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Situated on an island in the St. Lawrence River at the historically highest navigable point, Montreal has been a strategic location since before the arrival of Europeans in Canada. A thriving Mohawk town called Hochelaga was on the site of present-day Montreal when explorer Jacques Cartier first visited in 1535. A hundred years later, in 1642, the tiny town of Ville-Marie was founded as a Sulpician mission by Paul Chomedey, sieur de Maisonneuve. It soon became a centre of the fur trade. After its capture by the English in 1762, Montreal remained (until the 1970s) the most important city in Canada and was briefly capital of the province in the 1840s.
Prohibition on sales of alcohol in the United States during the 1920s and '30s made Montreal a mecca for cross-border fun seekers from nearby New England and New York. The city built up a seedy, yet playful, industry in alcohol, burlesque, and other vices. In the 1960s, an urban renewal drive centered around Expo 67. The World's Fair in Montreal brought a subway system and a number of attractive urban parks and is considered to be one of the most successful World Fairs. Over 50 million visitors gathered to Montreal during this memorable summer. The 1976 Olympics left a strikingly idiosyncratic stadium and many other urban improvements.
The opening of the Saint Lawrence Seaway in 1959, though much lauded as an economic boom, spelled the beginning of the end for Montreal's economic dominance in Canada. Once the transition point between western railroads and eastern sea carriers, Montreal watched helplessly as some of this business moved farther west, up the now navigable Seaway, to ports in Ontario and on Lake Superior. The Quebec Sovereignty movement, which began to pick up steam in the 1960s, further chilled the atmosphere for Canada-wide businesses, many of which moved their headquarters to Toronto.
Following an economic depression in the 1980s and 1990s, Montreal became more secure in its place in North America and the world. It remains a centre of culture, arts, computer technology, aerospace, the biotech industry, and media for all of Canada and for the French-speaking world.
'''It has been said that Montreal is the only city in the world where the sun "rises in the south."'''
Montrealers use an unconventional compass, using the river and the mountain as cardinal points. When you are in downtown the St Lawrence River is _gsouth_h and Mt. Royal is _gnorth_h; making the West Island and the East End correct in both their names and orientations. This tends to confuse visitors because the _gEast_h End is really north and the _gwest_h island is south, and the St Lawrence River runs almost North-South at this location.
Most local maps use this convention as do the highways around the city. For example Autoroute 15 north actually runs north-west and Autoroute 40 east runs north-east.
Montreal is an extremely inviting destination for gay and lesbian tourists and it is arguably the most gay-friendly city in North America other than San Francisco. Canada's contributions to gay rights have recently become widely known, but Quebec was the first province in Canada to pass a non-discrimination law for sexual orientation and to provide same-sex civil unions. Same-sex marriage is legal in Quebec (neither residency nor citizenship are required for a marriage license, but there is a three-week waiting period after you receive the licence). Canadian and Quebec immigration law allow residents to sponsor their same-sex partners or spouses.
Montreal itself is a very safe, open, and inviting city. It has the largest gay village in North America (rue Sainte-Catherine from rue Saint-Hubert (metro Berri-UQAM) to avenue Papineau (metro Papineau). The metro station halfway between the two, Beaudry, is marked with rainbow pillars. Montreal's pride celebration, Divers/Cite[http://www.diverscite.org/anglais/index.htm](last week of July, first week of August) is the second-largest in North America after Toronto's.
Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport [http://www.admtl.ca/] ({{IATA|YUL}}) (formerly Dorval Airport) is about half an hour west of the city center on highway 20. Note that travel time to the airport from the city center can be as much as an hour, depending on traffic. The airport is served by all major Canadian and U.S. airlines and is a major hub for Air Canada [http://www.aircanada.ca/], Air Transat [http://www.airtransat.ca/], and WestJet [http://www.westjet.ca/]. There are multiple daily trans-Atlantic flights to and from (amongst others) London, Amsterdam, Paris, Frankfurt, Rome, Madrid, Lisbon, Munich, Moscow, Cairo, and Casablanca.
The taxi fare to and from downtown is a fixed price of $40 (a sticker on the window behind the driver gives the boundaries of the zone where the flat fare applies; for origins and destinations outside this zone, you will have to pay a metered fare). The Aerobus [http://www.admtl.com/passager/acces_et_stationnement/_aerobus.aspx] is a shuttle running from Dorval to the aerogare Centre-ville (777 De La Gauchetiere, angle rue University) and to the city's inter-city bus station, Station Centrale (505 boul De Maisonneuve East, above the Berri-UQAM metro station), via a number of downtown hotels. It departs roughly every 20 minutes from 7AM to 1AM. Tickets are $15CAD one-way; a return (round-trip) ticket is $25CAD.
Alternatively, public bus number 204 (STM [http://www.stm.info/English/a-somm.htm]) leaves from outside arrivals every half hour to ''Gare Dorval'' (Dorval train station - check with the driver which direction he is going in, as both bus routes stop at the same place and make sure to ask for a transfer as you will need it later). From Dorval, you can use your transfer ticket to catch bus number 211 or express bus number 221 to the Lionel-Groulx metro. Make sure it is going east as the same routes go west too. Your transfer will then let you into the metro. This costs only $2.75, but exact change must be provided to the first driver.
Another option is to take the VIA Rail AirConnect [http://www.viarail.ca/business/en_affa_airc.html] service from the airport terminal to downtown by shuttle and train. This service runs infrequently, but costs only $11. The same trip can be made on the AMT [http://www.amt.qc.ca/tc/train/gares/index.asp?nogare=16] commuter train for $4.25, if you can figure out how get to nearby Dorval Station from the airport, but check the schedule first.
