Photo by Jeremy Price
Schwartz’s Delicatessen, Montreal’s iconic smoked meat mecca first opened in 1928, has been sold. And the Huffington Post is reporting that one of the new co-owners may be a group of investors that includes René Angélil, husband and manager of superstar singer Céline Dion and a native of Montreal. (more…)
Gargamel cake at Fous Desserts
By Marcella DeVincenzo
Montreal’s pastry chefs have got flaky pastries, rich mousses and cream-filled confections from around the globe down to a science. Here are some of the city’s sweet favourites. (more…)
By Laura Pellerine
Following in the footsteps of the original Snow Village in Finland, Montreal’s Snow Village is a first in North America. We were there last weekend for the official opening.
Made from 40,000 cubic metres of artificial snow and more than 200,000 kilos of ice, the “village” sits in Parc Jean Drapeau—just 10 minutes outside of downtown and a three-minute walk from the closest metro station.
Patio in Montreal's Little Italy (Photo by Sarah0s)
By Marcella DeVincenzo
Montreal’s Little Italy is a colourful neighbourhood with traditional Italian groceries and cafés, contemporary restaurants and stylish boutiques. It’s the perfect destination for a leisurely day in one of the city’s most vibrant enclaves. (more…)
Photo courtesy of Grenier
Seductive Montreal-based lingerie company Grenier is sure to get any woman, and man for that matter, grinning from ear to ear. Their romantic line of corsets is the perfect little something to slip into to make even the most mundane of evenings special. The intricate lace detailing, detachable garters and front hooks make these bodices not only delightfully alluring, but practical as well. $116, available at Dawn’s Bra-tique.
#2 - Festival de Jazz (Photo by iker ender)
By Kat Tancock
Travelling can get expensive, but you don’t have to spend on everything. Here are 50 free activities, festivals, tours and more in Montreal so you can save your cash for dinner and drinks. (more…)
By Kat Tancock
If you’re a maple lover, you’re probably already using the syrup on more than just pancakes: on top of plain yogurt, added to salad dressings or as a natural sweetener for your morning oatmeal. But if you’re ready to take things up a notch, reach for a bottle of the latest kid on the maple shelf: sweet and sour maple vinegar from Brigham, Quebec’s Cabane du Pic-Bois. (more…)
Photo by Noema Pérez
By Marcella DeVincenzo
The rivalry between bagels from New York and Montreal is well documented (though in competitions, Montreal overwhelmingly comes out on top). But what those outside of Montreal might not know is that within the city, there has always been a battle for the best bagels—and in the bagel war, you’re either on Team St-Viateur or Team Fairmount. (more…)
By Kat Tancock
Directly accessible to Montreal’s downtown train station and the Métro (subway), plus a short walk to shops on St-Catherine Street and a slightly longer one to Old Montreal, the Hilton Montreal Bonaventure definitely has location going for it. (more…)
Photo courtesy of Hotel Le St-James
By Kat Tancock
Hotel Le St-James, in the heart of Old Montreal, is no slouch when it comes to amenities: you can enjoy everything from complimentary shoe shines and valet service to loaner iPads and three meals a day in the on-site XO Le Restaurant. (more…)
By Kat Tancock
For a hotel visit that’s truly special, it’s the little things that count. And Hôtel Le Germain in downtown Montreal has made a business out of the little things, like spacious walk-in showers, a complimentary and deliciously carb-rich continental breakfast that puts others to shame—think warm pain doré au chocolat (chocolate French toast), quality breads and bagels and chocolate or plain croissants—and iPod docks on clock radios so you can listen to your own tunes as you work or play. (more…)
By Vanessa Muri
No longer just the Plateau’s hip little sister, Mile End has become a serious shopping destination with a plethora of unique, stylish boutiques. (Not many neighbourhoods come with their own official Vintage Map!)
View Montreal’s Mile End Shopping Mecca in a larger map
Every Friday we feature an inspirational travel photo of a Canadian destination taken by one of our readers.
Photo by Sandra Cohen-Rose and Colin Rose
Why we chose it: The Palais des Congès convention centre is one of the most photographed structures in Montreal. This photograph captures the interior at a great angle, getting the light just right, accentuating the soaring ceilings and managing to make the sleek floor look like rippling black water. An artistic and eye-catching take on one of the city’s most artistic and eye-catching modern buildings.
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Photo by tcp909
By Carissa Bluestone
Popular bike-sharing network BIXI is experiencing more shakeups in its home city only several months after Montreal’s government approved a $108 million bailout to cover the company’s deficits. On Friday, CEO Roger Plamondon resigned amid controversy over the deal with the city.
Photo by Joel Mann
By Waheeda Harris
A recent survey by scientists at the University of Wisconsin looked at the economic benefits of urban dwellers switching from a car to a bike for trips of less than five miles in 11 metropolitan areas of the northern Midwest US.
