Home > City Guide  - Montreal
USACity Overview 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. 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 (which was later renamed Montreal, after the French for the local mountain – Mont Royal), 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 60% 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 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. The other tourist must-see is the legacy of another international event: the 1976 Summer Olympics. The Big ‘O’ (the Olympic Stadium) has the world’s tallest inclined tower and is next door to the city’s 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 The two international airports serving Montreal are operated by Aéroports de Montréal (website: www.admtl.com). Almost all scheduled flights operate from Dorval while Mirabel handles charter and cargo flights. The L’Aérobus airport shuttle service (tel: (514) 931 9002) connects the two airports (journey time – 45 minutes). The schedule (available on the airport website) is irregular, based on flight times at Mirabel. Fares cost C$18 one way and C$28 return (concessions available). Transit passengers can travel for free if their connection is within 15 hours. Taxis and limousines cost C$65 and C$80, respectively. Montreal-Dorval (YUL) Tel: (514) 394 7377 or (800) 465 1213. Website: www.admtl.com The airport is located 25km (15 miles) west of the city centre. It handles over eight million passengers annually on national and international flights. Major airlines: The national airline is Air Canada (tel: (514) 393 3333; website: www.aircanada.ca). Other carriers serving the airport include Air Creebec, Air France, Air Inuit, Air Nova, Air Ontario, American Airlines, British Airways, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, First Air, Northwest Airlines and US Airways. 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. Business facilities: There are a number of airline executive lounges. Arrival/departure tax: A C$15 airport improvement fee is payable upon departure. Transport to the city: The L’Aérobus airport shuttle service (tel: (514) 931 9002) runs every 30 minutes 0700-0100 daily, linking Dorval Airport with the Montreal Bus Central Station (journey time – 45 minutes) and the Aérobus Station (journey time – 35 minutes). From the Aérobus Station, passengers can take the complimentary shuttle service to major downtown hotels. Fares cost C$11 one way and C$19.75 return (concessions available). 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. Fares cost C$2 one way. The fixed fare for a taxi to downtown Montreal is C$28; a limousine will cost around C$48. Montreal-Mirabel (YMX) Tel: (514) 394 7377 or (800) 465 1213. Website: www.admtl.com Used principally for charter and cargo flights, the city’s other international airport is located 53km (33 miles) northwest of the downtown area. Major airlines: Mirabel is served by Air Transat (tel: (877) 872 6728; website: www.airtransat.com). Only one other charter company, Haiti Air Charter serves the airport. Airport facilities: Facilities include bureaux de change, ATMs, restaurants, cafés, bars, duty free and other shops, newsagents, tourist information and a hotel. Car hire services are provided by Avis, Budget, Hertz, National and Thrifty. Business facilities: There are two VIP lounges at the airport. Arrival/departure tax: A C$10 airport improvement fee is payable upon departure. Transport to the city: The L’Aérobus airport shuttle service (tel: (514) 931 9002) has an irregular round-the-clock schedule (based on flight arrival times). It links Mirabel Airport with the Aérobus Station (journey time – 1 hour 5 minutes) and Montreal Bus Central Station (journey time – 1 hour 15 minutes). Fares cost C$20 one way and C$30 return (concessions available). The fare for a taxi to downtown Montreal is C$69; a limousine will cost at least C$90. 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 Once the second largest port on the continent, the significance of the Port of Montreal (tel: (514) 283 7050; website: www.port-montreal.com) began to decline when the St Lawrence Seaway opened in 1959, allowing ships to bypass the city. Today, it is still the most important container port on this side of the North Atlantic (although most of the facilities have been relocated further east from the historic Old Port area), handling some nine million tons of containerised cargo per year (20 million tons of cargo in total). From June to October, a number of cruise ships stop at the Gare Maritime Iberville (Iberville Passenger Terminal) on the Alexandra Pier (in the Old Port). Ferry services: Navettes Maritimes du Saint-Laurent (tel: (514) 281 8000) only operate short-distance passenger ferries – Old Port–Longueuil and Old Port–Ile Ste-Hélène. Hourly departures are from Jacques-Cartier Pier, the cost is C$3.50 each way and the service runs from May to October. Transport to the city: The cruise ship and passenger ferry terminals are located in Old Montreal. The nearest métro stations are Place-d’Armes or Square Victoria. 