The Montreal region is also served by Plattsburgh International Airport [http://www.flyplattsburgh.com] in Plattsburgh, New York, on the U.S. side of the border, about one hour away by car. Domestic US flights to Plattsburgh can be cheaper than international flights to Canada.
From Toronto, take Highway 401 east about five hours until it becomes Autoroute 20 on the Quebec side of the border. Highway 20 takes about an hour to get to downtown. Be alert for frequent speed-limit changes along this road. To reach downtown follow the Centre-Ville signs and take Highway 720 (Highway 20 continues over the Pont Champlain bridge to the South Shore).
From Ottawa, it's about two hours east along Highway 417 (which becomes the 40 in Quebec) to Montreal.
From Quebec City, it's about 2.5-3.5 hours west on either Highway 40 or 20.
From New York City, take Interstate Freeway 87 north through Albany and the eastern half of New York State for about six hours. After the border crossing near Plattsburgh, the freeway becomes Highway 15, which leads directly into downtown Montreal over the Pont Champlain, the most beautiful approach to the city. The drive time from Plattsburgh to downtown Montreal is approximately one hour.
From Boston, take Interstate Highway 93 to Highway 89 in Bow, New Hampshire, through Vermont to the border crossing near Burlington, where it turns into Highway 133, then Highway 35, which intersects Highway 10, which taken west leads directly into downtown Montreal. The whole trip takes between six and seven hours.
Montreal Central Station (''Gare Centrale'') is at 895 De La Gauchetiere West, one block west of rue University, and is served by the Bonaventure metro (subway) station.
VIA Rail Canada [http://www.viarail.ca/] operates fast and comfortable passenger trains from Montreal along the busy Quebec-Ontario corridor and to destinations in northern Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. All fares below are five-day advance booking prices for one-way travel in "Comfort" (coach / economy) class, expect to pay almost 50% more if you book on the day of travel. "VIA-1" (first / business) class is available for a premium and includes a meal, alcoholic refreshments, snacks, and pay-per-use wireless internet in both station lounges and on board the train. An ISIC student card can obtain a discount on all services (both VIA and Amtrak).
Six evenings a week, VIA's "Ocean" service departs for the overnight journey to New Brunswick (fifteen and a half hours, from $110 coach, $162 upper berth, $219 bedroom) and Nova Scotia (twenty hours, from $133 coach, $187 upper berth, $245 bedroom). The choice of sleeping accommodation varies according to the season. Along with trains between Montreal and Quebec, the Ocean is now almost exclusively operated by modern Renaissance trains that were originally built for the aborted Channel Tunnel sleeper services between Great Britain and France.
Three evenings a week, the Ocean also pulls the "Chaleur" train as far as Matapedia. The train divides in the early morning and the Chaleur follows the southern shore of the Gaspe peninsular as far as Gaspe (seventeen and a half hours, from $106 coach, $165 upper berth, $215 bedroom).
VIA also offers three weekly round trips to Senneterre, in Abitibi (eleven and a half hours, from $81), and Jonquiere in the Saguenay (nine hours, from $55). Both trains operate as wilderness services: a request stop may be made at any point along the route for those who want to hike and kayak in the remoter regions of Quebec that the train passes through.
Amtrak's [http://www.amtrak.com/] 'Adirondack' service to New York (11 hours, from $61) departs daily, with connections in Schenectady to (but not from) Chicago (twenty-four hours, USD$114) and in New York to Philadelphia (14 hours, USD$97) and Washington, DC (16 hours, $120). The train also passes through much of upstate New York and hugs Lake Champlain for a large part of the trip. South of Albany, the route follows the Hudson River and passes a number of historic sites. Reliability of the service has improved greatly since an extra hour was added to the previous 10-hour schedule, however one should still factor in the possibility of arriving an hour later than scheduled.
The journey to New York is cheaper but slower than by bus (see below), which takes 7-9 hours, but the superior comfort, extra legroom and ability to walk around the train and visit the cafe car for food and drink at your leisure, as well as the good view from the train of the Lake Champlain and Hudson River scenery, make up for this. While the bus is superior in terms of speed for a direct journey to New York, where getting for A to B is most important, the extra time on the train is more pleasantly spent in terms of comfort and scenery.
Amtrak sadly no longer offers a Thruway Motor Coach connection from Montreal to St-Albans, Vermont, and the Vermonter service, and with it the opportunity to link to Boston by rail; a Boston-bound passenger will as a result be better off traveling by Greyhound instead.
There are extensive services to Montreal from cities in Ontario, Quebec, New York, Vermont, and Maine. Buses arrive and depart from the ''Station Centrale d'autobus'' (not to be confused with the ''Gare Centrale'' or central train station) at 505 boulevard De Maisonneuve Est, (directly above the Berri-UQAM metro station]. Call 514-842-2281 for schedules and prices.
Intercity bus services to Montreal are offered by Adirondack Trailways [http://www.trailwaysny.com/], Coach Canada [http://www.coachcanada.com/], Greyhound Canada [http://www.greyhound.ca/], Greyhound Lines [http://www.greyhound.com/], Vermont Transit [http://www.vermonttransit.com/], Voyageur [http://www.greyhound.ca/], and Orleans Express [http://www.orleansexpress.com]. Orleans Express is the principal bus carrier in the St. Lawrence valley, including the Montreal?Quebec City route. Its sister company Acadian Lines [http://www.smtbus.com/] provides connections from eastern Quebec to destinations in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Voyageur, a subsidiary of Greyhound Canada, provides service to Ottawa, connecting with other bus routes to points in western Canada. Coach Canada provides service to Toronto, connecting with other bus routes to western New York, southern Ontario, Michigan and Illinois. Other regions of Quebec are served by various companies. A map of the intercity routes and carriers in Quebec can be found on Intercar's site [http://intercar.qc.ca/fr/carte.html].
