
Montreal’s highest point and most recognisable landmark is Mont Royal (Mount Royal), a landscaped park with several kilometres of jogging and skiing tracks and lookout points offering dramatic views of the city and the St Lawrence River. On its southern slope, the high-rises and modern shopping malls of downtown Montreal are interspersed with older buildings, interesting museums and notable churches. Underlying this is the Underground City, an ever-growing complex of underground pedestrian passageways connecting the métro, major hotels, shopping malls, offices and restaurants.

The first destination for most visitors is Old Montreal, with its spectacular collection of historic buildings, inviting public spaces and the riverside promenades of the adjacent Old Port. The islands opposite were the site for the Expo 67 World Fair and still offer abundant recreational opportunities under the name Parc Jean-Drapeau. The city’s other main attractions are the complex of buildings left over from the 1976 Olympics and the nearby Botanical Garden.

What really makes Montreal unique, though, are its neighbourhoods. The Plateau Mont-Royal is an urban village surrounding boulevard St-Laurent (‘the Main’), and it was the first place immigrants stopped when arriving in Montreal. The Jewish, East European and Portuguese residents have been joined or displaced by students and, most recently, yuppies. But the place has an undeniable energy. Further north, Little Italy’s cafés and restaurants surround the Jean-Talon Market. Chinatown lies at the south end of boulevard St-Laurent, adjacent to Downtown and Old Montreal.

Note that many attractions normally closed Mondays are open on holiday Mondays.

Tourist Information
Centre Infotouriste (Tourisme Québec)
1001 rue du Square-Dorchester (near rue Peel and rue Ste-Catherine West)
Tel: (514) 873 2015 or (877) BONJOUR/266 5687. Fax: (514) 864 3838.
E-mail: info@tourisme.gouv.qc.ca
Website: www.bonjourquebec.com
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1800 (early Sep-May); daily 0800-1900 (Jun-early Sep).

The Centre Infotouriste provides information on the whole of the province (including Montreal), and shares its location with bureaux de change, tour operators and car hire and travel agencies.

Tourist Information Centre of Old Montreal (Tourisme Montréal)
174 rue Notre-Dame East (corner of place Jacques-Cartier)
Website: www.tourism-montreal.org
Opening hours: Daily 0900-1700 (Apr-early Jun & early Sep-Oct); daily 0900-1900 (early Jun-early Sep); Wed-Sun 0900-1300 & 1400-1700 (Nov-Mar).

Tourisme Montréal provides information on the city of Montreal only.

Passes
The Montreal Museums Pass allows visitors free admission to 25 museums in the city on any two out of three consecutive days. These are available at both tourist offices and at participating museums. The Get an Eyeful package provides free admission to the Olympic Tower and the Botanical Garden and/or Biodôme – none of which are covered by the Museums Pass.

Key Attractions

Vieux-Montréal (Old Montreal)
Located near the St Lawrence River, Old Montreal (website: www.old.montreal.qc.ca) is the site of the original fortified city. The buildings and streets date from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries and have been carefully restored. The area is filled, throughout the summer, with tourists who come to stroll along the cobblestone streets, visit the boutiques and restaurants or simply soak up the joie de vivre among the street entertainers and pavement cafés in the former marketplace of place Jacques-Cartier. A tour on a horse-drawn calèche makes for an especially romantic way to see the sights.

The Gothic-Revival Basilique Notre-Dame was built in the 1820s; the cathedral’s twin towers are a landmark of Old Montreal. To the east, the silver-domed neo-classical Marché Bonsecours reprises its former role as a marketplace, with galleries, boutiques and exhibitions. Next door, the Chapelle de Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours is the city’s oldest church; it contains original Edouard Meloche frescoes and has a small museum devoted to the life of Marguerite Bourgeoys (Canada’s first saint). The tower affords excellent views of the port and surrounding streets.

In the western end of Old Montreal, Pointe-à-Callière, Montreal Museum of Archaeology and History tells the story of Montreal from its earliest days – with high-tech displays in the stunningly modern Eperon Building, and archaeological remains in the portions of the museum below place Royale (including the city’s original sewers) and under the renovated Old Customs House.

Basilique Notre-Dame
110 rue Notre-Dame West, off place d’Armes
Tel: (514) 842 2925.
Website: www.basiliquenddm.org
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0800-1630, Sat 0800-1615, Sun 1230-1615.
Admission charge.

