Canada - So tell me about Montreal...

Kid and I are planning a driving trip this summer, and considering a few days in Montreal in mid-July. My knowledge of Montreal ends about the time some colonies rebelled and separated from their British rulers, so I'm asking for the local experts here FT to share what they know with us.

We'd be arriving by car from the Lake Champlain area, and looking to stay 3 nights. My preference is to park the car upon arrival and walk or talk transit while in the city, so what neighborhood would you suggest for us? 5* is not us, we're more the "something nice under $200 (US or CDN)/night type", and there's a chance my cat may be traveling with us. (yes, I already found the Canada regs on bringing cat along, thank you.)

From Frommers.com, Kid has decided the following look good to him:

Jardin Botanique
Biodome
Labyrinth Shed 16
Basillique Notre-Dame
Biosphere

I might add a bike or boat ride and the Musee David Stewart. What would the locals suggest? BTW Kid is 12, loves history and museums.

Food: if you're familiar with the gluten-free diet, tell me what you know about Montreal! :)

Upon leaving Montreal, we would be heading west into Ontario, toward the Thousand Islands area to visit relatives. Anything en route particularly worth seeing?

My knowledge of Montreal ends about the time some colonies rebelled and separated from their British rulers

Well, in case of Quebec, it would be separation from France, which is why French is the official language there.

EmailKid

Well, in case of Quebec, it would be separation from France, which is why French is the official language there.

EmailKidI told you I didn't know much about Montreal! :)

However, I do know that French is the dominant language there. But I thought the Canadian laws required signs and public announcements to be bilingual; I know in BC and Alberta I've seen bilingual signs. No?

But I thought the Canadian laws required signs and public announcements to be bilingual; I know in BC and Alberta I've seen bilingual signs. No?

Oui, monsieur, mais ....

In Quebec the language police make sure that the English signs are much smaller if at all. The rest of Canada is officially bilingual but with exception of New Brunswick mostly English speaking.

I got by on my one and only visit to Montreal by brushing up on my high school French and starting a conversation with "bonjour" and a phrase or two in French. Oddly enough, when they hear I was trying while struggling they mostly replied in English with a French accent while telling me how good my French was :eek:

I knew better, but was happy to continue in English, because my high school French does not go very far :(

EmailKid

I recommend the Sheraton Centre on Rene Levesque.........good access to Metro, BIXI bikes, and check out special rates on starwood.com (they will post Canada Day sale shortly). DO NOT take their parking. Behind the hotel there is a National car rental shop and you can park there for much less (leave car for the duration of your stay to avoid special event parking rates!).

I also recommend the tour of the home of Montreal Canadians (right across from the Sheraton).

Check out the bagels (recommend Fairmount), the summer music fests, the views from Mount Royal, and the Science Centre.

Driving west, check out Upper Canada Village (Morrisburg) and the scenic drive on the Long Sault Parkway.

Stay in or near the Plateau neighborhood. It's a beautiful neighborhood filled with great restaurants, stores, cafes, street life, parks, etc. and is extremely well served by Metro. When I'm in town I usually stay at Chateau de l'Argoat, a small midmarket hotel that's really comfortable, a decent price, and half a block from a Metro station. If you stay in the Plateau, you can pretty much walk to everything in the central core of Montreal, and the Metro will take you everywhere else in under 15-20 minutes or so. The neighborhood is perhaps the coolest city neighborhood anywhere in North America - and I say that as a NYer. It's what Williamsburg, Brooklyn would be if it were populated by interesting people instead of smug trust-fund babies and Eurotrash.

Almost everyone in Montreal speaks English to some degree, although as a general rule the farther east you go, the less likely that is to be the case. In any event, if you preface your communications with people with a "bonjour, parlez-vous anglais?" or something similar, you should be fine. Just don't wander up to a local and start rambling off in English as if you own the place - that really doesn't go over too well with some segments of the population, although if you're an obvious American tourist they tend to let it slide.

Also be sure to check out the McGill campus and Parc Mont-Royal.

You and kid would also enjoy the excellently made, entertaining Pointe-à-Caillère museum in the old port, which presents the history of the city and the colony (which, technically, became part of the British empire after the French lost it, since when the Canadians have never violently rebelled against their British rulers... but I digress).