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. 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: (514) 284 2363; 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 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. Driving times to Montreal: From Ottawa – 1 hour 50 minutes; Quebec – 2 hours 35 minutes; Toronto – 5 hours 30 minutes; New York – 7 hours. 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 (website: www.orleansexpress.com) is the main coach company within the province of Quebec. Greyhound Canada States (tel: (800) 661 8747; website: www.greyhound.ca) runs services from Canadian destinations west of Ottawa as well as the United. Other coach services include Adirondack Trailways (website: www.trailways.com) from New York City, Coach Canada (tel: (800) 461 7661; website: www.coachcanada.com) from Toronto and Voyageur Colonial Buses (website: www.voyageur.com) 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) 835 8725 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 is well served by restaurants and is directly linked to the Underground City’s network of shops and hotels. Trains arriving from the west also stop at 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 (journey time – 3 hours) to the east, and Ottawa (journey time – 2 hours) and Toronto (journey time – 4-5 hours; night train – 8 hours) to the west. Eastern transcontinental services are the daily Ocean from Halifax (journey time – 19 hours 15 minutes) and the thrice-weekly Chaleur from Gaspé (journey time – 17 hours 20 minutes), both with economy and sleeper classes. Amtrak runs daily trains from New York and Washington, DC (journey times – 9 hours 20 minutes and 15 hours 15 minutes, respectively). Transport to the city: The Central Station is linked by the Underground City to Bonaventure and McGill métro stations. Commuter trains and bus 211 to Lionel-Groulx métro station run from Dorval Station. 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 la Communauté urbaine de Montréal – STCUM (tel: (514) 288 6287; website: www.stcum.qc.ca). 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, ten of which are linked to the Underground City. It is integrated with the 150 STCUM 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 0600-0100 and are supplemented by a limited system of night buses. The métro and bus routes also link to the four commuter rail lines, connecting Montreal with the outer suburbs. One-way adult fares for STCUM services anywhere on the island are C$2; a carnet of six tickets costs C$8.50. 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 (C$7 or C$14 respectively). Weekly passes (CAM Hebdo) are available for C$13.50. Taxis Taxis are available from taxi ranks, at major hotels and at the airports or they can easily be hailed on the street 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. Fares start at around C$2.50 and increase by C$1.20 per kilometre. A tip of 15% is customary. Limousines Air Executive Limo (tel: (514) 946 3424 or (800) 263 2123; website: www.airexecutivelimo.com) offers airport transfers (Dorval: C$52 plus C$20 to be greeted at arrivals), as well as sedan cars and stretch limos for C$50-110 per hour (six-hour minimum) and C$500-800 per 12-hour day. Other operators include Limousine Ville-Marie (tel: (514) 744 2033 or (888) 567 2033; fax: (514) 744 5033; website: www.limousinevillemarie.com) and Limousine Mont-Royal (tel: (514) 363 6360 or (888) 361 3355; fax: (514) 363 0017; website: www.montroyal.com). 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 (costing approximately C$10) and metered parking are abundant. Deciphering 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. One of the major car hire firms in Montreal is Avis, 1225 rue Metcalfe (tel: (514) 866 7906; website: www.avis.com), who generally charge C$44 per day for a small car, not including insurance (C$22 per day) or taxes. Other firms are 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, 845 rue Ste-Catherine East (tel: (514) 845 5954; website: www.thrifty.com) and Via Route, 1255 rue Mackay (tel: (514) 871 1166). 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 and hires bicycles (C$8 per hour; C$25 per day). Outside the city, the P’tit Train de 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 2300km (1430 miles) of cycle paths. The world’s largest bicycle race, the 65km (40 miles) Tour de l’Ile, sees 45,000 participants in early June. Cycle hire is available near the major cycle routes. Typical rates are C$8-10 per hour, C$15-20 for four hours and C$20-25 per day. Vélo Aventure, on Quai des Convoyeurs in the Old Port (tel: (514) 847 0666), is near the Lachine Canal; they also hire rollerblades and offer group tours. On the Plateau, Bicycletterie JR, 151 rue Rachel East (tel: (514) 843 6989), is nearest the mountain, while Cycle Pop, 1000 rue Rachel