The societal health benefits were gauged in terms of medical costs, mortality rates, car accidents, physical fitness and air pollution. Scientists found that if inhabitants in a sample region were to switch from driving to biking only for errands requiring less than 25 minutes of cycling, the result would be an annual $3.8 billion saved in health care costs and 1,100 fewer deaths from road accidents.
The study conservatively assumed Midwesterners would only cycle in good weather—approximately four months of days per year. Yet, according to Bicycling Magazine, in 2010 Minneapolis, Minnesota, was named the top city for cycling in the United States, a city that certainly has four seasons.
In Canada, Montreal gets the nod as the only Canadian city—out of 80 cities worldwide—on the 2011 Bicycle-Friendly Cities index, compiled by Danish consulting firm Copenhagenize. Montreal, which came in at number eight, was chosen for its $100-million-plus investment in revamping bike trails, its long-standing cycling infrastructure and being the first North American city to launch urban bike-sharing program Bixi.
By Joanne Latimer
When Hotel Gault opened in 2002, its modern style, inside an 1871 building with French Second Empire flourishes, was bold and something of a novelty. These were the early days of the boutique-hotel craze that would grip Montreal over the following decade. Today, minimal is the new normal, making this Old Port hotel’s mixture of luxurious comfort and scaled-back design more prescient than perplexing. (more…)
Auberge Saint-Gabriel
By Marcella DeVincenzo
When it comes to wooing that special someone or charming the love of your life, there are many marvelous places to choose from in Montreal. Here is a sample of the city’s romantic restaurants that will surely spice up your evening.
L'Express. Photo by Dan O'Leary.
Bistro Bienville
The owners of this quaint restaurant in the Plateau area must have had romance in mind when they created their menu. Every carefully envisioned dish is made specifically for two and is perfect for sharing. The juicy and tender Angus beef dish with Béarnaise sauce is a must.
Auberge Saint-Gabriel
This Vieux-Montreal restaurant is truly marvelous, beginning with the extravagant entrance with its large sculptures and impressive stone wall. Each dining room is different: bright red stools line the bar in one area and long communal type tables fill another room. Chef Eric Gonzalez creates masterpiece dishes and the impressive fireplace adds comfort and coziness to a wonderful evening. (more…)
Lainio Snow Village in Finland (Photo by Visit Finland)
The CBC has gotten wind of a new snow village resort to be constructed on the Île Sainte-Hélène in downtown Montreal. The information was released (leaked?) via a flyer on Twitter. Plans for the snow village suggest it will have an ice bar, ice restaurant, ice hotel, ice wedding chapel, a spa, and something called a Panoramic Igloo. The CBC reports snowshoeing, dog sledding, and an ice replica of the city of Montreal among the attractions. (more…)
Photo by Ian Muttoo
By Amanda Yiu
Montreal-based bike-sharing company BIXI, which launched in Toronto, Ottawa, and Boston in the past few months, may be expanding to Vancouver in the near future, and plans for a 10,000-fleet New York City launch are set for next summer.
BIXI has grown rapidly since first launching in Montreal in 2009, beginning operations in Toronto, Ottawa and Boston in the past four months and rolling out overseas in 2010, in London, Melbourne and DC. The bike-sharing program is undeniably popular, with more than 3 million BIXI trips taken since the beginning of 2010.
For visitors, borrowing a bike at a pay-as-you-go rate can be a fabulous way to explore the city. But be sure to keep your ride short. A friend visiting from Australia last month made the mistake of taking out a BIXI bike in Toronto for the full day and ended up paying over $100 in usage fees. As the breakdown of non-subscriber fees (below) shows, long trips can add up quickly. (Subscribers can pay $95 for a one-year membership, waiving the $5 daily flat fee, but the same time-of-use rates still apply.)
BIXI fees for 8 hours of continuous usage:
$5 flat 24-hour access fee (includes first 30 minutes)
+ $1.50 for 31–60 min
+ $4 for 61–90 min
+ $104 for additional 6.5 hours ($8 x 13 half-hour increments)
= $113.50 before tax
Additionally, a $250 security deposit is charged to your credit card and refunded after 10 days.
Photo by Waheeda Harris
By Waheeda Harris
Although not a lengthy distance, this part of La Belle Province is packed with heritage towns, tempting boites and plenty of Quebecois charm. Many distractions can be found in the Eastern Townships in the towns of North Hatley, Magog, Orford and Brome before ending the journey in Montreal.
Modes of Transport
Driving can make this into a day trip, but take the time to meander off Autoroute 10 to discover some of the lures of the region. Cycling is another way to enjoy the leisurely pace of the Townships, and if a day on two wheels has tired you out, the Taxi-Velo can come to the rescue. From point A to point B its 157 kilometres as the crow flies (just under two hours), but consider taking a long weekend and another 50-75 km for side trips.
Roadside Attractions
Make time in Sherbrooke to visit the 11 al fresco murals that are found throughout the downtown. Each one reveals some history of the town, its citizens and the region, as well as a snapshot of the changes that occurred in the 20th century. (more…)
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