Marché Bonsecours
350 rue St-Paul East
Tel: (514) 872 7730.
Website: www.marchebonsecours.qc.ca
Opening hours: Daily 1000-1800 (Jan-Mar); Sat-Wed 1000-1800, Thu and Fri 1000-2100 (Apr-late Jun and early Sep-Dec); Mon-Sat 1000-2100, Sun 1000-1800 (late Jun-early Sep). Exhibitions may have shorter hours.
Free admission.

Chapelle de Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours
400 rue St-Paul East
Tel: (514) 282 8670.
Website: www.marguerite-bourgeoys.com
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1100-1530 (Nov-mid-Jan and Mar-Apr); Tue-Sun 1000-1730 (May-Oct).
Admission: Free (chapel); charge (museum).

Pointe-à-Callière
350 place Royale
Tel: (514) 872 9150.
Website: www.pacmuseum.qc.ca
Opening hours: Tue-Fri 1000-1700, Sat and Sun 1100-1700 (early Sep-late Jun); Mon-Fri 1000-1800, Sat and Sun 1100-1800 (late Jun-early Sep).
Admission charge.

Vieux-Port (Old Port)
The Old Port (tel: (514) 496 7678; website: www.oldportofmontreal.com) was once one of the most important trading ports in North America. With most shipping activity now taking place downriver, this area has been transformed into an excellent recreation and exhibition area, filled with walkers, cyclists and rollerbladers on the riverside promenades between the Clock Tower and the locks at Parc des Ecluses. The Montreal Science Centre, on King Edward Pier, is a science and entertainment centre geared towards kids, with the Immersion Movie Game (interactive video game on a giant screen) and an IMAX cinema.

Montreal Science Centre
Quai King Edward, 2 rue de la Commune
Tel: (514) 496 4724 or (877) 496 4724.
Website: www.montrealsciencecentre.com
Opening hours: Mon-Fri 0930-1600 (until 1700 mid Jun-early Sep), Sat and Sun 1000-1700, IMAX daily until 2200.
Admission charge.

Musée des Beaux-Arts de Montréal
(Montreal Museum of Fine Arts)
The permanent collection at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is split between the original Beaux-Arts building, which houses Canadian, Inuit and First Nations art, as well as decorative arts; and the postmodern structure opposite (designed by Moshe Safdie) where European masters, prints and drawings and decorative arts are exhibited. In the tunnel connecting the pavilions are galleries showcasing contemporary Canadian artists and a small collection from ancient cultures. The museum also has a reputation for hosting outstanding temporary exhibitions, with shows in recent years as varied as an Alfred Hitchcock retrospective, 17th-century works commissioned by Cardinal Richelieu and a solo show of Jean-Paul Riopelle’s abstracts.

1379-1380 rue Sherbrooke West
Tel: (514) 285 2000 or 800 899 6873.
Website: www.mmfa.qc.ca
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 1100-1700 (until 2100 Wed).
Free admission (permanent exhibition); charge (temporary exhibitions; half-price Wed after 1730).

Musée d’Art Contemporain de Montréal (Montreal Museum of Contemporary Art)
Adjoining the plaza at the place des Arts, the Montreal Museum of Contemporary Arts is Canada’s only museum devoted exclusively to contemporary art. The museum’s permanent collection is on display in one wing, on a rotating basis – the collection of works by Québécois artists, such as Jean-Paul Riopelle and Paul-Emile Borduas, whose expressive canvases typify the Automatistes of the mid-20th century, is particularly strong. The other wing features temporary exhibitions focusing on one or more artists. A small sculpture garden makes for a quiet retreat.

185 rue Ste-Catherine West
Tel: (514) 847 6226.
Website: www.macm.org
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1100-1800 (until 2100 Wed).
Admission charge (free Wed after 1800).

Oratoire St-Joseph (St Joseph’s Oratory)
St Joseph’s Oratory can be found on the northwest side of Mount Royal. This magnificent basilica was begun in 1924 by Brother André, a celebrated healer, and completed in 1967, after his death. The 97m (318ft) high dome is one of the largest in the world and there is room for 10,000 worshippers beneath it. The votive chapel and crypt are worth investigating and there is a good view over the city from the terrace.

3800 chemin Queen-Mary
Tel: (514) 733 8211.
Website: www.saint-joseph.org
Opening hours: Daily 0730-2100 (hours for individual parts of the complex vary).
Admission: Free.

