Montréal is the second largest French-speaking city in the world after Paris. The economic and cultural center of Québec is a cosmopolitan city vibrating with joie de vivre.
The lively bilingual city retains much of its European heritage, particular in the old city, Vieux-Montréal. Large stone buildings and churches edge the many cobblestone streets and squares. At Place Jacques-Cartier, street performers entertain customers in the square’s sidewalk cafés.
Celine Dion chose the glorious Notre-Dame-de-Montréal Basilica for her wedding. Smaller weddings take place in its Sacré Coeur Chapel. Model ships given as thanks by sailors hang inside Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours, the sailors’ church.
Château Ramezay, built for a French governor, the Centre of History and the Pointe-à-Callière Archaeology and History Museum look at the city’s past. The home of politician Georges-Étienne Cartier’s shows life in a 19th-century family home.
Islands in the St. Lawrence River house a casino, La Ronde amusement park and Montréal’s Old Fort with the military Stewart Museum.
Up the hill, in central Montréal, are two major art galleries and the Canadian Centre for Architecture with rotating examples of architects’ work. Opposite McGill University, the McCord Museum of Contemporary History documents Canadian life.
Numerous ornately decorated churches reflect Montréal’s strong religious heritage. The largest, St. Joseph’s Oratory, sits partway up Mont Royal, a mountain park in the middle of the city.
Olympic Stadium’s leaning tower dominates the eastern skyline. In the complex, the Biodome displays Arctic to tropical landscapes. Across the road, the Botanical Garden boasts a Japanese garden.
Festivals enliven Montréal year round. The top summer events are the Montréal International Jazz Festival, the Just for Laughs comedy festival and the Montréal Chamber Music Festival. In winter, Montréal hosts four nearly simultaneous festivals, starting with Fête des Neiges.
Montréal reputedly has more restaurants per capita than any other Canadian city. The chic L’Express is among the many lining St-Denis and St-Laurent in the Latin Quarter. Other top restaurants are Toqué in Old Montréal, downtown’s Caprices de Nicolas with French cuisine, Il Mulino in Little Italy and, for Greek food, Milos. Ben’s downtown specializes in the Montréal favorite, smoked meat.
Written by: Mary Ann Simpkins