East (tel: (514) 526 2525), is at the northwest corner of Parc Lafontaine. Business Business Profile At one time, Montreal was the commercial capital of Canada, home to the largest number of head offices and the greatest concentration of wealth in the country. Its fortunes were based on the fur trade, its key role as a port and rail terminus, and its strong manufacturing sector. Throughout the 60s and 70s, it saw head offices depart for Toronto, an exodus that accelerated with the rise of Québécois nationalism. The city faced a declining manufacturing industry as well, with high unemployment and a stagnating economy resulting. Counter to that were the development of ‘Québec Inc’ and a number of homegrown success stories, such as the aerospace and engineering giants Bombardier, SNC-Lavalin and the provincial utility company Hydro-Québec. The turnaround in recent years, though, has been staggering. Montreal is now a major centre for 21st century technologies, notably in the aerospace, biotechnology, pharmaceutical and information technology sectors, enhanced by a concentration of research centres and four universities. In the cultural industries, as well, it is a major player: multimedia and special effects software companies, like Discreet and Softimage, have developed in a city with a formidable telecommunications sector, dominated by Bell Canada (BCE) and Nortel Networks (one of the world’s largest producers of optical fibre networks). The Cité du Multimédia enterprise zone has been a huge success, and similar efforts – a duty-free zone at Mirabel Airport and the proposed E-Commerce Place – are in the works. In all, there are still over 100 head offices in Montreal and the port is on a rebound as well – it ranks third in Canada, based largely on the flow of containerised cargo. The city produces over half of the province’s GDP and is finally seeing significant declines in its unemployment rate, although ongoing restructuring in the manufacturing industry has kept it at 8.2%, still above the Canadian average of 7.0%, in June 2001. Montreal ranks third in North America for hosting international conferences and this is likely to increase with the doubling in size of the Palais des Congrès convention centre. International organisations, such as the International Air Transportation Association (IATA) and the UN’s International Civil Aviation Authority (ICAO) and Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, are based here. 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, however. 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 (website: www.tpmr.qc.ca) is an urban village surrounding boulevard St-Laurent (‘the Main’), and 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, between downtown and Old Montreal. Tourist Information Centre Infotouriste (Tourisme Québec) 1001 rue du Square-Dorchester 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 0730-2000 (Jun-early Sep). The Centre Infotouriste provides information on the whole of the Québec province and shares its location with bureaux de change, tour operators, car hire and travel agencies. Tourist Information Centre of Old Montreal (Tourisme Montréal) 1555 Peel Street, suite 600 Tel: (514) 844 5400. Fax: (514) 844 5757. E-mail: communication@tourisme-montreal.org Website: www.tourism-montreal.org 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 (cost: C$20). The Get an Eyeful package is valid for 30 days (cost: C$22.50 for all three; C$16 for two) and includes admission to the Olympic Tower, Botanical Garden and 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 with tourists throughout the summer, who come to stroll along the cobblestone streets, visit the boutiques, restaurants and jazz clubs 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 is an even more romantic way to see the sights. The Gothic-Revival Basilique Notre-Dame was built in the 1820s. Its 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, which contains original Édouard 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 Éperon Building, archaeological remains in the portions of the museum below place Royale (including the city’s original sewers) and the renovated Old Customs House. Basilique Notre-Dame 110 rue Notre-Dame West, off place d’Armes Tel: (514) 842 2925. Transport: Métro Place-d’Armes. Opening hours: Daily 0800-1800 (early Sep-late Jun); daily 0800-2000 (late Jun-early Sep). Admission: C$2. Marché Bonsecours 350 rue St-Paul East Tel: (514) 872 7730. Website: www.marchebonsecours.qc.ca ransport: Métro Champ-de-Mars. Opening hours: Sat-Wed 1000-1800, Thurs and Fri 1000-2100. Admission: Free. Chapelle de Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours 400 rue St-Paul East Tel: (514) 282 8670. Transport: Métro Champ-de-Mars. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1100-1530 (Nov-mid-Jan and mid-Mar-May); Tues-Sun 1000-1700 (Jun-Oct). Admission: Free (chapel); C$5 (museum). Pointe-à-Callière 350 place Royale Tel: (514) 872 9150. Fax: (514) 872 9151. E-mail: info@musee-Pointe-a-Calliere.qc.ca Website: www.musee-pointe-a-calliere.qc.ca Transport: Métro Place-d’Armes. Opening hours: Tues-Fri 1000-1700, Sat and Sun 1100-1700 (Sep-Jun); Mon-Fri 1000-1800, Sat and Sun 1100-1800 (Jul and Aug). Admission: C$9.50; concessions available. 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 Écluses.The iSci Centre, on King Edward Pier, is a science and entertainment centre with the Immersion Cinema (interactive video game on a giant screen) and IMAX cinema. iSci Centre 2 rue de la Commune Tel: (514) 496 4724 or (877) 496 4724. Website: www.isci.ca Transport: Métro Place-d’Armes. Opening hours: Daily 1000-1800 (early Sep-mid-Jun); Sun-Wed 1000-1800, Thurs-Sat 1000-2100 (mid-Jun-early Sep). Admission: C$9.95 (exhibition or IMAX); C$5.50 (Immersion Cinema); C$21.95 (all three); concessions available. 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 Beauz-Arts building, which houses Canadian, Inuit and First Nations art, 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. The museum also has a reputation for hosting outstanding temporary exhibitions, with recent shows as varied as an Alfred Hitchcock retrospective and works by Renoir and Picasso. 1379-1380 rue Sherbrooke West Tel: (514) 285 2000 or (800) 899 6873. Fax: (514) 844 6042. Website: www.mmfa.qc.ca Transport: Métro Peel or Guy-Concordia; bus 24. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1100-1800 (until 2100 Wed). dmission: Free (permanent exhibition); C$15 (temporary exhibitions); C$7.50 (temporary exhibitions Wed after 1730); concessions available. 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-Émile 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. Fax: (514) 847 6291. Website: www.macm.org Transport: Métro Place-des-Arts. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1100-1800 (until 2100 Wed). Admission: C$6 (free Wed after 1800); concessions available. 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-high (318ft) dome is the second largest in the world (after St Peter’s in Rome) 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. Fax: (514) 733 9735. Website: www.saint-joseph.org Transport: Métro Côte-des-Neiges. Opening hours: Daily 0730-2100. 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 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 8687 or (877) 997 0919. Website: www.rio.gouv.qc.ca Transport: Métro Viau. Opening hours: Daily 1240 and 1540, for guided tours; daily 1000-2100 (mid-Jun-early Sep) and 1000-1700 (early Sep-mid-Jan and mid-Feb-mid-Jun), for funicular. Admission: C$5.50 (guided tour); C$10 (funicular); concessions available. Biodôme de Montréal 4777 avenue Pierre-De Coubertin Tel: (514) 868 3000. Website: www.ville.montreal.qc.ca/biodome Transport: Métro Viau. Opening hours: Daily 0900-1700 (mid-Sep-mid-Jun); daily 0900-1900 (mid-Jun-mid-Sep). Admission: C$10 (concessions available). 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 on 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 Transport: Métro Pie-IX or Viau; bus 185. Opening hours: Daily 0900-1900 (mid-Jun-mid-Sep); daily 0900-1700 (mid-Sep-mid-Jun). Admission: C$10 (May-Oct); C$7.25 (Nov-Apr). Further Distractions Parc Jean-Drapeau Montreal’s largest park 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. The other half is home to the Stewart Museum. This is located in Montreal’s only fort and it recalls the region’s martial history with costumed guides and re-enactments. Also here, the geodesic dome that was the American pavilion for Expo 67 contains the Biosphere – a museum devoted to the ecology of the St Lawrence River. Parc Jean-Drapeau Tel: (514) 872 4537 or (800) 797 4537. Website: www.parcjeandrapeau.com Transport: Métro Jean-Drapeau or ferry from Jacques-Cartier Pier in the Old Port. Opening hours: Daily. Admission: Free. La Ronde Tel: (514) 872 4537 or (800) 797 4537. Website: www.laronde.com Opening hours: Sat and Sun 1000-2100 (mid-late May); daily 1000-2100 (early-mid June); daily 1030-2300 (mid-Jun-late Aug); 1030-2300 (Labour Day weekend); Sat and Sun 1000-1900 (early-late Sep); closing times listed are when rides stop – the park itself closes one hour later. Admission: C$16 (general entry); C$30 (including rides); concessions available. Stewart Museum Tel: (514) 861 6701. Website: www.stewart-museum.org Opening hours: Wed-Mon 1000-1700 (early Oct-mid-May); daily 1000-1800 (mid-May-early Oct). Admission: C$7 (concessions available). Biosphère Tel: (514) 283 5000. Website: http://biosphere.ec.gc.ca Opening hours: Tues-Sat 1000-1600 (early Sep-late Jun); daily 1000-1800 (late Jun-early Sep). Admission: C$8.50 (concessions available). 