Parc Olympique (Olympic Park)
The Olympic Park was the site of the 1976 Olympic Games. The unique and costly (over C$1 billion) Olympic Stadium is now the venue for concerts and (at least for now) Montreal Expos baseball games. Half-hour guided tours are available and visitors can also take a funicular (cable car) ride up the world’s tallest inclined tower (175m/575ft). Nearby, the former velodrome is now a major attraction – the Biodôme de Montréal is a recreation of four ecosystems under one roof. Visitors can move from a tropical rainforest to a polar world, with stops in a Laurentian forest and St Lawrence marine environment en route. A museum dedicated to the late hockey legend Maurice ‘Rocket’ Richard is also part of the complex.

Parc Olympique
4141 avenue Pierre-De-Coubertin
Tel: (514) 252 4737 or (877) 997 0919.
Website: www.rio.gouv.qc.ca
Opening hours: Funicular: daily 0900-1700 (until 1900 mid-Jun-early Sep). Closed early Jan-mid-Feb.
Admission charge.

Biodôme de Montréal
4777 avenue Pierre-De-Coubertin
Tel: (514) 868 3000.
Website: www.biodome.qc.ca
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 0900-1700 (early Sep-late Jun); daily 0900-1800 (late Jun-early Sep).
Admission charge.

Jardin Botanique de Montréal
(Montreal Botanical Garden)
The Montreal Botanical Garden, opposite the Olympic Stadium, covers 73 hectares (180 acres) and includes a Chinese garden, Japanese garden and the Tree House, which displays information on Quebec’s forests. The installation of the First Nations Garden in 2001 marked the tercentenary of the Great Peace of Montreal. Also in the grounds is the Insectarium, full of crawling and flying creatures.

4101 rue Sherbrooke East
Tel: (514) 872 1400.
Website: www.ville.montreal.qc.ca/jardin or www.ville.montreal.qc.ca/insectarium
Opening hours: Tue-Sun 0900-1700 (Nov-Apr); daily 0900-1700 (May-late Jun); daily 0900-1800 (mid-Jun-mid-Sep); daily 0900-2100 (mid-Sep-Oct).
Admission charge.

Centre Canadien d’Architecture (CCA)
The Canadian Centre for Architecture should be seen as much for its own architecture as for the fascinating temporary exhibitions on buildings, architects and architectural movements inside. Peter Rose designed the modern building, whose austere limestone façade contrasts with the adjoining Shaughnessy House typical of the residences of Montreal’s wealthy elite at the turn of the century. The area behind the museum is the CCA sculpture garden, designed by Melvin Charney.

1920 rue Baile
Tel: (514) 939 7026.
Website: www.cca.qc.ca
Opening hours: Wed-Sun 1000-1700; Thu until 2100.
Admission charge (free Thu after 1730).

Further Distractions

Parc Jean-Drapeau
Montreal’s largest park (tel: (514) 872 6120; website: www.parcjeandrapeau.com) comprises two islands (Ile Ste-Hélène and Ile Notre-Dame) and was the site of the city’s monumental Expo 67 World Fair. Today, the islands are a great spot for exploring on foot, bicycle or rollerblades. Ile Notre-Dame draws motor-sports fans for the Grand Prix every June and is home to the Casino de Montréal (see Nightlife).

Half of Ile Ste-Hélène is taken up by the La Ronde amusement park. Elsewhere on the island is the Stewart Museum, located in Montreal’s only fort. It recalls the region’s martial history with costumed guides and re-enactments. Nearby, the geodesic dome that was the American pavilion for Expo 67 now contains the Biosphère – a museum devoted to the ecology of the St Lawrence River.

La Ronde
Tel: (514) 397 2000.
Website: www.laronde.com
Admission charge (closed in winter).

Stewart Museum
Tel: (514) 861 6701.
Website: www.stewart-museum.org
Admission charge.

Biosphère
Tel: (514) 283 5000.
Website: http://biosphere.ec.gc.ca
Admission charge.

Tours of the City

Walking Tours
Heritage’s Great Calendar, a list of walking tours in the city, is available from the tourist office, as is the Discover Old Montréal booklet, an illustrated walking guide. Héritage Montréal (tel: (514) 286 2662; website: www.heritagemontreal.qc.ca) offers a number of ‘Architectours’ of the city’s historical architecture and neighbourhoods. Guidatour (tel: (514) 844 4021 or (800) 363 4021; website: www.guidatour.qc.ca) offers daily tours of Old Montreal from June to September (and weekends in May and October), departing from the Basilique Notre-Dame. Old Montreal Ghost Trail (tel: (514) 868 0303 or (800) 363 4021; website: www.phvm.qc.ca) has three tours that trace historic crimes and legends of Old Montreal (Wednesday to Sunday from late June to August, plus Saturdays in September).

