Travel guide Montreal

Beware, here is a highly sensitive subject! Quebecers, who are at home here, consider that it is the French who have an accent. We can't prove them wrong on this point! So to discover the local kindness, the rule is simple: leave your prejudices about the Quebecois language when you get your suitcase at the airport.

Artisanal breweries and microbreweries are growing like mushrooms all over the province. And Quebecers have become true beer geeks, as evidenced, for example, by the queues at the famous bottle releases (sale of limited edition beers directly at the brewery). An infatuation that continues to this day.

We could have a brunch every Sunday in a different place as the offer is so vast... and varied, from the classic egg-bacon-potato dishes to inventive little dishes to share, including traditional lunches from all over the world, without forgetting the famous Benedictines that come in all sauces... for our greatest pleasure!

These small Quebec businesses open very late at night and every day of the week. Some even operate day and night. You can buy newspapers, cigarettes, beer, milk, canned goods, some fresh products, candy, etc. The prices are higher than at the supermarket, but as the name suggests, it's a convenience store.

They're cute, all right. It's also true that they are omnipresent, especially in Montreal where their size can sometimes be surprising. There is not a single tourist who is not tempted to take a picture of these little hairy beasts. Can we prove them wrong? However, we recommend that you don't get too close to them, a bite can quickly happen...

After the first frosts following the summer period, usually in mid-October, the Indian summer is the result of hot flashes from the Gulf of Mexico towards Quebec that redden the foliage. It is said that the Native people took advantage of this mild period to perfect the reserves before winter... hence the expression.

"Mon pays, ce n'est pas un pays, c'est l'hiver", sang Gilles Vigneault. These long, snowy months are harsh, punctuated by several major storms in eastern Canada. The winter season is long and harsh, but there's more than one way to enjoy it. And it has to be said that the return of positive temperatures is all the more celebrated.

It is the national sport par excellence. Would you like to see the Montreal Canadiens play? Be patient to find tickets, they are almost all sold out before the season even begins. And if you value your life, we strongly advise you not to parade through the streets in the Boston Bruins jersey, the arch-enemy.

Montrealers are bon vivants and particularly appreciate humour. So much so that a National School of Humour was founded in Montreal in 1988. Since then, the school has graduated more than 600 creators, authors and comedians, including many of the great contemporary names in Quebec humour. Some have even exported their talent to Europe.

Among the eleven nations present in the province of Quebec, the Mohawks (Kanien'kehá:ka) live near Montreal, in Akwesasne and Kahnawake (Montérégie) and Kanesatake (Laurentians). Despite the influence of neighbouring towns, their traditional values remain strong and they manage their education, health and services.

One can easily get lost in this parallel network that criss-crosses a good part of the city behind the houses. Often occupied by the inhabitants, the alleys are both peaceful and full of life. You can see budding field hockey players, vegetable gardens, a few cars running away from traffic jams, frescoes and sometimes a raccoon.

On sunny days, the famous garage sales (spontaneous sales or garage sales) flourish on the sidewalks and in the streets of the city. It's an opportunity to make great finds, meet the neighbourhood or simply take an informative look to discover the tastes of Montrealers and past fashions.