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 inside. Peter Rose designed the modern building. An austere limestone façade presents a flat plane broken by a vertical line that echoes the mitoyen wall (essentially a party wall) that divides the two halves of the historic Shaughnessy House and has aluminium louvers along the roofline that suggest a parapet. Designed by one WT Thomas, Shaughnessy House is typical of the residences of Montreal’s wealthy elite at the turn of the century, exemplified by the lavish interior details of the reception rooms and conservatory. 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 Transport: Métro Guy-Concordia; bus 15 or 150. Opening hours: Tues-Sun 1100-1800; Thurs (Oct-May) until 2000; Thurs (Jun-Sep) until 2100. Admission: C$6; free after 1730 Thurs (concessions available). 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 (cost: C$6). Héritage Montréal (tel: (514) 286 2662; website: www.heritagemontreal.qc.ca) offers a number of two-hour tours of the city’s historical architecture and neighbourhoods for C$10. Guidatour (tel: (514) 844 4021 or (800) 363 4021; website: www.guidatour.qc.ca) offers daily 90-minute tours of Old Montreal from June to September, departing at 1100 and 1330 from the Basilique Notre-Dame (cost: C$11.50). Old Montreal Ghost Trail (tel: (514) 868 0303; website: www.phvm.qc.ca) has three tours that trace historic crimes and legends of Old Montreal, departing at 2030 from Bonsecours Pavilion (cost: C$12). Bus Tours Most bus tours depart from Square Dorchester, in front of the Centre Infotouriste. Gray Line (tel: (514) 934 1222; website: www.coachcanada.com/montreal) offers a variety of city tours starting at C$21.50 (1 hour 30 minutes; passes through downtown, Old Montreal and Mount Royal). There is a more comprehensive tour for C$29 (3 hours; stops at Old Montreal, Olympic Park, Mount Royal and St Joseph’s Oratory). Impérial Autocar (tel: (514) 871 4733) offers a three-hour tour for C$29, as well as a hop-on hop-off circuit (C$25 for two days). Both offer evening tours, cruise-combos and excursions. 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, and cost C$35 per half-hour or C$60 per hour. Bicycle tours of the city’s architecture and distinctive neighbourhoods are organised by the Maison des Cyclistes (see Bicycle Hire in the Getting Around section). Croisières AML (tel: (514) 842 3871 or (800) 667 3131; website: www.croisieresaml.com) offers a variety of day and evening cruises (one-and-a-half to four hours) heading east on the St Lawrence River for C$21-35 (meals extra). Departures are from either the Clock Tower Pier or Jacques-Cartier Pier. 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. A 90-minute tour costs C$19.75; longer dinner cruises are also available. Excursions For a Half Day Le Pôle des Rapides: Leading west from the Old Port is the historic Lachine Canal (1825), which originally allowed boats to bypass the Lachine Rapids. Today, there are 14km (nine miles) of bicycle paths along the canal (see Bicycle Hire in the Getting Around section) and a couple of interesting historic sites. The Maison St-Gabriel (tel: (514) 935 8136; website: www.maisonsaint-gabriel.qc.ca) which dates from the end of the 17th century offers tours (cost: C$5) on the hour from Tuesday to Sunday 1100-1600 in summer (mid-February-late June and early September-mid December, Tuesday to Sunday 1330, 1430 and 1530). The Fur Trade at Lachine National Historic Site (tel: (514) 637 7433; website: www.parkscanada.gc.ca/fourrure; cost C$2.50), open from April to mid-October (Monday 1300-1800 and Tuesday to Sunday 1000-1800) and mid-October to December (Wednesday to Sunday 0930-1700), houses a permanent exhibition on the fur trade. 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; cost: C$53) and Les Descentes sur le St-Laurent (tel: (514) 767 2230; website: www.raftingmontreal.com; cost: C$41-48). The former departs from the Clock Tower Pier at the Old Port; the latter offers a shuttle from the Centre Infotouriste on Square Dorchester to the rapids. For a Whole Day Cantons de l’Est: The Eastern Townships lie some 80km (129 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 Loyalists, from the United States, 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 the highway (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. Despite recent tourist development in the region, 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 (3068ft), Mont-Tremblant (website: www.tremblant.ca) is the highest mountain in the region and a major ski and outdoors centre. Trendy Mont St-Sauveur (website: www.montsaintsauveur.com/english/stsauveur.htm), offers terrific night skiing and is popular for its proximity to Montreal – about 60km (37 miles). The Association touristique des Laurentides, 14142 rue de la Chapelle, exit 39 of Highway 15 (tel: (450) 436 8532 or (514) 990 5625 or (800) 561 6673; website: www.laurentides.com) can provide more information. Sport Montreal is home to teams in all the major sports leagues and also hosts a number of international events. Probably the best known is the Montreal Grand Prix (website: www.grandprix.ca), held every June on the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve on Ile