Montreal: Help! Survival Tips Needed!

[3113]

Canadians, Oh, Canadians!

I'm returning to your strange and alien country, this time to Montreal. What do I need to know? Where's the best food? Are there cafés with free wi-fi? And most important...what if I don't speak French? Will I get beaten up? Kicked out? Eyed with distain?

I ain't never been and I'm scared. When I went to Calgary the city almost killed me (worst allergy attack I ever had in my life. 4 days of relentless sneezing and eye-watering!).

Help! I want to survive this trip.

 

[Xelebes]

I've been to Calgary before but not Montreal (haven't been east of Saskatoon). Sorry, can't help you much there.

 

[lesbiaphrodite]

I've been to Montreal a few times, and it is a lovely city. You will find that it offers much in the way of food, art and overall hospitality. There are many good cafes with excellent sandwiches. There are also quite a few of the mainstream North American food chains if you want those.

As far as the language issue goes, it is not de riguer that you speak French. However, if you want to get on well with the locals, you should always start off speaking in French and then let them know you're not fluent. They will almost always pick right up in English at that point. Just say 'Bonjour' and go from there.

The weather is lovely this time of year with nice breezes coming off the Great Lakes. Low humidity.

I don't know about wifi.

 

[rgraham666]

Can't help you much, 3. I haven't been there in years.

It is a lovely city though. Aphrodite's advice is good. Make a tiny effort in French and they'll forgive you. A lot of the population is trilingual; native tongue (Vietnamese or Arabic are most common), French and English; so most aren't that uptight about language.

 

[Dianthus]

How much french you need to speak depends on where in Montreal you are staying...in the downtown core you can get by with a few key phrases like bonjour, combien? (how much?), merci, and bonne journee.

If you are out on the West Island you probably won't even need that.

Go to Schwartz's on Boulevard St Laurent. It's real smoked meat and has been there forever. It's a Montreal institution. Visit Chinatown for good, inexpensive food, as well as interesting sights...

When will you be there? And where are you staying?

 

[R. Richard]

Be sure to checkout 'underground Montreal.' There is a very large [mostly] underground segment of the city. The underground portion is very handy during the winter and is a well lighted, 'second city.' No trip to Montreal is complete until you check out underground Montreal.

 

[Pure]

note

as far as english goes, let it be known you're american, not, say, Albertan. they tend to like Americans.

i found it friendly. great cafes.

 

[3113]

How much french you need to speak depends on where in Montreal you are staying...in the downtown core you can get by with a few key phrases like bonjour, combien? (how much?), merci, and bonne journee.

If you are out on the West Island you probably won't even need that.

Go to Schwartz's on Boulevard St Laurent. It's real smoked meat and has been there forever. It's a Montreal institution. Visit Chinatown for good, inexpensive food, as well as interesting sights...

When will you be there? And where are you staying?

Thanks for the tips! I had great dim sum in Calgary, and will never say no to that! So Chinatown it is! I'll be there like within a week or so, and I'll be staying at the Intercontiental.

Practicing my French now: "Mer-seee....Bone jer-nee...."

 

[3113]

Be sure to checkout 'underground Montreal.' There is a very large [mostly] underground segment of the city. The underground portion is very handy during the winter and is a well lighted, 'second city.' No trip to Montreal is complete until you check out underground Montreal.

Cool! Will do.

 

[3113]

as far as english goes, let it be known you're american, not, say, Albertan. they tend to like Americans.

Really? They like us? I thought no one liked us.

 

[Tio_Narratore]

And do make it up Mount Royal...park designed by Olmstead (Central Park in NY among many others - the founder of North American landscape architecture)... see McGill, for sure, and univeroste de Montreal (for some great Art Deco). wander along Ste-Catherine Street and don't miss whatever frstival is on when you're here. (Oh, and there's some interesting stuff on the West Island as well...) and do try your French.

 

[3113]

And do make it up Mount Royal...park designed by Olmstead (Central Park in NY among many others - the founder of North American landscape architecture)... see McGill, for sure, and univeroste de Montreal (for some great Art Deco). wander along Ste-Catherine Street and don't miss whatever frstival is on when you're here. (Oh, and there's some interesting stuff on the West Island as well...) and do try your French.

Mer-see Boh-kooo!

Especially for the tip on Art Deco! Love to see Art Deco.

 

[XsNrg]

The intercontintal is in "Old Montreal"..and very close to the firehouse museum which is quite interesting as is the Cathedral of Notre Dame. Food is good and plentiful almost everywhere in Montreal as long as you like cheese and gravy on your French fries... Museum of Modern Art is a few minutes away closer to Mount Royal. A great Arboreum a few miles out by the Botanical Gardens.