Bus Tours
Most bus tours depart from Square Dorchester, in front of the Centre Infotouriste. Gray Line of Montreal (tel: (514) 934 1222 or (800) 461 1223; website: www.coachcanada.com/montreal) offers a variety of city tours: the basic tour covers Downtown, Old Montreal and Mount Royal; more comprehensive tours add on the Olympic Park and St Joseph’s Oratory. Autocar Impérial (tel: (514) 871 4733; website: www.autocarimperial.com) has similar offerings, as well as a hop-on hop-off circuit. Both offer evening tours, cruise-combos and excursions.

Boat Tours
Croisières AML (tel: (514) 842 9300 or (800) 563 4643; website: www.croisieresaml.com) offers a variety of day and evening cruises heading east on the St Lawrence River. Bateau-Mouche (tel: (514) 849 9952 or (800) 361 9952; website: www.bateau-mouche.com) offers cruises as well, circling the islands of Parc Jean-Drapeau with forays upriver to the west; longer dinner cruises are also available. Departures are from various piers in the Old Port.

Other Tours
One of the most romantic ways to see Old Montreal is in a horse-drawn calèche. These can be hired at place d’Armes or on rue de la Commune, near place Jacques-Cartier.

Excursions

For a Half Day

Lachine Canal: Leading west from the Old Port is the historic Lachine Canal (tel: (514) 283 6054; website: www.pc.gc.ca/lachinecanal). Dating from 1825, it originally allowed boats to bypass the Lachine Rapids and was only re-opened for pleasure crafts in 2002. Today, there are also 14km (9 miles) of bicycle paths along the canal (see Bicycle Hire in Getting Around) and a couple of interesting historic sites. The Fur Trade at Lachine National Historic Site (tel: (514) 637 7433; website: www.pc.gc.ca/fur), houses a permanent exhibition on the fur trade and is open from April to mid-October (Mon 1300-1730 and Tue-Sun 1000-1730) and mid-October to November (Wed-Sun 0930-1700).

The most popular options, though, are the jet-boat and rafting trips on the Lachine Rapids offered by Saute-Moutons (tel: (514) 284 9607; website: www.jetboatingmontreal.com) and Les Descentes sur le St-Laurent (tel: (514) 767 2230 or (800) 324 7238; website: www.raftingmontreal.com). With the re-opening of the canal, it is now possible to discover its history from an Amsterdam-style tour boat run by Croisières Canal de Lachine (tel: (514) 846 0428 or (866) 846 0448; website: www.croisierecanaldelachine.ca). Departures are from near the footbridge south of Atwater Market (see Shopping).

For a Whole Day

Cantons de l’Est: The Eastern Townships lie some 80km (50 miles) to the east of Montreal, on the border with New England. Some of the province’s most picturesque countryside is here, dotted with 19th-century villages settled by the Loyalists (Americans who refused to rebel against King George III). In the winter, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and downhill skiing are all possible. The town of Magog and nearby Mont Orford make a good base for exploring; the best way to get there is by car along Highway 10. Tourisme Cantons-de-l’Est, at exit 68 off Highway 10 (tel: (819) 820 2020 or (800) 355 5755; website: www.tourisme-cantons.qc.ca), can provide more information.

Laurentides: Better known in English as The Laurentians, this region, to the north of Montreal along Highway 15, is one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world and now a major North American skiing centre and popular spot for hiking and cycling. Nonetheless, there is still a huge amount of untouched wilderness to be explored – particularly in the Parc du Mont-Tremblant, about 130km (81 miles) from Montreal. At 935m (3,068ft), Mont-Tremblant (tel: (866) 253 0097; website: www.tremblant.ca) is the highest mountain in the region and a major ski and outdoors centre. Trendy Mont St-Sauveur (tel: (450) 227 4671 or (514) 871 0101; website: www.mssi.ca), offers terrific night skiing and is popular for its proximity to Montreal – about 60km (37 miles). The Association Touristique des Laurentides, exit 51 off Highway 15 (tel: (450) 436 8532 or (514) 990 5625 or (800) 561 6673; website: www.laurentides.com), can provide more information.

Sport

Shopping

Montreal has excellent shopping facilities, from large department stores to small street markets, specialist fashion boutiques and discount retail outlets. Specialities include furs, Native American crafts, haute couture and antiques. The Canadian Guild of Crafts – Québec, 1460 rue Sherbrooke West (tel: (514) 849 6091; website: www.canadianguild.com), is a non-profit organisation that has a gallery of Inuit and Amerindian art and also sells works by member artisans. Other fine-art galleries can be found along the same street, in the vicinity of the Museum of Fine Arts.