Notre-Dame. Men’s and women’s international tennis championships (website: www.tenniscanada.com) take place in August, while the Tour de l’Ile de Montréal, the largest non-competitive event in the world, sees over 45,000 cyclists taking part every June. The Montreal Canadiens (tel: (514) 989 2841; website: www.canadiens.com), one of the top ice-hockey teams in the National Hockey League, plays in the winter at the Molson Centre, 1260 rue de la Gauchetière. The city’s major league baseball team, the Montreal Expos (tel: (514) 253 3434; website: www.montrealexpos.com) plays out at the Olympic Stadium, 4141 avenue Pierre-De Coubertin, although there has been talk of a new downtown stadium. The Montreal Impact (tel: (514) 328 3668; website: www.montrealimpact.com) is the local soccer team, although most Montrealers would be unaware of that fact. They play at the Centre sportif Claude-Robillard, 1000 avenue Émile-Journault (tel: (514) 872 6911). The Montreal Alouettes (tel: (514) 871 2255; website: www.alouettes.net) represent the city in the Canadian Football League. Home games are at McGill University’s Molson Stadium. Tickets for most sporting events can be purchased from Admission outlets (tel: (514) 790 1245 or (800) 361 4595; website: www.admission.com). Fitness centres: The newly renovated Downtown YMCA, 1440 rue Stanley (tel: (514) 849 8393; website: www.ymcamontreal.qc.ca), offers squash courts and a jogging track in addition to a swimming pool and exercise equipment. A day pass costs C$11.50, C$40 for five visits. The Guy-Favreau YMCA, 200 boulevard René-Lévesque West (tel: (514) 845 4277) offers similar facilities just south of Place des Arts. Nearby Vie en Forme, 372 rue Ste-Catherine West (tel: (514) 871 1111), is a women-only gym charging C$10 per day. Golf: Dating from 1873, the oldest course in North America is the members-only Royal Montreal Golf Club, 25 South Ridge Road, Ile Bizard (tel: (514) 626 3977). There are a couple of public courses on the island of Montreal, including Meadowbrook Golf Club, 8370 rue Côte-St-Luc West (tel: (514) 488 4875 or 6612; website www.clubdegolfmeadowbrook.com), which charges C$17-31 for the 18-hole par-72 course. However, these are more plentiful off the island – in the Laurentians to the north and the Montérégie region and Eastern Townships to the east. Le Royal Bromont is 45 minutes east of the city, at 400 chemin Compton in Bromont (tel: (450) 534 4653 or (888) 281 0017; website: www.royalbromont.com). Greens fees are C$37-57. Swimming: The City of Montreal operates a variety of indoor and outdoor pools, including the beach next to the Casino on Ile Notre-Dame from late June to late August (tel: (514) 872 2237, ext 963 for information about the beach). Tennis: Players can cover the same ground as Monica Seles or Martina Hingis on one of 11 outdoor and eight indoor courts at Le Centre de Tennis, in Parc Jarry, 285 rue Faillon West, near métro De Castelnau. Reservations are required (tel: (514) 273 1234). The City of Montreal offers 134 payable courts and some 60 free courts throughout the city (tel: (514) 872 1111). Of these, there are a dozen courts each in Parc Jeanne-Mance, 4420 rue Esplanade (tel: (514) 872 5520), and Parc Lafontaine, 3500 avenue Émile-Duployé (tel: (514) 872 3626). Wintersports: There is an abundance of ski hills in the regions to the north and east of Montreal (see Excursions). Within the city, skating and cross-country skiing are available near Beaver Lake on Mount Royal and on Ile Ste-Hélène (tel: (514) 872 2237, ext 651). 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, 2025 rue Peel, is a non-profit organisation that has a gallery of Inuit and Amerindian art and also sells works by member artisans. Other art galleries can be found along rue Sherbrooke, in the vicinity of the Museum of Fine Arts. The best concentration of shops in Old Montreal is at the Marché Bonsecours, 350 rue St-Paul East (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. Shopping malls lining rue Ste-Catherine West and connected to the Underground City are Complexe Desjardins, Promenades de la Cathédrale, Eaton Centre, 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, a bookstore specialising in Canadian literature and Canadiana. The city’s two largest public markets 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 markets are open 0800-1800 Monday to Wednesday and Saturday, 0800-2100 Thursday and Friday and 0800-1700 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. Cash refunds can be obtained from Maple Leaf Tax Refunds on the fourth level of the Eaton Centre (tel: (514) 847 0982), however, they charge a fee of 18% (minimum C$7). 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 and Charlie Biddle still runs a jazz club. The Place des Arts – 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. One of the best times to visit is during one of the innumerable festivals, especially in the summer when it seems that everyone is out on the streets. The epicentre of the big festivals is the large plaza at Place des Arts, which is filled with people during the free outdoor shows. 