In terms of food, a summertime visit to either Atwater or Jean-Talon wetmarkets is a must, lots of yummy fresh produce, including plently of unprocessed stuff free of gluten.

To get around, the BIXI bike sharing system is great, and at $15 for 72h of unlimited 30min rides, it's a bargain.

Enjoy!

To get around, the BIXI bike sharing system is great, and at $15 for 72h of unlimited 30min rides, it's a bargain.

Enjoy!I'll pack the bike helmets.

But could you explain a bit more about the system? Does the bike have to be checked in somehow every 30 minutes?

And how are the bikes? The city bikes that I used in CPH are the worst excuse for pedal power that I have ever come across, so I do look at public bikes with a bit of a jaundiced eye.


To all the posters above, thanks for the various suggestions. I now have more ideas to start our planning and am looking forward to a good trip (but not the poutine!).

I'll pack the bike helmets.

But could you explain a bit more about the system? Does the bike have to be checked in somehow every 30 minutes?

And how are the bikes? The city bikes that I used in CPH are the worst excuse for pedal power that I have ever come across, so I do look at public bikes with a bit of a jaundiced eye.


To all the posters above, thanks for the various suggestions. I now more ideas to start our planning and am looking forward to a good trip (but not the poutine!).

If you get the day pass or 3 day pass.. you take out a bike and return it to any station in 30 minutes otherwise you'll get charged extra per hour. Smart thing to do is once 30 minutes is up find the nearest dock, park it and then wait 2 minutes and take out the bike again. You then have a new 30 minutes. www.bixi.com

bikes are ok for the most part. Every bike is slightly different..like renting a car... it really depends. If you do use it, i would check the breaks. Also the tires.. for some reason i had 2 flats in the same day just yesterday.

biking downtown is very good since there are bixi docks everywhere. Also for safety you can always use the maisonneuve bike path. It's a bike path that runs from one end of downtown to the other and there is a cement median so you don't need to worry about biking in the street and cars (HOV lane of sorts). though always be careful when crossing the intersections and watch for the left turning cars.

(which, technically, became part of the British empire after the French lost it, since when the Canadians have never violently rebelled against their British rulers... but I digress).
Well, actually, there was the Patriots Rebellion in 1836-37 in Lower Canada (now Quebec). :)

Another museum you may want to check out is the McCord Museum, right near the McGill University campus. It is a Montreal history museum. Also as someone mentioned Pointe-à-Callière is cool; you can see the vestiges of the city's foundation. Be sure to take a tour; they are quite informative.

I personally would suggest staying in old Montreal for its European feel. You will really feel like you are in another country, whereas certain other parts of the city, although nice, are very North American and may not be quite as fun, especially for your son. If you look, you can find deals. My parents got a good deal at the Hotel Intercontinental near the Palais des Congrès a few months back.

The labyrinth is at the old port. It's fun but shouldn't take you more than a half an hour or so to complete. Next to that, you can rent paddle boats in a little square lake. Also, at the old port you can rent quadricycles for two people, you can take a horse driven carriage ride, and visit the Centre des Sciences, where they have an IMAX screen (currently showing a 3d film about Arctic wildlife).

If your son likes amusement parks there is La Ronde (owned by Six Flags) on the same island as The Stewart Museum, although I would skip it unless your kid really wants to go (long lines/ expensive). The Stewart Museum is pretty nice but not huge, even though I haven't been since about 2003. When I went last, it was the middle of summer and my friend and I practically had the place to ourselves.

Other things you might consider: a cruise on the St-Lawrence, a rafting ride on the rapids (you can find places in the old city that offer them), the Botanical Gardens (one of the largest in North America), the Biodome (basically a zoo with 5 different ecosystems)...

Have a good time. You will find plenty to do!

At $7 per day I don't find the bikes so expensive I need to put the effort in to ensure I'm checked in every 30 minutes . . . but to each their own.

More information is available at https://montreal.bixi.com/
You may have to click on the small "English" button to get it to switch over.