TheLuxBus [http://www.luxbusreservations.com/], fittingly, offers affordable yet luxurious high-end ground transportation connecting Montreal and Manhattan. TheLuxBus operates Thursday, Friday and Sunday with four departures daily. Frequency increases during holidays, semester breaks and Spring/Summer/Autumn. It is the only transport option offering in-motion satellite television and more. Four-legged passengers also welcome in airline approved containers. Introductory fares are $79 one way and $150 round trip. Fares to Plattsburgh are as low as $30. Reservation required, 646.895.0219.
Greyhound Lines offers three daily direct services and Adirondack Trailways offers two daily direct services, from New York, with additional trips operated on weekends and in summer (eight hours, from $76.50USD). Vermont Transit, a subsidiary of Greyhound Lines, offers four daily direct services from Boston, though Vermont Transit is now operating under the name of Greyhound Lines (seven hours, from $72USD). Note that there is no student discount on the Montreal-New York service.
The train is slower, but significantly cheaper; around $62 compared to $70-80 for the bus. However, for $10-15 extra for the bus makes for a much faster journey with a much quicker passage through customs; so for speed the bus is far superior; but for comfort and scenery, the longer train journey is more pleasantly spent.
Montreal is an island in the middle of the Saint Lawrence River, accessible only by bridge. Not all bridges are bike accessible, however, several are including the breathtaking Jacques Cartier bridge. Prominent bike lanes exist throughout the city, most notably along the Lachine Canal, Rue Rachel and most recently along de Maisonneuve Blvd. However, bike theft is rampant, especially in the Plateau. Most locals can recall at least one time of observing a bike theft; many have seen rows of bikes pilfered at a time. It is not uncommon to have somebody offer you a stolen bike for sale on the street. Be equally aware of the peripheral articles of your bicycle; seats, baskets, and wheels can often be easily detached if not properly secured to the bike's frame.
The airport [http://www.admtl.com/passager/acces_et_stationnement/home.aspx] is on the western part of the island. From the main terminal, exit onto the main access road and turn right. Wind along the access road until the first major interchange and turn right. You will reach Albert de Niverville Boulevard and be forced to turn left (south) towards the main highway (Autoroute 20). At the end of this Boulevard, turn right on Cardinal Avenue. To your right, you will come to a pedestrian underpass that takes you under the railway tracks and leads to the Dorval Circle, a very busy traffic circle. This looks intimidating, but the traffic lights will allow you to ride safely under Autoroute 20 to Dorval Boulevard ''(Boulevard Dorval)''. Continue south down Dorval Boulevard until the end. Turn left on Lakeshore Drive ''(Chemin Lakeshore)'' towards the city. This road turns into Boulevard St. Joseph. You will eventually come to a bike path to your right that winds along the shores of Lac-Saint Louis (part of the Saint Lawrence river) through the town of Lachine. Continue down this path until you reach the entrance of the Lachine Canal. Cross the canal and continue down the Lachine Canal Bike Path (Piste Cyclable Canal Lachine) and follow the signs to the Old Port (Vieux Port) in Old Montreal (Vieux Montreal). The Lachine Canal Bike Path can be quite busy on weekends and holidays, so be ready to take your time. It is paved over its entire length.
Cyclist approaching Montreal from the west should take secondary highways to Dorion, where Autoroute 20, inaccessible to bicycles over most of of its length, becomes accessible as it crosses bridges first to Ile Perrot (Perrot Island) and then to the Island of Montreal (at Saine-Anne-de-Bellevue). Bicycles should use the sidewalk on these bridges as traffic is usually heavy. From here, cyclists may take Lakeshore Boulevard and the Lachine Canal Bike Path (see Airport section above) to Old Montreal and the downtown core.
The Isle-aux-Tourtes Bridge on Autoroute 40 is not accessible by bicycle.
Cyclist approaching Montreal from the South Shore to the south and east of Montreal may access the Island of Montreal a number of ways (See map: [http://www.parcjeandrapeau.com/Portals/0/chemin_alternatif.gif]).
The surest (but not foolproof) way is using the sidewalk Jacques Cartier Bridge. When it it is not closed for repairs, it is open year round and all day. A paved bike path along the shores of the Saint Lawrence River provides the most scenic approach to bridge. As of July 2007, the sidewalk is closed for repairs [http://www.pjcci.ca/English/bike-info/DEFAULT.HTM].
An equally popular route is from the Saint Lambert Locks (Ecluses Saint-Lambert) of the Saint Lawrence Seaway near the Victoria Bridge (Pont Victoria) east of Montreal. The bike drawbridge may be blocked by the entertaining spectacle of a ship passing through the seaway. From here, cyclists take the Grand Prix racing track (Gilles-Villeneuve circuit) on Ile Notre Dame to the Concord Bridge to Montreal. This route is closed sometimes for car racing events [http://www.parcjeandrapeau.com/Default.aspx?tabid=78]. In this case, cyclists can take a circuitous detour down a gravel causeway dividing the seaway and river to the Estacade, an ice boom that crosses the river parallel to the Champlain Bridge to Nun's Island and eventually Montreal. A less well-known crossing involves crossing at the Sainte Catherine Locks (Ecluses Sainte-Catherine) at Saint Catherine south of Montreal. These bridges cross the seaway to the same causeway as the Saint Lambert locks. In this case, the road to the Estacade ice boom is paved. These bike links from the South Shore are open from 15 April to 15 November, from 6:30AM to 10:00PM. [http://www.parcjeandrapeau.com/ACTIVITEacuteS/V%C3%A9loetpatin/tabid/252/language/en-CA/Default.aspx].