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 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), as well as from the venue itself. Music: The Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal (tel: (514) 842 9951; website: www.osm.ca) is one of the top performance groups in North America. They can be seen at the Place des Arts and offer summer concerts at the Basilique Notre-Dame. L’Opéra de Montréal (tel: (514) 985 2258; website: www.operademontreal.qc.ca) is the city’s leading opera company. They, too, perform at the 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.thesaidye.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.cclacbrome.qc.ca/tlb). 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). Dance: The city’s chief ballet company is Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal (tel: (514) 849 0269; website: www.grandsballets.qc.ca), who perform at Place des Arts. The prestigious, biennial Festival International de Nouvelle Danse is the best time to see contemporary dance every other autumn (website: www.festivalnouvelledanse.ca). In addition, the Festival des Arts de St-Sauveur (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 in the downtown area. The largest and newest is the Paramount Montreal, 977 rue Ste-Catherine West (tel: (514) 842 5828; website: www.famousplayers.com). Ex-Centris, 3536 boulevard St-Laurent (tel: (514) 847 3536; website: www.ex-centris.com), is the new high-tech cinema. Cinéma du Parc, 3575 avenue du Parc (tel: (514) 281 1900), 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), Battlefield Earth (2000) and More Tales of the City (1998). A much better picture of the city can be had from such films as Jésus de Montréal (1989), The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1974) and the charming Léolo (1992). 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). Cultural events: The largest of the city’s many festivals is the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal (website: www.montrealjazzfest.com), with an estimated 1.5 million attendees (including up to 200,000 for the big free outdoor show), takes place over late June and early July. It is followed by the Festival International Nuits d’Afrique (website: www.festnuitafric.com) and Les FrancoFolies de Montréal (website: www.francofolies.com) from July to early August, for those who prefer African or French music to jazz, and the Just for Laughs Festival (website: www.hahaha.com) in July for comedy and music. Other big events include the SAQ Mondial (a ten-night fireworks competition over late June and early July; website: www.lemondialsaq.com) and the cultural week that has sprung up around the huge gay circuit party in October, the Black & Blue Festival (website: www.bbcm.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. 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 at least 0300 the next morning, although on warm summer days, terrasses (patios) are spilling over with people throughout the day. Gaining in popularity are the 5 à 7 (cinq à sept – 1700-1900 happy hour); increasing numbers of bars are offering special drinks prices that are drawing crowds of young office workers. Another trend is towards having DJs spinning in even the smallest of the city’s hipper bars. 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. Old Montreal has a fair share of jazz bars and boîtes à chansons (intimate and lively venues featuring solo singers or small groups of musicians) but can be a bit touristy. 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 north of avenue des Pins. 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 Wild & Wet in late June, 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). The legal minimum drinking age is 18 years. Taverns and brasseries serve alcohol 0800-0300 every day. Cocktail lounges and cabarets stay open until 0200 and 0300 respectively. A beer in Montreal is priced between C$3-5 and cocktails C$4.50-6. Bars: On rue Crescent, Sir Winston Churchill’s Pub (Winnies) at number 1459 and Thursday’s at number 1449 are perennial favourites. Irish pubs include Hurley’s Irish Pub, 1225 rue Crescent, and the Old Dublin, 1219a rue University. For brew pubs, try Brutopia, 1219 rue Crescent, Cheval Blanc, 809 rue Ontario East, or Dieu du Ciel, 29 avenue Laurier West. For French-Canadian culture, Les Deux Pierrots, 114 rue St-Paul in Old Montreal, is a lively, noisy spot; nearby Pub St-Paul, in a 19th century building 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 Jingxi Club, 410 rue Rachel East, are located just off the more upscale part of rue St-Denis further north. For boulevard St-Laurent, it is best to just walk along and find a bar that appeals. Worth checking out are the trendy Shed Café, at number 3515, and the cool pool tables at Le Swimming, 3643 boulevard