On that note, as an English speaker, you will have no trouble in Montreal. A majority of the population is able to have a fluent conversation in English and a significant percentage of Montrealers are actually anglophones!

Not sure about the interests of your kid but you can do a combo drive/hike around the Mount Royal area. Sections have a great view of the city. Fun fact: Mount Royal (pronounced Mon - re - all in French) is the source of Montreal's name.

Ajouter votre texte

Ajouter votre texte Not sure why that happened! Oh, iPhone!

I had written a second messages about bikes that somehow got erased.

Anyway, I basically said that if you don't want to worry about having to bring the bixis back every 30 minutes you can easily rent bikes for the day at several places at the old port. If you do so, you might consider biking along the port to Canal Lachine, which is a nice little ride. :)

Anyway, I basically said that if you don't want to worry about having to bring the bixis back every 30 minutes you can easily rent bikes for the day at several places at the old port. If you do so, you might consider biking along the port to Canal Lachine, which is a nice little ride. :)I think that's more likely what we'd do, a longer, scenic ride away from city traffic.

The boat ride piece of the trip will likely end up being a day on the river in the Thousand Islands area with cousins, so we may pass on it in Montreal.

As for Old World neighborhoods, Kid has enough stamps in his passport to know what those are like, and would prefer a hotel with a genuine North American bathroom. ;) And museums are more his thing than a Six Flags park.

Aioli, could you explain what a wetmarket is? Are you familiar with any of the GF bakeries in Montreal?

and would prefer a hotel with a genuine North American bathroom.
Pretty much any place you stay will have a "genuine North American bathroom." We don't really do the split WC- wash area here in Montreal like they do in Europe. So that shouldn't be a worry anywhere you stay. :)

Olive et Gourmando, a great bakery/ breakfast place in old Montreal has quite a few gluten-free options. They will be jam packed if you go before 9 am...
One of the best bakeries for gluten-free options, however, is in the plateau neighbourhood. It is called Le Petit Fourneau (on Rachel street between St-Hubert and St-Andre).

Oh, I just saw that the Continental Bistro on the plateau has a quite a few gluten-free options ("sans gluten" in French, btw). Their website is only in French, but they have at least seven gluten free options on their menu. Le Continental is probably one of the best known restaurants on the plateau.

They even have a few vegetarian options now, which they definitely did not a few years ago. New chef/ owner, I believe, who is more conscious of alternative diets/ needs.

Aioli, could you explain what a wetmarket is? Are you familiar with any of the GF bakeries in Montreal?Not familiar with any GF bakeries since I have the privilege of indulging in wheat - sorry. It may be a British term but "wet markets" simply refer to fresh food markets with butchers, fishmongers, grocers, fruit sellers etc. versus a flea markets or bazaars.

Regarding the BIXI bikes, they are meant for many short hops across the city, vs. longer bike tours away from the city. While the 30min are included in the daily flat fee, the charge for 31-60min is negligible. But the longer you keep them beyond that, the more expensive it gets.

And how are the bikes? The city bikes that I used in CPH are the worst excuse for pedal power that I have ever come across, so I do look at public bikes with a bit of a jaundiced eye.
You have a lot of responses but here goes. BiXi is a contraction of bicycle and taxi - think of it as a point-to-point transportation system and no more. The bikes are all the same model and are maintained by a company that keeps on top of things. The same ones are now in Toronto and New York. They are widely used but you have to follow the rules and plan to keep any one bike out for less than 30 minutes. You can keep checking in and out all day as long as you don't hang onto it. If you want a long-term rental, go to a bike shop that offers it. The park on Mount Royal has nice places to ride and to walk but there are roads with cars too - Olmstead designed it after he did Central Park in New York with lots of the same elements of nature and roads combined. The current student tuition protests are to be avoided or at least be aware of them. They can cause some inconvenience. The hills and traffic in some parts of the city make biking something that takes planning. I use the Metro and walk in Montreal although I am a cyclist. If you want a cycling trip, there's a rail trail in the Laurentians.

think of it as a point-to-point transportation system and no more.

That was the impression I got from the one in DEN. One of the largest bike racks was in front of the commuter train terminal, and I saw them drive quite a few bikes in a trailer, I assume to reposition for afternoon commute.