The Champlain Bridge, Mercier bridge, and Lafontaine Tunnel are definitely inaccessible to bicycles. These can be dangerous even in a car.
Montreal has historically been divided into east and west by boulevard Saint-Laurent. Numbered addresses on streets that cross Saint-Laurent start there and increase in either direction; most addresses are given as "rue Saint-XXX Ouest" (west) or "rue Saint-XXX Est" (east). Many streets are named after Catholic saints and figures from local history, both well-known and obscure. Note that in Montreal street names, "east" and "west" refer to the direction parallel to the St. Lawrence River, and "north" and "south" refer to the direction perpendicular to the St. Lawrence River. Because the St. Lawrence River runs almost north-south near downtown Montreal, "east", "west", "north", and "south" are actually northeast, southwest, northwest and southeast respectively. Don't try to navigate by looking at the sun!
Walking is a favoured way to get around the densely packed downtown and the narrow streets of Old Montreal, especially during the warmer months. However, beware during the winter months, because sidewalks can be icy and extremely hazardous after winter snow and ice storms. Winter boots with good grip are essential for surviving pavements that have not been cleared. Beware also (as much as you can) of thawing ice falling from overhanging balconies and roofs. But you can always take the stairs down to Montreal's famous "Underground City" (''Montreal souterrain''), called RESO [http://www.stm.info/metro/souterrain2006.pdf], a network of pedestrian corridors connecting Metro (subway) [http://www.stm.info/English/metro/a-mapmet.htm]stations, shopping centres, and office complexes.
Jaywalking is widespread and rarely punished. However, be aware that drivers will usually not stop or slow down if a pedestrian steps out in front of them, even at marked crosswalks. At an intersection, however, a pedestrian will have right of passage before turning traffic and most drivers respect this. Despite Montreal drivers' reputation for aggressiveness, they generally respect pedestrians.
Saint Catherine Street (Rue Sainte-Catherine) is Montreal's main commercial artery and busiest pedestrian thoroughfare. The "Underground City" and the Green Line (or line 1) of Montreal's Metro is easily accessible from all the major office complexes, shopping malls, department stores, and theater complexes that line it. Smaller chain stores and restaurants also vie for valuable commercial space. Well-kept historic churches with green space provide quiet oasis and contrast with the giant neon signs of strip clubs. Major hotels generally can be found one or two blocks north and south of Saint Catherine in the downtown core. Bars, restaurants, and dance clubs cluster within a block of Saint Catherine around Crescent and Bishop streets, catering to a mostly English-speaking clients in the west. Saint Denis Street (Rue Saint-Denis), further east, and the Gay Village between Berri and de Lormier even further east are mostly French-speaking. McGill College Boulevard in the downtown core from Saint Catherine Street offers an open view of Mount Royal to the North and an impressive view of the Place-Ville-Marie skyscraper to the south. Keep your head up and beware of following the flow of the crowd on this street: throngs of pedestrians often walk across cross streets against red lights, risking life and limb.
Prince Arthur Street (Rue Prince-Arthur), east of Saint-Laurent, is pedestrian only. Another pedestrian-only locale is Montreal's Chinatown, situated on Rue de la Gauchtiere between Saint-Urbain and Saint-Laurent. A good trick for navigating downtown Montreal is to remember that streets slope up toward Mount Royal, which is just north of downtown and easy to see from most locations.
The districts surrounding downtown Montreal are especially delightful by foot. To the south is Old Montreal (Le Vieux-Montreal) [http://www.vieux.montreal.qc.ca/eng/accueila.htm] ? its narrow streets and buildings dating from the 17th and 18th centuries really can make you feel like you're in Old Europe ? and the Old Port (Le Vieux-Port) [http://www.oldportofmontreal.com/], a waterfront strolling park with exhibits and boat tours, is very popular with the locals. To the north, the Golden Square Mile and the McGill University Campus is wedged between Mount Royal and Sherbrooke Street on the southern slope of the mountain. Old Victorian mansions and townhouses can be found along the sloping streets, many now housing McGill University's offices and libraries. Just west of downtown is affluent Westmount, a perfect example of 19th-century English-style homes and gardens (inhabited to a great extent by English-speaking people) climbing the slopes of Mount Royal's western part (the higher you climb, the larger the old mansions). Just east and northeast of downtown are the mostly French-speaking Gay Village (Le Village Gai) and Plateau (Plateau Mont-Royal) districts. Street after street displays turn-of-the-19th-century row duplexes and triplexes, replete with famous Montreal outdoor staircases, overflowing front gardens (or snow-covered gables, depending on the time of year), and tiny shops tucked into every nook and cranny. For people who like to see a culture where it lives, Le Plateau is the place to wander about in.
Mount Royal (Mont-Royal) is also accessible from the urban core by foot. [http://www.lemontroyal.qc.ca/en_index3.html]. Fit pedestrians can climb Peel Street (Rue Peel) to the southern edge of the park. A series of renovated staircases will take you directly to the Chalet near the top of the mountain, with its classic view of the downtown core. A more leisurely climb to the top awaits those on Olmsted Road (6.5 km), a wide, gently sloping bike and foot path accessible from the Plateau in Parc Jeanne-Mance (also known as Fletcher's Field). Smaller foot paths serendipitously branch off from this road. A cross-country ski path also winds to the top in the wintertime. Mount Royal's park was designed by Frederick Olmsted , an architect who lived from 1822 to 1903 and was also responsible for the design of Central Park in New York City [http://www.lemontroyal.qc.ca/en_anniversaire/7.html] and the Emerald Necklace in Boston.
