Montreal/Old City

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Vieux Montréal, or the Old City, is what many visitors come to Montreal for: old cobblestoned streets lined with buildings dating from the 17th through 19th centuries, grand old French restaurants, history museums, and the riverfront Old Port. That's not to say that the Old City is completely removed from the rest of Montreal-- back a few blocks from the mimes and steakhouses you'll find warehouses converted to boutique shops and loft apartments.

In the summer, Place Jacques-Cartier is packed with street performers and restaurant terraces overflow with tourists. Winter presents a much more subdued scene, with bundled figures hurrying from gallery to restaurant to hotel in the cold and snow.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By metro

Old Montreal is served by three metro stations-- Square Victoria to the west, Champ-de-Mars in the west and Place-des-Armes, under the conference center to the east. Both are a short walk into the heart of things, but there's a bit of a hill.

[edit] By car

Street parking is scares and runs $3 per hour. Parking complexes run $6/1hr, $15 max, $20 for 12-24 hours.

  • Clock Tower Quay: enter from Berri or de la Commune East
  • Montréal Science Centre: take St. Boulevard or de la Commune East or West
  • Alexandra Quay: off of de la Callière or de la Commune West
  • Complexe Chaussegros-de-Léry, next to Champ-de-Mars metro, has over a thousand spots

A few small commercial lots operate around City Hall for $20 / day. Note that the streets are small, one-way and thronged with pedestrians in the summer. Plans are in the works to turn rue St. Paul into a pedestrian walk, further complicating things.

[edit] By bus

Buses don't run in the Old City itself, but they can get you within a few blocks. From the Plateau the 55 runs down St. Laurent to Saint-Jacques and up St. Urbain and the 30 runs down Berri (1 block East of St. Dennis). From Downtown take the 75' de la Commune, get off at McGill/Wellington, it's then a 4 block walk to the edge of the cobblestone.

[edit] By boat

Ferries (navettes) run to and from Ile St-Helene May-Oct and to the suburb of Longueuil on the south shore.

[edit] Get around

The Old City is small enough that walking is usually the best way to get around. Sidewalks are narrow and the streets cobblestone, making slow going for wheelchairs and strollers.

  • Horse drawn carriages (Calèche). Carriage tours leave from Place d’Armes and the top and bottom of Place Jacques-Cartier. $45 for a 30 minute tour, $75 for 1 hour.  edit
  • Segway Canada, Hanger 16, Clock Tower Pier, ☎ 514 393-0734 (), [1]. Guided tours-- 2 hours including 30 minutes of training-- cover the Old Port, Old Town, and Habitat 67. Tours start at $80 per person.  edit
  • Old Montréal: The Official Walking Tour, 110, Notre-Dame Street West (in front of Notre-Dame Basilica), [2]. May-Oct 11am and 1pm. This 90 minute tour will get you oriented. $17.50 adult / $15.50 student & senior / $8.50 child.  edit

[edit] Bike rentals

  • Vélo Aventure, quai des Convoyeurs, ☎ 514 288-8356. Summer bike and rollerblade rentals edit
  • Montréal On Wheels, ☎ 514 866-0633, [3]. Bikes, tandem bikes, roller blades and accessories such as baby seats. Bike tours also offered. Weekdays $8/hr; weekends $9/hr..  edit

[edit][add listing] See

  • Vieux-Port (Old Port), South of rue Saint-Antoine between rue McGill and rue Berri. (metro Champ-de-Mars or Place-d'Armes), [4]. The Old Port is a large waterfront green space with attractions such as Cirque du Soleil, the Montreal Science Center, the Labyrinth, the Clock Tower, and a large outdoor audio-visual stage which is the site for the Canada Day fireworks. edit
  • Place Jacques-Cartier. Pedestrian street filled with street artists and musicians, and there are numerous fine restaurants and private art galleries nearby. edit
  • Marché Bonsecours (metro Champs-de-Mars), [5].  edit

.

  • Basilique Notre-Dam, 116 rue Notre-Dame ouest (metro Place-d'Armes), [6]. Probably the city's most spectacular church, a gem of Victorian Gothic. Entrance fee is $4 (2007). Service is at 17:00 daily and on Sunday morning, entrance is free for worship but donations are suggested. During service, the organ music is not to be missed. While it shouldn't have to be mentioned, tourists should be respectful during services. edit

[edit] Museums

The Old City has the largest concentration of historical homes and museums-- plus the ultra-modern Montréal Science Centre.