Hence the short time (relatively). Enough time to commute but not to go pleasure riding. The two minute break between rentals seems short, but suppose would cut down on casual bike riding.

EmailKid, wishing to visit again

P.S., on my visit a few years ago I Pricelined both a hotel (next to old town) and a car for very good price, though the exact amount escapes me.

Lots of great advice here of course. I am headed back up there again over July 4 for a few days. My only other visit was 8 years ago.

If your kid likes museums and history then just wandering around the old town will be fun. There's a small museum down there called the Montreal Museum of Archaeology and History that I really enjoyed. It's very close to Notre Dame.

There's also a giant church called St. Joseph's Oratory that I found to be very much worth a visit. I think it is out by the Jean Talon Market.

Your list is a good one I think. Although I was not a big fan of Biodome I really liked the Biosphere quite a lot as well as the Botanic Garden.

It's very easy to get around the city by public transport. You can get a 3 day pass for $16. http://www.stm.info/English/tarification/a-grilletarif.htm

Montreal Tourism has a great travel guide too http://octgm.com/guide/
You can get a hard copy if you prefer instead of the pdf.
"Bonjour Glenn,

We're glad you like our Official Tourist Guide and appreciate the praise !

To obtain an individual printed copy of our guide book (or up to 3 copies), we invite you to contact the Infotourist Centre at the following email address : info@bonjourquebec.com<mailto:info@bonjourquebec.com>"

There's also a giant church called St. Joseph's Oratory that I found to be very much worth a visit. I think it is out by the Jean Talon Market.
St. Joseph's Oratory (DEFINITELY worth a visit) is actually in the Westmount neighborhood...and Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery is just a few blocks away and worth your time as well. Jean Talon Market is in the Petite Italie/Petite Patrie area. Easy Metro ride between the two locations/neighborhoods.

St. Joseph's Oratory (DEFINITELY worth a visit) is actually in the Westmount neighborhood...and Notre Dame des Neiges Cemetery is just a few blocks away and worth your time as well. Jean Talon Market is in the Petite Italie/Petite Patrie area. Easy Metro ride between the two locations/neighborhoods.

Thanks for that correction. I must be thinking of some other market I seem to recall visiting the same day. But it was a loooong time ago too. :-)

BTW Kid is 12, loves history and museums.

I have seen the Pointe à Calliere museum mentioned upthread, and it is extremely well done.

If your son/daughter needs another fix of history please allow me to recommend the Chateau Ramezay (http://www.chateauramezay.qc.ca/).

A great museum in a 307 year-old building nestled in a beautiful setting right next to Place Jacques-Cartier.

Hope you enjoy my hometown!

I have seen the Pointe à Calliere museum mentioned upthread, and it is extremely well done.

If your son/daughter needs another fix of history please allow me to recommend the Chateau Ramezay (http://www.chateauramezay.qc.ca/).

A great museum in a 307 year-old building nestled in a beautiful setting right next to Place Jacques-Cartier.

Hope you enjoy my hometown!

I was on a solo trip in Montréal in September and it's one of my favorite places. You will love it!

I second Château Ramezay... I feel like that place is often overlooked but it's definitely worth a visit if you want to know more about Montréal's history. After you finish at the Château you can walk down the hill (past those expensive touristytrap restos!) and visit Vieux Montréal (Old Montreal). You will feel like you're in Europe! In fact, I recommend that you take a walking tour of Vieux Montréal, they leave from Notre Dame (also worth a visit) and are offered in English & French. A free Notre Dame entry is included with the tour also.

If you feel like shopping you must check out Rue Sainte-Catherine which is the main drag in downtown and also (one of the) main shopping areas, and is easily accessible by subway (métro en français)...