Driving (SAAQ [http://www.saaq.gouv.qc.ca/]) in Montreal can be a challenge for many North American motorists. Although turning right on a red light is authorized across Quebec (except at intersections where a sign indicates this is not permitted), rights on reds are strictly prohibited on the island of Montreal. The stop lights at most of downtown intersections are located on the far end of the intersection, not at the actual stop line.
The use of salt to provide grip during severe winters takes its toll on the roadways, which are either heavily potholed or subject to perpetual construction. Downtown traffic is dense. Street parking can be difficult. Parking meters are in use seven days a week until 9PM, including statutory Holidays. Parking tickets can only be contested in court by the owner of the car that was subject to the infraction, so if a rented car is ticketed the person who rented may be unable to contest the charge. Car parking downtown costs $3 an hour at parking meters or $25 per day at commercial parking lots.
North ? Nord, East ? Est, South ? Sud, West ? Ouest, Exit ? Sortie, Bridge ? Pont}}
During the winter months, heavy snowfalls are common. In the aftermath of a snowstorm an intensively prepared "deneigement" (snow removal) process begins with intimidatingly large snow plows and trucks clearing, chewing up, and transporting away the snow. If you leave your car parked on a street, pay close attention to any orange signs that might appear on the banks of snow on the sidewalk and listen out for horn sirens. This is the announcement that a street is about to be cleared and that all parked cars should be moved. If you do not move your car, it will likely be towed to the nearest street with space (with a $100 fine) or it could be impounded. It is best to use indoor or underground parking if snow clearing is likely.
Many downtown streets are one-way, which can complicate getting around. If you see a sign at an intersection that has direction arrows in a green circle, that means those are the only directions you are allowed to go. Most left turns are prohibited, although a flashing green light indicates a left-turn priority. Autoroutes (expressways or freeways) can be challenging for visitors, as signs are mostly in French.
Cycling and in-line skating are very popular once the cold winter weather is over. The city is criss-crossed by 660km of well-maintained cycle paths, including some which cross the St. Lawrence onto the island of Montreal. By far the nicest path is the Lachine Canal path that stretches from Lachine, along Lac St-Louis, down to Old Montreal along the canal. You can cross over to the South Shore either on the Jacques Cartier bridge, Ile Notre Dame, or via the Estacade ice bridge from Nun's Island.
Even if you are on a bike path, beware of drivers as they are not always aware that there are bikes around. Some downtown bike paths are separated from the road by parked cars, which decreases your visibility. If one is comfortable driving in Montreal, one generally can feel comfortable biking there as well. While wearing a helmet is not required under the law, it is highly recommended.
Skate and bike hire shops are common, particularly in the Old Port and the Plateau. Visit La Maison des Cyclistes (the cyclists's house) at 1251 rue Rachel Est for all info on cycling in Montreal. (See Do for specific bike paths)
The public transit system, run by Societe de transport de Montreal (STM) [http://www.stm.info/], is safe, efficient, and pleasant to use. Tickets valid for one trip (including transfer) on the metro and buses cost $2.75 each, but are also available for 25% less in strips ''(lisieres)'' of six for $12.00. On the buses, it is important to have the exact fare since the driver does not give change. If you are taking a bus which leads to a metro station you can ask the driver for a transfer (''correspondance''), which will then allow you to take the metro without having to pay the fare twice. Equally, if you are taking the subway and then plan on taking the bus, take a transfer stub from one of the dispensing machines from your starting station. This is important as some bus drivers may refuse transfers stamped with the name of the metro station where you are taking the bus (the rationale behind this is to prevent someone from soliciting exiting subway passengers for a transfer and then taking the bus for free).
Tourist passes offer unlimited travel on the bus and metro for periods of one day ($9) or three days ($17) and are well worth it. They are available from most downtown metro stations during the summer, but only at Berri-UQAM, Peel, and Bonaventure stations on the off-season. Weekly ($19.25 regular, $11 for students under 18; valid from the nearest Sunday of purchase) and monthly ($66.25 regular, $37 for students under 25) passes are also available. Only students studying at a recognized academic institution in Montreal may benefit from student fares and a special card must be obtained from the STM.
The STM website offers an on-line trip-planner service called Tous azimuts. [http://stm.info/English/azimuts/a-index.htm] Free bus and Metro system maps are available from the ticket booth at most metro stations. [http://metrodemontreal.ca/]
At each subway station, directions are not indicated by compass directions, such as Westbound or Eastbound. Instead, trains go in the direction of a subway line's terminus. The ''green line'' runs from Angrignon in the west to Honore-Beaugrand in the east. If you were to travel eastbound, you would look for "Honore-Beaugrand" on the platform. There are four interchange stations at which commuters can change subway lines: Snowdon (Blue/Orange Line), Lionel-Groulx (Orange/Green), Berri-UQAM (Green/Yellow/Orange), and Jean-Talon (Orange/Blue).
Montreal has a commuter train system run by the Agence metropolitaine de transport (AMT) [http://www.amt.qc.ca] with termini at the Montreal Central Station (Gare Central) and at Lucien L'Allier (both are accessible from the metro). Commuter trains are handy for getting to suburbs and neighbouring towns.