One of the best concentrations of shops in Old Montreal is at the Marché Bonsecours, 350 rue St-Paul East (tel: (514) 872 7730; website: www.marchebonsecours.qc.ca), but there are all sorts of small shops on rue St-Paul and tucked away in the side streets. Downtown shopping is along the stretch of rue Ste-Catherine, between rue Guy and rue St-Urbain, and is a good place for cheap music and electronics, as well as fashions at all price ranges. Upmarket department stores include Ogilvy, 1307 rue Ste-Catherine West, and Holt Renfrew, 1300 rue Sherbrooke West, while The Bay, 585 rue Ste-Catherine West, is aimed at the average consumer. Les Ailes de la Mode, adjacent to the Eaton Centre, fits somewhere in between. Other shopping malls lining rue Ste-Catherine West and connected to the Underground City are Complexe Desjardins, Promenades Cathédrale, Place Montréal Trust, Place Ville Marie and Cours Mont-Royal.

Beyond Downtown, boulevard St-Laurent (the ‘Main’) is a good place for ethnic and alternative shopping, while rue St-Denis and avenue Laurier are filled with chic boutiques and Québécois designers. The city’s better-off anglophones shop along avenue Greene in Westmount, to the west of Downtown. One highlight here is The Double Hook, 1235a avenue Greene (website: www.doublehook.com), a bookstore specialising in Canadian literature and Canadiana.

The city’s two largest public markets (website: www.marchespublics-mtl.com) are a bit further from Downtown. Marché Atwater is near the Lachine Canal, at 138 avenue Atwater, while Marché Jean-Talon is to the north, in the heart of Little Italy at 7075 avenue Casgrain. Both have wonderful produce, as well as butchers, bakers and speciality foods. The former opens at 0800, the latter at 0700; closing times are 1800 Monday to Wednesday, 2000 Thursday, 2100 Friday and 1700/1800 Saturday and Sunday.

Shops are generally open Monday to Wednesday 1000-1800, Thursday and Friday 1000-2100, Saturday 1000-1700 and Sunday 1200-1700. The 7% federal Goods and Services Tax (GST) and 7.5% provincial Quebec Sales Tax (QST) are levied on most products and services. Non-residents can apply for a rebate of the GST portion on goods for use outside of Canada, as well as on short-term accommodation; the total pre-tax value must exceed C$200, with a C$50 minimum for each individual invoice. The Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (tel: (902) 432 5608 or 800 668 4748; website: www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca/visitors) should be contacted for further information and forms; private firms charge a hefty fee for the same service. Instant refunds are available at duty-free shops at border crossings; allow extra time at airports as receipts must be stamped by Customs on departure.

Culture

Montreal is well represented in all the traditional manifestations of high culture (symphony, opera and ballet) but truly stands out in experimental theatre and contemporary dance. One of its most notable exports is the internationally acclaimed Cirque du Soleil (tel: (514) 722 2324 or 800 678 2119; website: www.cirquedusoleil.com), who still occasionally perform in Montreal. Innovation in the arts is not all that new in the city – in the first half of the 20th century, it was one of the hottest places for jazz; Oscar Peterson was born here.

Place des Arts (tel: (514) 842 2112 or 866 842 2112; website: www.pdarts.com), a complex of performance halls surrounding a large plaza and linked by an underground concourse, makes up the city’s cultural heart and is home to all of Montreal’s major performing arts companies. Its plaza, along with the surrounding streets, is the epicentre of the big summer festivals, when tens of thousands of people throng the area for the free outdoor shows and other events.

There are events listings in the free alternative weeklies, The Mirror (website: www.montrealmirror.com) and Hour (website: www.hour.ca), as well as Montreal’s daily English-language newspaper, The Gazette (website: www.montrealgazette.com). Tickets for most cultural events can be purchased from Admission outlets (tel: (514) 790 1245 or 800 361 4595; website: www.admission.com) for a fee, as well as from the venue itself.

Music: The Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal (tel: (514) 842 9951 or 800 361 4595; website: www.osm.ca) is one of the top performance groups in North America. They can be seen at Place des Arts (see above) and offer summer concerts at the Basilique Notre-Dame. L’Opéra de Montréal (tel: (514) 985 2258; website: www.operademontreal.com) is the city’s leading opera company. They, too, perform at Place des Arts, as do the chamber groups I Musici de Montréal (tel: (514) 982 6038; website: www.imusici.com) and those organised by the Pro Musica society (tel: (514) 845 0532; website: www.promusica.qc.ca).