St-Laurent. Blizzarts and Laïka, at numbers 3956a and 4040, draw a hip young crowd for the evening DJ sets. For something a bit quieter, try Else’s, 156 rue Roy East. In the Gay Village, Sky Pub , 1474 rue Ste-Catherine East, is the most popular of the many bars. The multi-storey Drugstore, 1366 rue Ste-Catherine, certainly offers something for everyone, with both gay men and lesbian women enjoying the various bars, a deli and even a hairdressers. Casinos: The hugely successful Casino de Montréal (tel: (514) 392 2746 or (800) 665 2274; website: www.casinos-quebec.com) occupies the former French and Quebec pavilions on Ile Notre-Dame. In addition to over 100 gaming tables and 3000 slot machines, there are four restaurants, numerous bars and a cabaret show. A free shuttle bus runs from the Centre Infotouriste on Square Dorchester. The minimum age is 18 years and a passport is not required. The casino is open 24 hours a day and there is no admission fee or dress code. Clubs: Montreal’s two best after-hours clubs are Sona, 1439 rue de Bleury, 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. Entrance costs C$20-25. Loft, 1405 boulevard St-Laurent, and Dôme 2000, 32 rue Ste-Catherine West, draw 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. The biggest gay club in the city is the recently renovated Sky, 1474 rue Ste-Catherine East, a long-time favourite. L’Entre-Peau, at number 1115, is renowned for its drag shows. For Britpop and other ‘alternative’ music, try Nantha’s Kitchen, on the corner of boulevard St-Laurent and Duluth. 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, Comedy Works, 1238 rue Bishop, Comedy Zone, 1740 boulevard René-Lévesque West, and Comedy Nest, Atwater and Ste-Catherine, are amusing options. Live music: Big-name recording artists play the Molson Centre, 1260 rue de la Gauchetière West, or Olympic Stadium, 4141 avenue Pierre-De Coubertin, and occasionally the city’s mid-size venues: Club Soda, Le Spectrum de Montréal, Cabaret, Metropolis or Kola Note. Les Foufounes Électrique, 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. Biddle’s Jazz, 2060 rue Aylmer, offers what the name suggests but if it is blues you are after, then Beaux Esprits, 2073 rue St-Denis, is the place to go. City Statistics Location: Province of Québec, Canada. Country dialling code: 1. Population: 1,016,376 (city); 3.4 million (metropolitan area). Ethnic mix: 27% Canadian, 26% French, 8% Italian, 6% Asian, 4% Haitian, 3% British, 9% other European, 17% other. Religion: Not available. 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: - 6°C (21°F). Average July temp: 26°C (79°F). Annual rainfall: 723mm (28.5 inches). Annual snowfall: 235cm (92.5 inches). Special Events La Fête des Neiges, winter festival, late Jan-early Feb, Île Ste-Hélène Montreal High Lights Festival, illuminations and performances, Feb-Mar, various downtown venues Wild & Wet Weekend, gay circuit party, May, various venues in the Village Tour de l’Île de Montréal, world’s largest public bicycle race, early Jun, around the island Canadian Grand Prix, Jun, Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, Île Notre-Dame Beer Mundial, Jun, Old Port Montreal Fringe Festival, fringe theatre, with some comedy, music and dance, Jun, various Plateau venues Festival International de Jazz de Montréal, late Jun-early Jul, Place des Arts and other venues Le Mondial SAQ, international fireworks competition, late Jun-late Jul, La Ronde Carifiesta, Caribbean music and culture, Jul, Champ de Mars Just for Laughs Festival, comedy, mid-Jul, rue St-Denis (Latin Quarter) and various venues Festival International Nuits d’Afrique, African music, mid-Jul, place Émile-Gamelin and various venues Les FrancoFolies de Montréal, French music festival, late Jul-early Aug, Place des Arts Festival des Arts de St-Sauveur, world-class ballet companies, contemporary dance and music, late Jul-early Aug, St-Sauveur Divers/Cité, Montreal International Gay and Lesbian Pride Celebration, late Jul-early Aug, the Village Rogers AT&T Cup – Women’s International Tennis Championship, mid-Aug, Jarry Park Tennis Centre St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu Hot Air Balloon Festival, mid-Aug, St-Jean-sur-Richelieu Montreal World Film Festival, late Aug-early Sep, Place des Arts and various downtown cinemas International Festival of New Cinema and New Media, mid-Oct, Ex-Centris Black & Blue Festival, gay benefit party and cultural week, mid-Oct, Olympic Stadium and Village Coup de Coeur Francophone, French music festival, early-mid-Nov, various venues Cost of Living One-litre bottle of mineral water: C$1.50 33cl bottle of beer: C$1.50 Financial Times newspaper: C$2 36-exposure colour film: C$8.50 City-centre bus ticket: C$2 Adult football ticket: C$15-47 Three-course meal with wine/beer: From C$15 1 Canadian Dollar (C$1) = £0.42; US$0.67; A$1.10; €0.62 Currency conversion rates as of February 2003 Copyright © 2003 Columbus Travel Publishing Ltd.