Commuter train stations are divided into six zones that radiate out from downtown. Stations have automated machines from which you must purchase a ticket appropriate to the zones of the station you are traveling to or from, whichever is farther (e.g. a trip from Zone 1 to Zone 3 or vice versa would require a Zone 3 ticket). Trips in zones 1 and 2 can be reduced in price if you have an STM transfer from the city bus or metro. You must then purchase the ''tarif combine'' ticket at a lower cost. Pre-purchased tickets must be validated in the stamping machines at the entrance to the platform. In general, reduced fares (for students and seniors) require ID that is not available to travelers.
There are no ticket machines on the train and ticket inspections are random. If the ticket is not valid, the customer can get a fine of up to $400. In some cases, incorrect tickets will go unnoticed because the security agents pass through only occasionally. Note that instructions for paying are clearly displayed in French only.
MapArt produces an excellent map of downtown Montreal and environs, including Vieux Montreal, Mt. Royal, the Plateau as well as areas as far north as the University of Montreal and as far south as Parc Jean-Drapeau. This is handy so you don't have to keep folding a map of the whole island.
Below is a basic map of the primary areas of interest to visitors. <center>Image:central_montreal_map.png</center>
An interactive map of the cycle path network is available at the Velo Quebec website.[http://www.velo.qc.ca/fr/reseaux_cyclables/index-MTL.lasso] Particularly pleasant places to cycle and skate include:
Montreal has a bewildering variety of festivals, ranging from one-day ethnic fairs to huge international productions running two weeks or more. They are generally held in the summer and autumn, though increasingly they can be found throughout the year. Here are some of the larger ones:
Montreal is home to one of Canada's oldest and most prestigious universities, McGill University. Concordia University is the city's other English-language university, the largest East of Toronto, and has over 40,000 students. Its student population is generally more multicultural than McGill's and the school's origins in and continuing emphasis on adult education make it popular for mature students, since it still holds many graduate-level courses at night.
The Universite du Quebec a Montreal (UQAM) and the Universite de Montreal cater mainly to Francophone students. The Universite de Montreal is the second largest French-language university in the world, after the Sorbonne in Paris and is one of the largest research institutions in Canada. The Universite de Montreal has two affiliated schools, Polytechnique Montreal (engineering), and HEC Montreal (business school) that offer undergraduate and graduate studies.
Universite Laval and Universite de Sherbrooke also have campuses in the Montreal area. Every university, with the exception of Laval, lends its name to a subway stop to indicate the university's approximate location. For example, the Guy-Concordia subway station, located at the intersection of Rue Guy and Boulevard de la Maisonneuve, is no more than two minutes away from its namesake university (Concordia).
The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) allows skilled U.S. and Mexican professionals to obtain Canadian work visa provided they are qualified in certain professions. The American Consular Services website [http://www.amcits.com/professions.asp] provides an up-to-date list of qualifying professions.
If you are an U.S. Citizen aged 18-30 and a full-time student, you can obtain a Canadian work visa valid for six months through BUNAC [http://www.bunac.org/usa/workcanada/eligibility.aspx]. Students from France, Britain, New Zealand, and Australia can also benefit from BUNAC work programs. As well, if you obtain a degree from a Canadian university, you are eligible to remain in Montreal and work for up to one year.
For anyone else, the Immigration Canada (CIC) website [http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/immigrate/index.asp] explains a number of ways foreigners can legally work in Canada.
Student jobs include babysitting, painting during the summer, and moving furniture in June. McGill and Montreal universities are always in search of research subjects and so are Montreal's many biotech firms. Montreal also has many call centers, which constantly seek to hire new employees and offer flexible working hours.
Although Montreal's economy has been booming in recent years, the city remains remarkably affordable compared to other major cities in Canada and the United States. Shopping in Montreal ranges from electric budget stores to high-end fashion, with a wide spectrum in between.
Rue Ste-Catherine, between rue Guy and boulevard St-Laurent, has many of the big department and chain stores as well as a few major malls. Avenue Mont-Royal has funky consignment and gothic clothing stores from boulevard St-Laurent to rue St-Denis and a mixed bag of neighborhood stores, used record shops, and gentrified boutiques heading east towards avenue Papineau. Rue St-Viateur is one of the city's most interesting streets, with its amazingly varied range of businesses crammed into the short stretch between St-Laurent and avenue du Parc. Boul. St-Laurent remains one of the city's prime shopping streets, more or less along its whole length. Just about anything can be found there, with different blocks having different clusters of businesses (Asian groceries and housewares near de La Gauchetiere, cheap electronics a little farther up, hip boutiques between Prince-Arthur and Mount Royal, anything and everything Italian between St-Zotique and Jean-Talon, etc.). Rue Sherbrooke, west of the Autoroute Decarie, boasts an increasingly interesting concentration of largely food-oriented businesses.
Trendier boutiques can be found on rue Saint-Denis, north of rue Sherbrooke and south of avenue Mont-Royal, as well as rue Saint-Laurent (continuing as far north as Bernard). The latter is in the process of becoming more upscale, so the range of shopping is highly variable and lower in density as one goes north of Mont-Royal. Rue Sherbrooke itself has a number of high-end stores (notably Holt Renfrew) and commercial art galleries in a short strip running approximately from McGill University west to rue Guy. Farther west, Sherbrooke intersects with Greene Avenue in Westmount, which boasts a short, but luxurious retail strip. Rue Laurier, between St-Laurent and its western end, is one of the city's prime spots for eating and shopping in high style, though there are still a few affordable spots here and there.
