Appreciated for its quality of life, its gourmet addresses, its ease of transport, its wide-open spaces and the friendliness of its people, Montreal is increasingly renowned for its street art, bold design and food addresses.
By Eric Vancleynenbreugel
Day 1
9am: we take the metro (yellow line) to Île Sainte-Hélène, Jean-Drapeau stop. From the shore, the view embraces the entire skyline behind the St. Lawrence! On the island itself, you'll find some fine remnants of the World's Fair held there in 1967: the Biosphère, a geodesic dome with a very contemporary look, built for the former US pavilion, and the Quebec pavilion, now a casino. On the western tip, an immense sculpture by Calder -L'Homme- salutes the St. Lawrence.
10 a.m.: return on the same metro line to the center, Berri-Uqam stop. This is the heart of the Latin Quarter (the Université de Québec is next door), which revolves around Saint-Denis and Sainte-Catherine streets. In July and August, permanent entertainment on Place Gamelin.
Right next door, the Village is Montreal's gay district. Here, rue Sainte-Catherine is given back to pedestrians and terraces every summer. At 1436 Rue Ataken, push open the door of the ‘Rage’ club to step into the shoes of a Canadian lumberjack and try your hand at target-axe throwing (www.rageaxethrowing.com) !
12:30 pm: lunch at Lov's (464 MC Gill St.), https://lov.com, Victoria square station). A 100% vegan address where you'll find yourself seduced by the diversity and tastes of dishes such as the vegan mozzarella cheeseburger or the coconut curry with roasted butternut squash and heirloom carrots.
1:30 pm: Head for the streets of the old city and port. Choose between a visit to the exciting and interactive Cité d'archéologie et d'histoire de Montréal (www.pacmusee.qc.ca) set up on the very spot where the city was founded, or stay outside by downloading the free ‘Montréal en histoires’ app (www.montrealenhistoires.com) to follow the 27-panel tour - the longest in the world - featuring outdoor projections and augmented reality experiences that retrace the history of Montreal.
4:30 p.m.: For fun and a different view of the city and the river, board the Ferris wheel installed in the port (www.lagranderouedemontreal.com).
5 p.m.: just across the street, sit on the terrace or inside, next to the vats of the BreWskey microbrewery (385 rue de la Commune), www.brewskey.ca) housed in the former Marché Bonsecours building, which was once the town hall. Typically Québécois snacks and a choice of house beers, including some excellent IPAs.
6pm: like 6 evenings a week, a fabulous sound and light show of rare beauty takes place at the Basilique Notre-Dame. «Aura», as it's called, was imagined by a local start-up and further magnifies the architecture of the building. Sublime! (www.aurabasiliquemontreal.com, reservation essential).
7:15pm: we end the day at the spaghetti factory (273 rue Saint Paul E, www.lusinedespaghettimtl.com) while enjoying lobster pasta in a warm, woodsy setting.
Day 2
8:45 am: Let's drop by the Jean-Talon market, specializing in fresh produce. Ristoranti, trattorie, pasticcerie, it doesn't take long to realize you're in Little Italy. Between shopping and a little ristretto, you'll have a wonderful time.
9:30 am: from here, it's a short walk to the Mile End district. Marginal and cosmopolitan, it's the place to go for vintage finds, especially thrift shops. And don't forget to try Montreal's famous bagels at Fairmount Bagel, an institution in its own right. Open 24/7! Did you know that Montreal bagels are boiled in honey-sweetened water and then baked in a wood-fired oven? Italy again: just next door, for a few dollars, the famous Drogheria Fine run by the Gattuso family, renowned for its nonna tomato sauces and takeaway gnocchi.
10:30 am: Stroll through the Plateau-Mont Royal district. Young and arty, bars, boutiques, bookstores and restaurants rub shoulders with former textile mills and churches transformed into condominiums. From bustling shopping streets to charming streets of colorful houses and spiral staircases. Montreal is even the world capital of exterior staircases (and balconies): straight, single or double, L-shaped or S-shaped. The reason is simple: if installed indoors, they would lose a lot of heat.
1 p.m.: we stop off at Chat l'Heureux (172 Duluth East), https://cafechatlheureux.com), Montreal's first-ever cat bar, for a session of purr therapy and lunch in feline company. A truly ‘chatbuleux’ place.
