In preparation for a trip to Paris in 2012, I resolved to learn French. Although my grand plan of being able to converse with the natives didn’t come close to materializing, I made enough progress to order dinner, buy a baguette, negotiate grocery aisles, ask for (and give) directions, read signs, and make halting small talk with the hotel concierge.
No point in letting all that study go to waste, right? Before my skills vanished in the stroke of a memory lapse, I decided to visit Montreal.
This metropolitan island in Quebec’s St. Lawrence Seaway is the second-largest French-speaking city in the world (Paris is first) and probably the most European city on this side of the pond (along with New Orleans). French is Montreal’s official language. Stores must display their names in French. People applying to immigrate to Quebec are required to display an intermediate mastery of oral and written French.
More than half of Montreal’s occupants comprehend English and French, but if they’re like Parisians, they’ll appreciate my attempts to communicate before addressing me in my native tongue, right? At least that was my theory.
I needn’t have worried. Every Montrealer I encountered could speak English. I’d open any conversation with a cheery bonjour, which inevitably drew a response in English. They can see us Americans coming from a mile away.
But my studies weren’t in vain. I felt proud about being able to use menus printed in French, instead of having to default to the English versions. And it was rewarding to be able to read street signs, historic markers, maps, transportation instructions and such in French. Residents on the streets converse in all sorts of languages, my favorite being an entertaining and easy-to-understand mix of English and French, using whatever word best fits the situation. So if you know French, it’ll come in handy. If you don’t, it won’t be a problem.
Now that the communications are sorted out, what’s Montreal like, you may wonder? The first impression is how spotless it is. Hardly any trash. Few ground-out cigarette butts (although plenty of people smoke). City trucks with automated contraptions that reach to the sidewalks to water trees planted along downtown streets. Colorful pots of flowers. Lots of dogs, but no doggie waste on the sidewalks.
Warm weather doesn’t last long this far north, so people make the most of it. There are bike lanes everywhere, filled with commuters as well as hard-riding helmeted road bikers. Residents dress like it’s July in Arkansas (although the 60-degree temperatures in early September may feel a bit chilly to a Southerner). Many restaurants have inviting outdoor patios.
Although Montreal has excellent public transportation, it’s urban, and it’s relatively compact, so people walk. Three destinations are well suited to walking:
Southeast of downtown at the base of Boulevard St. Laurent and Rue St. Denis you’ll find Old Montreal, a charming touristy area that has been around since the 17th century.Its cobblestone streets (mainly Rue Notre Dame and Rue St. Paul) are crammed with restaurants, churches (Eglise de Notre Dame de Bon Secours, or Sailors Church, 400 Rue St. Paul Street Est, is very pretty), small museums, boutiques, art galleries and tasteful souvenir stores. The area is especially attractive atnight, with twinkling lights, the majestic Hotel de Ville, 275 Rue Notre Dame Est, and cheerful visitors filling the streets. Cobblestones are hard to negotiate in heels, though, so ladies might want to consider wearing flats.
North of Old Montreal along Rue St. Denis is the Latin Quarter, which reminds me of a cross between Sixth Street in Austin, Texas, and Adams Morgan in Washington, as it’s lined with bars, reasonably priced ethnic eateries, more bars, funky boutiques and shops, boulangeries (bakeries) and Starbucks. Restaurants include Peruvian, Tibetan, Portuguese, Spanish, Indian, Thai, Belgian, Japanese and Mexican, the latter being popular with the young crowd from the University of Quebec at Montreal who live and attend college nearby. The area is a hotbed of street parties, including a recent emerging arts festival (free admission) with music, theatrical performances, visual arts (pots of washable paint were set along the curb so visitors could express themselves on the pavement) and dancing.
Mount Royal is three wooded hills just west of downtown that soar (well, sortof ) to a height of 692 feet (for comparison’s sake, our Pinnacle Mountain has an elevation of 1,011 feet). It’s a lovely green space with wide, graveled walkways filled with bicyclists, walkers, joggers, kids and dogs that lead to the summit. There you’ll find a gorgeous overview of the city and the St. Lawrence River as well as Chalet du Mont Royal. Built in 1932 in the French Beaux Arts style, it’s a graceful structure with a spacious interior lined with paintings and sculptures reflecting Montreal’s history, that can hold 700 visitors. Admission to the park (and the chalet) is free.
Another attraction best seen on foot is Ile St. Helene (St. Helen’s Island), linked by several bridges to south Montreal. It’s the home of the Biosphere (built in 1967 as part of the U.S. pavilion at Expo 67 - the 1967 World’s Fair - and now an environmental museum); Habitat 67 (built in 1967 using 354 prefabricated concrete forms arranged in various combinations to create 146 residences of varying sizes; it’s considered a model housing community); La Ronde amusement park operated by Six Flags, complete with a huge Ferris wheel and looming roller coasters; and the relaxing green space for strolling, bicycling and picnicking that is Parc Jean-Drapeau.
Signs aren’t the greatest in Montreal. Nor are the maps. So if you find yourself confused by your surroundings, don’t hesitate to ask a passer-by for directions. You can start your inquiry with Excusez-moi, ou est …? You’ll likely get your answer in English.
If You GoGetting there: American Airlines has convenient regional jet service to Montreal via Chicago. Other flights are available on U.S. Airways, Delta and United. You need a U.S. passport to travel to Canada by air.
Ground transportation: The 747 bus line runs 24/7 and makes 11 stops between Montreal’s Pierre Trudeau International Airport and the central bus station at Gare d’autocars de Montreal. The 45- to 60-minute trip is $9 (the fare is good for a period of 24 hours). Buses run approximately every 15 minutes.
Hotels: A bargain in a perfect location is Hotel St. Denis, 1254 Rue St. Denis, between the Latin Quarter and Old Montreal and downtown. You’ll find reasonable prices for quiet, comfortable hardwood-floored rooms with flat-screen TV, a coffeemaker and high-speed Internet access. Check out hotel-st-denis.com or phone (514) 849-4526.
Money: $1 U.S. equals $1.04 Canadian. Sales tax in Montreal is 15 percent.
What to eat: You can’t leave Montreal without sampling poutine, made in the style of the house that serves it. Poutine consists of French fries covered with fresh cheese curds and topped with a thin, peppery brown gravy. Try the versions at Les 3 Brasseurs (a brew pub with several locations in Montreal, including Rue St. Denis, Old Montreal and downtown) and Frite Alors, another local chain with an excellent blond brew that goes nicely with the smoked meat poutine.
Smoked meats are a big deal. They aren’t hard to find.
And every guidebook I consulted raved about Montreal bagels, but I never encountered a bagelry while wandering through the city. Bagel fans will have better luck by going directly to St. Viateur Bagel, 263 Rue St. Viateur Ouest, or Fairmont Bagel, 74 Avenue Fairmount Ouest.
You can buy beer and wine at most depanneurs (convenience stores) and at SAQ , a string of attractive spirits stores located around the city.
- Karen Martin
For more information, visit tourisme-montreal.org.
Travel, Pages 54 on 09/29/2013