On boul. St-Laurent, a cluster of high-end home furnishing stores has grown up in recent years. It starts roughly at the corner of rue Marie-Anne and is very prominent in the block between Marie-Anne and avenue Mont-Royal, with sparser, but still interesting stores as far north as rue St-Viateur. Antique buffs will find interesting stores all over the city, but they'll want to make a special pilgrimage to rue Notre-Dame, heading east from avenue Atwater. Rue Amherst, in the Gay Village, also has a significant concentration of antique dealers.
Montreal is a culinary mecca and has a huge variety of food options, from diners and fast food to low-cost ethnic restaurants to ''haute cuisine''. The city was recently ranked 2nd best dining city in North America after San Francisco and ahead of New York. The large local Jewish population has contributed local specialties including huge smoked meat sandwiches (beef brisket) (Schwartz's is undisputably the most authentic smoked meat restaurant) and small, crusty bagels (the undisputed classic bagel places are St-Viateur's and Fairmount Bagels). Other specialties are "all-dressed" pizza (pepperoni, mushrooms and green peppers), pizza and spaghetti with smoked meat, and Quebecois favorites like split pea soup and poutine.
Many Montreal restaurants are apportez votre vin (''bring your (own) wine''). This may sound like a hassle, but you end up paying much less for wine with dinner if you bring it yourself. There's usually a SAQ (government liquor store) or a depanneur (convenience store, with a limited selection of typically inexpensive wine) nearby; ask your waiter. Your waiter will open your wine for you; corkage fees are rare, but don't forget to factor this service into your tip. If you are driving from the United States, you may find Canadian liquor prices quite frightening. Even the duty free shops along the border are rarely cheaper than an American liquor store (although these are still cheaper than the SAQ). Visitors can bring in 1l of hard alcohol, 1.5l of wine, or a 24 pack of beer.
Separate bills (l'addition in French) are common and you may be asked ''ensemble ou separement?'' (together or separately?) The standard tip for acceptable restaurant service is 15% and is not included.
Never call a waiter "garcon"! Use "monsieur" or "madame".
Across town, the Atwater Market is also superb, though quite different from (and much smaller than) Jean-Talon. Here, you'll find the city's best butchers, as well as good selections of cheese, fish, and produce. Located on avenue Atwater, just south of rue Notre-Dame (metro Lionel-Groulx).
With delis and bakeries and dinners galore, Montreal offers great budget dining. Venues are scattered all over the city, but the largest concentration of restaurants is along St. Laurent, St. Denis and Mont Royal in the Plateau. Tasty and cheap ethnic food ? lots of India buffets ? can be found around the Jean-Talon market.
Two Montreal classics, poutine and the smoked meat sandwich, can make a filling meal for under $10. Pizza-by-the-slice can be had for a loonie, and there's always the option of rolling your own picnic with fresh produce from Marche Atwater or Jean Talon Market.
Several Kosher restaurants can be found within a few blocks of each other on Queen Mary road not far from the Snowdon Metro station and boul Decarie near Villa-Maria -des-Neiges. The other greatest concentration of Kosher food in along Bernard in Outremont.
Smoked-meat and sausage poutine adside, Montreal is vegetarian-friendly with several veggie and vegan restaurants and veggie options on most menus.
The best way to find a restaurant, outside of asking Montrealers, is to search through those websites: Chowhound [http://chowhound.chow.com/boards/22] Restomontreal [http://www.restomontreal.ca/index.php?lang=en] Guide Voir Restos (French) [http://www.guiderestos.com/]
'''Morty's Steakhouse''' ''5395 Queen Mary''
'''Yakimono sushi bar''' ''4210 Boulevard Decarie''
'''Exception II''' ''5039 Queen Mary Rd''
'''Chez Benny''' ''5071 chemin Queen-Mary''
'''Chez Benny Express''' ''2075 rue Saint-Louis''
'''Pizza pita ''' ''6415 Decarie''
'''Casalinga''' ''5625 Decarie''
'''Famouse Pizza''' ''2145 rue St Louis''
'''Yoel's Dizenogff grill''' ''3460 Stanley, 2ND Floor''
'''Tatty's Pizza''' ''6540 Darlington''
'''Paradise Kosher''' ''11608 De Salaberry''
'''Milk 'N Honey''' ''5756 Avenue Du Parc''
'''Ristorante Maestro''' ''6136 Cote Saint Luc Rode'' (nice shirt, nice pants)
'''Pizza Maestro''' ''5800 Cavendish'' (This is in a mall, located in the food court near Mac Donalds)
'''Jerusalem express''' ''5800 Cavendish'' (This is in a mall; it is next to Subway)
'''Le Grill''' ''6445 Decarie'' (In the Quality Hotel Midtown)
'''Ernie And Ellie_fs''' ''6900 Decarie'' (In a mall called Care Decarie (Decarie Square) but is a buisness-casual type place)
'''El Morrocco''' ''3450 Drummond'' (buisness-casual)
'''Cafe Dizengoff''' ''5500 Westbury'' (in the Jewish YMCA) (it has two (2) sepertate kitchens so mornings are the dairy menu and afternoons are the meat menu)
The legal age to purchase alcohol in Quebec is 18 and the Quebecois are usually not very rigid in enforcing this age limit. All retail alcohol sales stop at 11PM and bars and clubs stop serving at 3AM.
Quality wine and liquor (but only a small selection of imported beers) can only be purchased at SAQ shops, most of which are open until 6PM Su?W and 8PM or 9PM on weekends; the smaller SAQ Express outlets are open daily from 11AM to 10PM. Beer, and a small selection of lower-quality wine, are also sold at convenience stores (depanneurs) and grocery stores (usually the same selection as the depanneurs). Wine sold outside of the SAQ, known as "piquette" by the locals, has been imported in bulk, bottled, and sometimes blended in Quebec ?not the best choice to bring to a dinner party.