Montreal is a great city........and you will enjoy Ste Catherine St as well........it;s like the lit of montreal..

 

[freshface]

Really? They like us? I thought no one liked us.

It's a relative thing. Compared to the Albertans, they like us. Compared to the Albertans, they like almost anyone. We shouldn't let it go to our heads.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

It's a relative thing. Compared to the Albertans, they like us. Compared to the Albertans, they like almost anyone. We shouldn't let it go to our heads.

That's mostly because Albertans seriously resent paying far more in taxes than they get in services and they blame it all on the Quebecois. What Alberta really wants is to be the 51st state.

 

[Xelebes]

Whatever lets you sleep at night.

 

[3113]

Montreal is a great city........and you will enjoy Ste Catherine St as well........it;s like the lit of montreal..

It's the red light district with bookstores?

http://www.odelizajacoba.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/1000239-r1-042-19a.jpg

 

[XsNrg]

Yes......but along with some very nice dining and clubs. Much more upscale and sophisticated than most cities "redlight".

 

[Tio_Narratore]

Mer-see Boh-kooo!

Especially for the tip on Art Deco! Love to see Art Deco.

Montreal is great for Art Deco. Bonaventure Station (at one end of the 'underground city) has classic relief murals; up on the moutainside you can find the residence of our late, great PM. Pierre Trudeau, - another top quality bit of Deco. You can also find the art and decorative arts of the style at the Museum of Fine Arts (Sherbrooke Steet and Rue de la Musee - Museum Street) and at the McCord Museum, a few blocks east, near University Street. It's across from McGill. Try the Art Deco Society of Montreal website for more info.

And, yes, Ste-Catherine Street has the full gamut of Montreal, from full-contact lap dancing to the heights of intellectual conversation in the various pubs on the side streets. Sometimes you can find them in the same place.

 

[wafflemtl]

Montreal is suppose to be divided in two parts.

Left of boulevard Saint Laurent is suppose to be English and the right to be French. It's almost true.


FOR THE FOOD :
Sainte-Catherine from Atwater to St Denis is the main shopping street.

For the bar, pub and hip places try Mackay St, Bishop St and Crescent St between Rene-Levesque and Sherbrooke. (Metro Mc Gill) and Boulevard St Laurent (between Sherbrooke and Mont Royal where Schwartz's is (smoked meat) ). (Metro Saint Laurent). My favorites : Mesa (mexicain) and Toyo (japanese bbq)

For a more relax atmosphere try Rue Prince Arthur (West of Saint Laurent) and Quartier Latin (Rue Saint Denis between Ontario and de Maisonneuve). If you like vegetarian try Commensal and you can also taste the "flammekueche" (kind of an alsacian onion pizza with thin crust) at Les Trois Brasseurs.

Rich area Outremont (french) (avenue du Parc and Bernard) and Westmount (English) (Sainte Catherine West and Prince Albert)

And even if you are scared try the "french quarter" : Plateau Mont Royal. Rue Saint Denis from Laurier to Sherbrooke et rue Mont Royal from Saint Laurent to Papineau. (We don't eat etats-unians ... ). My favorites : La Petite Marche (french) and Bagel Saint Viateur (well bagels you know ...)

Very very very touristic (but good none the less) Old Montreal and Port. My Favorite : L'appartement (height budget) and you can try a Queue de Castor on the Old Port. It's a sort of big fry kind of plain Krispy Cream (perhaps Cloudy would explain it better)

Chinatown : On Saint Laurent between Rene-Levesque and Viger (metro Place d'Armes)

And to finish, the gay area, rue Saint Catherine from Berry to Papineau. A cafe I like there L'escalier (with Wifi) if you like it a bit grano, baba cool. (metro Berry)

For the Wifi cafes here you go.

Et voila, bon appetit !

NOW FOR THE VISIT :
Plateau Mont Royal (metro Mont royal) : Between Saint Denis (west) and Papineau (east) and Laurier (north) and Sherbrooke (south). Just walk around and look. One of my favorite street is rue Boyer. Plainty of shops on St Denis and Mont royal.

Parc du Mont Royal. If you like to walk you can take the way at the end of rue Rachel Ouest or you can go by car (at the end of rue Mont Royal) and go to the Chalet for a panoramic look of the town.

Parc Lafontaine (metro Sherbrooke) : Usually there are some outdoor concert during summer even if this summer is particularly rainy.