Theatre: Theatre is dominated by French-language productions, but there are occasional runs of large Broadway shows. The city’s mainstay English-language company is the Centaur Theatre, 453 rue St-François-Xavier (tel: (514) 288 3161; website: www.centaurtheatre.com), with everything from Canadian drama to Broadway hits. Unique to the city are the Yiddish Theatre productions at the Saidye Bronfman Centre, 5170 chemin de la Côte-Ste-Catherine (tel: (514) 739 2301; website: www.saidyebronfman.org). This venue also stages a number of English-language plays a year. Light-hearted summer theatre is staged in the Eastern Townships at The Piggery Theatre, in North Hatley (tel: (819) 842 2431; website: www.piggery.com), and Théâtre Lac Brome, in Knowlton (tel: (450) 242 2270; website: www.theatrelacbrome.ca). The most established of the French-language theatres are the Théâtre du Rideau Vert, 4664 rue St-Denis (tel: (514) 844 1793; website: www.rideauvert.qc.ca), Théâtre du Nouveau Monde, 84 rue Ste-Catherine West (tel: (514) 866 8668; website: www.tnm.qc.ca), and Théâtre Jean-Duceppe, Place des Arts (tel: (514) 288 5034 or 842 2112 (box office); website: www.duceppe.com).

Dance: The city’s chief ballet company is Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal (tel: (514) 849 8681 or 842 2112 (box office); website: www.grandsballets.qc.ca), who perform at Place des Arts. The Festival des Arts de St-Sauveur (tel: (450) 227 0427; website: www.artssaintsauveur.com) showcases international ballet companies in the Laurentians in late July.

Film: There are plenty of English-language screens in the city, mostly downtown. The largest and most modern are the central Paramount Montreal, 977 rue Ste-Catherine West (tel: (514) 866 0111; website: www.famousplayers.com), and the 22-screen AMC Forum, 2313 rue Ste-Catherine West (tel: (514) 904 1250; website: www.amctheatres.com). Ex-Centris, 3536 boulevard St-Laurent (tel: (514) 847 2206; website: www.ex-centris.com), is a high-tech repertory cinema. Cinéma du Parc, 3575 avenue du Parc (tel: (514) 281 1900; website: www.cinemaduparc.com), offers independent and second-run films.

Montreal is one of Canada’s largest film production centres and a number of Hollywood films have been shot here, including Snake Eyes (1998), More Tales of the City (1998) and Battlefield Earth (2000). A much better picture of the city can be had from such films as The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1974), Jésus de Montréal (1989) and the charming Léolo (1992), though Old Montreal does provide a backdrop in The Score (2001). The World Film Festival (website: www.ffm-montreal.org) is only one of many such festivals, including celebrations of cultures from Jewish to First Nations, new digital media (website: www.fcmm.com) and the gay and lesbian image+nation (website: www.image-nation.org).

Literary Notes: Montreal has a rich literary history in both French and English poetry, drama and fiction. A number of authors have captured the day-to-day realities of life in the city, including David Fennario, whose play Balconville (1979) explores the interaction between French and English in the working-class neighbourhood of Pointe St-Charles. Gabrielle Roy’s The Tin Flute (1947) chronicles a family’s lives in nearby St-Henri. The Plateau Mont-Royal is the setting for the novelist and playwright Michel Tremblay’s The Fat Woman Next Door is Pregnant (1978) and also for the earlier works of Mordecai Richler: The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1959) and St Urbain’s Horseman (1971). The French-English divide was captured by Hugh MacLennan in Two Solitudes (1945), and the former McGill professor’s The Watch That Ends the Night (1959) is a wonderfully poignant novel set in Montreal. Although better known for his music, Leonard Cohen chronicles a young man’s coming of age in Montreal in his first novel, The Favourite Game (1963). Kathy Reichs’ chilling tales of a forensic anthropologist in Montreal began with Déjà Dead in 1997. Yann Martel, who won the 2002 Booker Prize for Life of Pi, lives in Montreal.

Nightlife

Montreal offers some of the best nightclubs and cabarets to be found anywhere in Canada. The action seldom begins before 2200 and usually continues until the 0300 closing time, although on warm summer days, terrasses (patios) are spilling over with people throughout the day and the 5 à 7 (cinq à sept – 1700-1900) happy hour pulls in office workers. The legal minimum drinking age is 18 years.