Montrealers are largely unaware of how blessed they are by the selection of beer to be found in the humble corner store. Two local breweries in particular are world-class: McAuslan (brands include St-Ambroise and Griffon) and Unibroue (Belgian-style ales such as Blanche de Chambly, Maudite, and La Fin du Monde, etc. The U and U2 lagers are rather ordinary). Boreale also makes a good, if unspectacular range of brews.
Dance clubs can be found all over the downtown area, with hotspots on St. Laurent and Crescent St.
After hours clubs, for those who aren't tired out by 3AM, are open 2AM-10AM. They don't serve alcohol.
Montreal has as many gay and lesbian bars as San Francisco and every October on Canadian Thanksgiving (Columbus Day in the U.S.) hosts the "Black and Blue" circuit party, attracting thousands to enjoy the thrill of harder dance music and hordes of pretty, shirtless men. Most popular gay bars can be found in the city's Gay Village, located on the eastern stretch of Ste-Catherine and easily accessible by the Beaudry metro, between Amherst and Papineau. '''Unity''', '''Parking''', and '''Sky''' are the dance club favourites, while Cabaret Mado offers excellent drag performances. There are also numerous pubs, male strippers, restuarants, saunas, and karaoke in the area. The three main strippers are '''Stock''' bar, '''Campus''' and '''Adonis'''. The most popular sauna is '''Oasis'''.
For the budget traveler, Montreal offers youth hostels with dorms or private rooms as well as budget bed and breakfasts (sometimes with very skimpy breakfasts). The densest collection of budget hotels are in the Latin Quarter, in the streets East of Beri-UQAM metro and the long distance bus station. The Old Town has a couple of quality hostels, but you'll pay more to be there.
Mid-range options include Downtown chain hotels to "gites", guest houses that range from a single room in an apartment to elegant historic homes with three to five rooms. Gites are usually found in the more residential neighborhoods like the Plateau.
On the upper-end, four and five-star luxury and boutique hotels are mostly concentrated in the Old City and Downtown.
Montreal is home to four major universities and numerous smaller schools. Students routinely sublet apartments in the summer months.
No country code is needed when dialing to or from the US (just the usual 1 before the area code).
The Grande Bibliotheque has many internet terminals, a library card (free to Quebec residents with proof of address) is required.
The organization Ile Sans Fil [http://www.ilesansfil.org/tiki-index.php] provides free wireless Internet in cafes and other locations throughout the city. Look for the sticker outside participating venues. The Eaton Center downtown offers free wireless access in the food court.
Although Montreal is Canada's second largest city, it shares Canada's low violent crime rates making it relatively safe. However, property crimes, including car theft, are remarkably high and you should make sure to lock your doors and keep your valuables with you. Take extra care if you want to visit Montreal-Nord or Saint-Michel. These neighbourhoods are the worst of the city and shootings are heard of in these areas.
Part of Montreal's rue Ste. Catherine downtown corridor is arguably the grittiest part of the city, especially east of Place des Arts. There are homeless people panhandling during the Summer and Fall. Most are polite, but there are some that are more aggressive. The street is at its most dangerous around 3AM, when closing clubs and bars empty their inebriated crowds into the street. You may also come across occasional pockets of street prostitution, especially around strip clubs.
In Montreal, pickpockets are not very common, but keep an eye on things when watching street performances in the Old City or in other crowds.
If you're concerned about safety on the Metro, use the first metro car where the driver is. Emergency intercoms are on every metro car. Emergency phone booths are on every platform throughout the metro system. The Metro is generally safe. While written instructions are in both English and French, most announcements in the Metro are in French only, so if you think you heard something in the announcement that may affect you, just ask a fellow passenger for a translation.
Pedestrians and bike-riders should be especially careful. Crosswalks are rarely respected. Motorists have a general contempt for pedestrians, especially when they are trying to make a right turn at an intersection.
'''Hospital''' The closest hospital to the PET airport is The Lakeshore General Hospital located at 160 Stillview avenue in Pointe Claire. If you do not have Quebec Health Insurance be prepared to pay by credit card at the door as they do not accept traveller's insurance (but you will be reimbursed when you return home). 514-630-2225.
As in the rest of Quebec, language politics and Quebec sovereignty are contentious issues in Montreal. Don't make the assumption that all French Canadians and Quebecois are in favor of Quebec's separation of Canada. If you really want to discuss those topics with locals, be sure you are well informed. It is still a very emotional issue. Use common sense and be respectful.
The first language in Quebec is French. Making an attempt to use the language is a great way to show respect for locals, whether or not they can speak English. However, it should be noted that Montreal is considered to be one of the world's most bilingual cities with many residents whose primary language is English. In case of doubt, you may want to open with a warm "Bonjour!" and see what language is used in response. Most likely you will be answered in English, if your French accent does not sound local. Try not to take offense if you are trying to speak French and locals respond to you in English, it is not meant to be offensive since most Montrealers speak both they are trying to make it easier on you.
Many people working in the tourist and service industries are completely bilingual without accents. But don't make jokes about French people (especially since francophones in Montreal are mostly Quebecois with a few Acadiens and Franco-Ontariens, all of which consider themselves different from the French). Also, do not assume that all Quebecois are francophones. Montreal has a significant English speaking community with a long history in Quebec and many immigrants whose first language is neither English nor French.
See also Quebec#Talk, Quebec#Respect and the French phrasebook.
Montreal makes an excellent entryway for visiting other cities and destinations in Quebec.