2pm: take bus no. 11 (opposite the Mont-Royal metro station) to climb Mont Royal, a 223 m «mountain» topped by belvederes overlooking the entire city: breathtaking views guaranteed. This green oasis was designed by the architect of New York's Central Park. Take the 256-step staircase down to Peel Street.
5pm: on the way to the OASIS permanent immersive space, we enter the Palais des Congrès (metro access Place d'Armes), part of RESO, the world's largest underground complex. This connects buildings and metro stations, allowing you to move around, go to work, eat or store without leaving the building. It's also an opportunity to discover Claude Cormier's «Nature légère», a surrealist installation that appears like a pink forest. We then immerse ourselves in the immersive experience «Transformed» (www.oasis.im): 8 stories where courage and empathy are the central themes.
7:30 pm: meal full of surprises at O'Thym (1112 bd Maisonneuve E, www.othym.com). Vegan or not, the dishes are a testament to the chef's creativity, as he brilliantly transforms unusual local dishes such as ferns, rutabaga, daylilies and Canadian scallops. Another special feature: here, you bring your own wine (or beer), as more and more Quebec restaurants are doing.
9:30 pm: night stopover at ‘Foufounes électriques’ (87, rue Sainte-Catherine E, www.foufouneselectriques.com), legendary bar/concert venue and temple of underground culture since the ‘80s.
Eric Vancleynenbreugel
Day 3
9:15 am: Metro to the Olympic district (Pie-IX station), where the 1976 Olympics were held. Over the years, the stadium has become a symbol of Montreal, not least because of its tower, the tallest inclined tower in the world. Guides accompany visitors, sharing both the technical details of its construction and anecdotes gleaned over the years and events.
10 a.m.: next door, the Rio Tinto Alcan planetarium (https://espacepourlavie.ca/acces/planetarium): bold design, gleaming steel domes and state-of-the-art immersive projections. Or if the weather is fine, spend at least two hours at the Botanical Gardens (https://espacepourlavie.ca/jardin-botanique), ranked among the most beautiful in the world.
12:30 p.m.: lunch at Le Central (30 Ste-Catherine St. W.), https://lecentral.ca), with 25 signature kiosks to choose from. The aim: to bring gastronomy within everyone's reach.
1:30 p.m.: Metro to Square Victoria, from where we enter the highly successful Montreal World Trade Center, part of RESO. Its imposing glass roof houses several historic buildings and part of an old alleyway, as well as a majestic fountain, a section of the Berlin Wall and a mural entitled ‘Circulations’. At the end of winter, RESO's corridors are transformed into an immense exhibition gallery, stretching over some ten kilometers (www.artsouterrain.com) !
2pm: at Fondation PHI (451 and 465 rue Saint-Jean, www.fondation.phi.ca), the spotlight is on contemporary art, in the form of striking exhibitions and experiments. Admission is free, and the guided tour is fascinating!
3:30 pm: why not round off your stay with a completely offbeat moment of relaxation? Set up on a boat in the old port, Bota Bota is a spa unlike any other in the world. On the menu: sauna, steam bath, massages, Jacuzzi... and even a swimming pool!
7:15pm: Tonight, a gastronomic stopover at Le Bivouac (1255 rue Jeanne Mance), www.restaurantbivouac.com), for a meal of boreal cuisine. Located at 6e On the first floor of the Double Tree (the terrace offers an unforgettable view), its French chef calls on the best local producers as well as all the best that the Great North Forest has to offer.
Montreal, capital of murals
Art is everywhere in Montreal, even on the walls. For several years now, a festival has been leaving its mark on the city's facades. Mural‘, as it's called, has transformed the city into a vast open-air museum. Starting with Saint-Laurent Boulevard and the Plateau-Mont-Royal district. The styles vary, sometimes provocative, sometimes poetic, but never indifferent. The most famous mural depicts Montreal-born singer Leonard Cohen. Located on Crescent Street, it can also be admired from Mount Royal.
Carnet de voyage :
Find out more Tourisme Montréal, www.mtl.org.
Accommodation A l'Adresse du Centre-ville, 1673 rue St-Christophe, https://aladresseducentreville.com. A beautifully located guesthouse close to the metro and bus station (with direct links to the airport). Robert and Nathalie are the perfect hosts, welcoming and full of advice on places to visit and good addresses.
Transportation STM public transport season tickets (metro and bus), www.stm.info).
Read Simplissime Québec«, Hachette. The title says it all, as this straight-to-the-point guide helps you quickly put together an effective sightseeing program.