Nightlife hotspots include rue Crescent, the preserve of the city’s anglophones and English-speaking tourists, and the French-style jazz cafés, clubs, bars, restaurants and bistros along rue St-Denis. The best buzz in the city is on boulevard St-Laurent, with its upscale bars and restaurants near rue Sherbrooke and more alternative and youthful places to the north.

The gay scene is concentrated in the Gay Village, on rue Ste-Catherine to the east of rue St-Hubert, and the whole street is closed off for a massive party following the Divers/Cité gay pride parade (website: www.diverscite.org) in early August. The big gay circuit parties, Black & Blue in early October and Hot & Dry in late May, draw thousands of visitors (website: www.bbcm.org).

For the latest on Montreal’s ever-evolving bar and club scene, check the listings in the free alternative weeklies, The Mirror (website: www.montrealmirror.com) and Hour (website: www.hour.ca).

Bars: On rue Crescent, Sir Winston Churchill Pub (Winnie’s) at number 1459 is a perennial favourite. Irish pubs downtown include Hurley’s Irish Pub, 1225 rue Crescent, and the Old Dublin, 1219a rue University, while at the trendier end of the scale is Blü Lounge at 2080 rue de la Montagne. For brew-pubs, try Brutopia, 1219 rue Crescent, Le Cheval Blanc, 809 rue Ontario East or, further afield in Outremont, Dieu du Ciel, 29 avenue Laurier West.

For French-Canadian culture, Les Deux Pierrots, 114 rue St-Paul East in Old Montreal, is a lively, noisy spot; Pub St-Paul, in a 19th-century building next door at number 124, is a bit quieter. In the Latin Quarter, Le St-Sulpice, 1680 rue St-Denis, draws a young, francophone crowd to its huge terrasse, while L’Ile Noire, 342 rue Ontario East, is a more laid-back whisky bar. Stylish bar-clubs like Sofa, 451 rue Rachel East, and the haunt of hip young media types, Mhotel, at number 951, are located just off the more upscale part of rue St-Denis further north. At nearby Bily Kun, 354 avenue du Mont-Royal East, stuffed ostrich heads overlook a bilingual crowd drinking local brews to loud music.

For boulevard St-Laurent, it is best to just walk along and find a bar that appeals. Worth checking out are the cool pool tables at Le Swimming, 3643 boulevard St-Laurent. DJ bars like Blizzarts and Laïka, further north at numbers 3956a and 4040, draw a hip young crowd. For something a bit quieter, try Else’s, 156 rue Roy East.

In the Village, Sky, 1474 rue Ste-Catherine East, is one of the most popular of the many gay bars. The multi-storey Drugstore, at number 1366, offers something for both sexes. Cabaret Mado, at number 1115, is renowned for its drag shows.

Casinos: The hugely successful Casino de Montréal (tel: (514) 392 2746 or 800 665 2274; website: www.casino-de-montreal.com) occupies the former French and Quebec pavilions on Ile Notre-Dame. In addition to over 100 gaming tables and 3,000 slot machines, there are four restaurants, numerous bars and a cabaret show. A free shuttle bus runs from the Centre Infotouriste on Square Dorchester from May to October. A passport is not required but photo ID may be necessary as proof of age – the minimum age is 18 years. The casino is open 24 hours a day and there is no admission fee.

Clubs: Newtown is a four-storey complex of restaurant, lounge and heaving dance club at 1476 rue Crescent; happening Club Blu, nearby at 1426 rue Stanley, also sprawls over four levels. Dôme, 32 rue Ste-Catherine West, draws a younger, more alternative crowd, while further up boulevard St-Laurent, Angel’s (at number 3604) is more mainstream. The stylish Living is a bit further north at number 4521, while still further is the trendy designer lounge Mile End Bar, with packed upstairs dance floor at number 5322. The hottest gay club in the city is Parking, 1296 rue Amherst.

Montreal’s after-hours clubs include Aria, 1280 rue St-Denis, and Stereo, 858 rue Ste-Catherine East. They stay open until around 1000 the next morning and play a good selection of house and techno music.

Comedy: The best time to visit Montreal for comedy is during the Festival Juste pour Rire (Just for Laughs Festival) in July (website: www.hahaha.com). Otherwise, Comedyworks, 1238 rue Bishop (tel: (514) 398 9661), Comedy Zone, 1740 boulevard René-Lévesque West (tel: (514) 937 3888; website: www.montrealcomedyzone.com) and Comedy Nest, 2313 rue Ste-Catherine West (tel: (514) 932 6378; website: www.comedynest.com) are amusing options.