Any Montrealer will tell you that they love food so be sure to sample the local cuisine if you can. Do not miss out on the smoked meat sandwiches at Schwarz's (Viande fumée), and you absolutely must try a Montréal bagel also. I do not know where you are from, but I live in a Chicago suburb with a huge Jewish population (so I know a good bagel!), and I promise you, the bagels in Montréal (preferably from Fairmount) are the best ones you'll ever eat! Also, if you feel particularly hungry be sure to try Poutine (I liked La Banquise on Rue Rachel best... it's right by a park so if you wanted you could take it to go and eat it at the park nearby...great views of the lake and nature). Also hit up one of the markets (marché) if you can; my favorite one was Atwater market... if you like people watching, you could get yourself lunch from one of the vendors and just sit and watch people for hours. I did that one of the afternoons I was there back in September, and it was very enjoyable. Jean Talon Market is also great but I liked Atwater better myself.

If it's your cup of tea, you should also visit the Holocaust Museum which is in one of the Anglophone areas of the city, kind of off the beaten path (it's a residential area so not many people go there). Every time I visit a new city, I always visit the Holocaust Museum and have visited many throughout North America & Europe. Honestly, the one in Montréal is the best one I've seen to date. I also suggest you go to the Jardin Botanique as it's very pretty (the visit will only take a bit more than an hour, bring your camera), and be sure to visit Mont Royal - great views of the city from the top of the mountain if that's your type of thing.

I could go on and on about Montréal... I first visited when I was 16 and fell in love immediately; it has been a goal of mine to live there ever since. Bon voyage!

I second Château Ramezay... I feel like that place is often overlooked but it's definitely worth a visit if you want to know more about Montréal's history. After you finish at the Château you can walk down the hill (past those expensive touristytrap restos!) and visit Vieux Montréal (Old Montreal). You will feel like you're in Europe! In fact, I recommend that you take a walking tour of Vieux Montréal, they leave from Notre Dame (also worth a visit) and are offered in English & French. A free Notre Dame entry is included with the tour also.

Any Montrealer will tell you that they love food so be sure to sample the local cuisine if you can. Do not miss out on the smoked meat sandwiches at Schwarz's (Viande fumée), and you absolutely must try a Montréal bagel also. I do not know where you are from, but I live in a Chicago suburb with a huge Jewish population (so I know a good bagel!), and I promise you, the bagels in Montréal (preferably from Fairmount) are the best ones you'll ever eat! Also, if you feel particularly hungry be sure to try Poutine (I liked La Banquise on Rue Rachel best... it's right by a park so if you wanted you could take it to go and eat it at the park nearby...great views of the lake and nature).
Thanks for the sight-seeing tips, will definitely look into those options.

However, poutine and bagels are no-no's for us, as we both must eat strictly gluten-free. I've heard there are a couple GF bakeries that are quite good, and would love to see a review of them if anyone has tried one.

There's a thread in this forum on the smoked meat, and we're looking forward to trying it.

However, poutine and bagels are no-no's for us, as we both must eat strictly gluten-free. I've heard there are a couple GF bakeries that are quite good, and would love to see a review of them if anyone has tried one.

There's a thread in this forum on the smoked meat, and we're looking forward to trying it.

Sorry, I got so excited talking about Montréal that I forgot about that detail... they may have Gluten-free options? Something to look into, as many people need to maintain gluten-free diets these days... maybe they try to accommodate that?

Yes, the smoked meat is OUT of this world. My mouth is watering right now at the thought of it. I just planned a trip to Ottawa for this coming September/October and now almost want to drive to Montréal just to have one ;)

I posted that I was travelling in a few weeks to Ottawa for Van Gogh and Bluesfest in eriquita's thread, and that's part of a road trip with Montreal as its previous stop. It'll be my third time in Montreal in just over a year and fourth time in just under two years.

I definitely recommend Pointe-a-Calliere for your kid who's into museums, and the Centre des Sciences is great as well. If your kid likes both those places, I'd recommend staying in Old Montreal; I'm heading back to the Springhill Suites on Rue Jean-Baptiste.

I've never done Bixi, but it looks well-run. They have Hubway here in Boston, which looks to be set up the same, and I don't own a bike helmet up here so I can't use it!

Food: if you're familiar with the gluten-free diet, tell me what you know about Montreal! :)


As for food Green Panther is a great place for organic healthy food(gluten free as well). They have two locations too.

http://www.thegreenpanther.com/menu.html

There are a couple health shops you can check out too.

happycow.net is a great resource for people with vegetarian or gluten free diets

have fun in montreal.