Old Montreal and Old Port for there french architecture. (metro Place d'Armes) A MUST : Basilique Notre Dame (Corner Saint Sulpice and Notre Dame Ouest) and if you are not too tired after you can enter in the building of Bank of Montreal on the other side of the parc.

Speaking of architecture, if the subject interest you there are still Habitat 67 on avenue Pierre Dupuis. I don't think you can visit because people live there but it's a strange things. Blocs of concret assembled so that each apartment has a garden-patio. Each block has been done at the shop first. One of those crazy idea that boggle the mind when you look at it.

If you like to bike they installed the "help yourself bikes" this summer Bixi. First 30 min free. You have usually less than 30 min of bike from one station to another.

If you like "Montagne Russes" (Roller Coaster ? There is an antic one all in wood still running) you can try La Ronde but if not just have a walk in Parc Jean Drapeau (Iles Ste Helene and Notre-Dame). You can walk on the Gille Villeneuve Circuit (F1) and have view of Montreal form the other side of Saint Laurent River (better by night) and try your chance at the Casino.

FESTIVAL : Right now in town ...
Francofolies from the 30th of July to 9th of August. 15 days of free concerts outdoor (and some indoor but not free) mostly french artists (sorry). (Metro Place des Arts)

MEG festival and Osheaga : on ile Sainte Helene (metro Jean Drapeau) music alternative and rock and decouverte and ... forum, artisana .....


Divers Cite around Montreal Gay Pride.

And well all those one at least ...

I think there is also some activity in the Old Port.

Well I think that's all for now. Need anything just pm. Don't worry we are gentle with the stranger

Waffle

 

[3113]

Wow! Waffle! Mer-see Boh-Koo! With chocolate syrup and a cherry on top! Thank you *SO* much! This is wonderful! Magnifique! (notice how much better my French is getting )

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Wow! Waffle! Mer-see Boh-Koo! With chocolate syrup and a cherry on top! Thank you *SO* much! This is wonderful! Magnifique! (notice how much better my French is getting )

That was a pretty complete guide he sent, wasn't it. Makes me almost wish I had an excuse to go to Montreal myself. I've been to Anikokin, Edmonton, White Horse (just the airport, though), Cambridge Bay and Vancouver. I like Canada a lot but have never had cause to go to Montreal. Pity . . .

 

[wafflemtl]

That was a pretty complete guide he sent, wasn't it. Makes me almost wish I had an excuse to go to Montreal myself. I've been to Anikokin, Edmonton, White Horse (just the airport, though), Cambridge Bay and Vancouver. I like Canada a lot but have never had cause to go to Montreal. Pity . . .

Just so you know I'm a she ... on my passport anyway

 

[wafflemtl]

Wow! Waffle! Mer-see Boh-Koo! With chocolate syrup and a cherry on top! Thank you *SO* much! This is wonderful! Magnifique! (notice how much better my French is getting )

De rien, ca fait plaisir (It's nothing, my pleasure)

But a forgot breakfast. I don't know about you but for me it's a very important part of the day !
Need any tips ? Or do you plan to take it at the hotel ? Or none at all ?
Where is your hotel by the way so I can add some contextual info.

Waffle.

 

[3113]

But a forgot breakfast. I don't know about you but for me it's a very important part of the day !.

*faint* You're wonderful! Tre bien! Or something like that. Very thoughtful of you. My husband is a HUGE breakfast fan, and he'll be forever in your debt (as will I!) if you can recommend a great place for him to have breakfast with his friends. One excellent place within walking distance is all he needs--somewhere that he can call his own for the almost-week we'll be there. He'll like that far better than trying a new place every other day.

He's typically a sausage (and by that I mean exotic types like chicken-apple rather than typical breakfast sausage) and egg man (well scrambled) wanting sides of potatoes and toast, but he also likes good pancakes and/or (yes) Belgium waffles.

I, myself, am always interested in a nice cup of hot chocolate (especially Mexican hot chocolate) and good granola with fresh fruit (yum!). You need not try to think of a single place to satisfy both me and husband. He can go to one place for his big, hearty breakfast and I to another for my quiet bowl of granola

We'll be at the Intercontinental.


Edited to add: Oh, and should you ever visit California, I'd like to return the favor. I know of four awesome breakfast places. One in San Francisco. Two in L.A. and one in San Diego. Like I said, hubbie's a breakfast buff and he's found the most amazing places. So North or South in the state, we can recommend one out of the many truly (one hopes) worthy of a breakfast aficionado such as yourself.