Live Music: Big-name recording artists play the Bell Centre, 1260 rue de la Gauchetière West, and occasionally the city’s mid-size venues: Club Soda, Le Spectrum de Montréal, Cabaret Music Hall, Metropolis or Kola Note. Les Foufounes Electriques, 87 rue Ste-Catherine East, is renowned for alternative and punk bands. For a loungey, martini-soaked atmosphere, Jello Bar, 151 rue Ontario East, conjures up the appropriate music. Balattou, 4372 boulevard St-Laurent, is the best spot in the city for African music. Upstairs, 1254 rue Mackay, is the place for jazz. Casa del Popolo, 4873 boulevard St-Laurent (website: www.casadelpopolo.com) is an intimate performance space with an eclectic line-up from rock to spoken word.

City Statistics

Location: Province of Québec, Canada.
Country dialling code: 1.
Population: 1.8 million (city); 3.4 million (metropolitan area).
Time zone: GMT - 5 (GMT - 4 from first Sunday in April to last Sunday in October).
Electricity: 110 volts AC, 60Hz; regular two-pin and grounded three-pin US-style plugs are used.
Average January temp: - 10°C (13°F).
Average July temp: 21°C (70°F).
Annual rainfall: 723mm (28.5 inches).
Annual snowfall: 235cm (92.5 inches).

Special Events

This is just a selection of the special events and festivals that Montreal hosts every year. One of the best times to visit Montreal is during one of these innumerable festivals, especially in the summer when it seems that everyone is out on the streets.

La Fête des Neiges, winter festival (website: www.fetedesneiges.com), late Jan-mid-Feb, Ile Ste-Hélène
Montreal High Lights Festival, illuminations and performances (website: www.montrealhighlights.com), late Feb-early Mar, various venues in Downtown
St Patrick’s Day Parade, mid-Mar, rue Ste-Catherine
Tour de l’Ile de Montréal, world’s largest public bicycle race, part of the Montreal Bike Fest (website: www.velo.qc.ca/feria), late May-early Jun, around the island
Canadian Grand Prix (website: www.grandprix.ca), Jun, Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, Ile Notre-Dame
Beer Mundial (website: www.festivalmondialbiere.qc.ca), early Jun, Windsor Station
First Peoples’ Festival, film, art, music and dance celebrating native culture (website: www.nativelynx.qc.ca), mid-Jun, various venues
Montreal Fringe Festival, fringe theatre, with some comedy, music and dance (website: www.montrealfringe.ca), mid-Jun, various Plateau venues
Le Mondial SAQ, international fireworks competition (website: www.lemondialsaq.com), mid-Jun-late Jul, La Ronde
Fête Nationale du Québec, parade and celebrations (website: www.cfn.org), 24 Jun, throughout the city
Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (website: www.montrealjazzfest.com), late Jun-early Jul, Place des Arts and other venues
Just for Laughs Festival, comedy festival (website: www.hahaha.com), mid-Jul, rue St-Denis (Latin Quarter) and various venues
Festival International Nuits d’Afrique, African music festival (website: www.festivalnuitsdafrique.com), mid-Jul, place Emile-Gamelin and various venues
Divers/Cité, Montreal International Gay and Lesbian Pride Celebration (website: www.diverscite.org), late Jul-early Aug, the Village
Rogers Cup/Tennis Masters Series, women’s (even years) and men’s (odd years) international tennis championships (website: www.tenniscanada.com), mid-Aug, Uniprix Stadium, Jarry Park
Molson Indy Montreal, CART auto racing (website: www.molsonindy.com), late Aug, Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, Ile Notre-Dame
Montreal World Film Festival (website: www.ffm-montreal.org), late Aug-early Sep, Place des Arts and various cinemas in Downtown
image+nation (website: www.image-nation.org), international gay and lesbian film festival, late Sep, various cinemas
Black & Blue Festival, gay benefit party and cultural week (website: www.bbcm.org), early-mid-Oct, Olympic Stadium and around the Village
International Festival of New Cinema and New Media (website: www.fcmm.com), mid-Oct, Ex-Centris
Cinemania Film Festival, French-language films are screened with English subtitles (website: www.cinemaniafilmfestival.com), early-mid-Nov, Museum of Fine Arts

Cost of Living

1 Canadian Dollar (C$1) = £0.49; US$0.85; A$1.12; ¬0.72
Currency conversion rates as of October 2005