  • Marguerite-Bourgeoys Museum and Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel, 400 Saint-Paul Street East (metro Champ-de-Mars), ☎ 514 282-8670 (, fax: 514 282-8672), [7]. Open Tues-Sun. May-Oct 10am-5:30pm; Oct-April 11am-3:30pm. Built in 1655, Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours, is the oldest stone church in Montreal. The museum houses artifacts from the church's history and pays tribute to Marguerite Bourgeoys, Montreal's first teacher. $3 child / $4 student / $6 adult / $4 senior / $12 family.  edit
  • Pointe à Callière (Montréal Museum of Archaeology and History), 350 Place Royale (metro Champ-de-Mars), ☎ 514 872-9150, [8]. Labour Day to June 23rd: Tues-Fri 10am-5pm, Weekends 11am-5pm; June 24 to Labour Day: Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Weekends 11am-6pm.. A modern museum built over the ruins of Montreal's first settlement, Pointe à Callière uses audiovisual technology as well as surrounding archaeological remains to tell the story of Montreal from the first natives to the present day. $5 child / $7 student / $13 adult / $8 senior / $27 family.  edit
  • George-Étienne Cartier, 458 Notre-Dame Street East (metro Champ-de-Mars), ☎ 514 283-2282, [9]. April 4 to June 3 and September 3 to December 23: Wed-Sund 10am-noon and 1pm-5pm; June 4 to September 2: daily 10am- 6pm.. Reconstruction of two 19th century Victorian homes. adult $3.90 / senior $3.40 / youth $1.90 / family $9.80.  edit
  • Montréal Science Centre, King-Edward Pier, ☎ 514 496-4724 or 1-877-496-4724, [10]. Mon-Fri 8am-5pm; Weekends 9:30am-5pm; check listings for IMAX movie times. Interactive science museum and IMAX theater. IMAX screenings $9 child/ $12 adult; Exhibitions $9 child / $12 adult; Combo tickets $15 child / $20 adult.  edit
  • Centre d'histoire de Montréal, 335 Place d'Youville (metro Square-Victoria), ☎ 514 872-3207 (, fax: 514 872-9645), [11]. Covering the history of Montreal from its founding in 1535. $3 child / $3 student / $5 adult / $3 senior / $13 family.  edit
  • Bank of Montréal Museum, 129 St-Jacques Street (metro Place-d'Armes), ☎ 514 877 6810. Mon-Fri 10am-4pm. Hands-on museum focusing on the history of banking in Montreal. Free.  edit
  • Château Ramezay Museum, 280 Notre-Dame Street East (metro Champ-de-Mars), ☎ 514 861-3708, [12]. Open daily June - Oct 10am - 6 pm. 18th century Governor's residence and gardens full of historical artifacts from daily life. $4 child / $5 student / $8 adults / $6 senior / $16.50 families.  edit

[edit][add listing] Do

  • Winter Ice Skating, the Old Port, [13]. Oct-March 10am-9pm. $4 adults / $3 child (does not include skate rental).  edit
  • Boat rental.  edit
  • Shed 16 Labyrinth, Shed 16, Clock Tower Pier, [14]. Open May 17-June 15th weekends 11:30-5pm; June 21st-Aug 24th daily 11am-9pm; Aug 25-Sept 28th weekends and holidays 11:30-5:30pm. Indoor maze in a converted hanger. $9.75 child/ $12 teens / $13 adult.  edit
  • Jet Boating, Clock tower pier (metro Champs-de-mars), ☎ 514 284-9607, [15]. $40 child / $50 teen /$60 adult. $70 with dinner..  edit

[edit] Festivals

  • Montréal High Lights (Montreal All-Nighter).  edit
  • Harbour Symphonies.  edit

[edit][add listing] Buy

[edit] Marche Bonsecours

Worth a visit for the neoclassical building itself, Marche Bonsecours houses local art and design boutiques. The Market is open daily 10am-6pm, 9pm weekends April 1st-Dec 31st and daily June 24th-Labor Day.

  • L'Institut de Design de Montréal, 390 rue St-Paul Est (Marche Bonsecours, level 2), ☎ 514 866-2436, [16]. Functional design objects-- kitchen tools, organizers, household accessories-- from Montreal designers. edit
  • Boutique des métiers d'art du Québec, 390 rue St-Paul Est (Marche Bonsecours, level 1), ☎ 514 878-2787 (), [17]. Arts, crafts, and jewelry from over 100 Quebec artists. edit
  • Studio/Boutique gogo•glass, 390 rue St-Paul Est (Marche Bonsecours, level 1). Hand blown glass by local artists Annie Michaud and Karine Bouchard. Demonstrations of glass blowing techniques. edit

[edit] Art galleries

  • Galerie de Chariot, 446 pl. Jacques-Cartier (metro Champ-de-Mars), ☎ 514 875-6134 (, fax: 514 875-6807), [18]. Mon-Sat 10am-6pm, Sun 10am-3pm. Government-certified Innuit soapstone carvings and historical drawings. edit

[edit] Clothing

  • Collection Mariouche Inc (Harricana), 3000 Saint-Antoine Street W, ☎ 514 287-6517 (), [19]. Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10am-5pm.. With the motto "Made from your mother's old fur coat," Harricana takes stuffy old furs and recycles them into hip accessories, vests, and coats-- even stuffed animals. edit

[edit][add listing] Eat

Restaurants cater to tourists, but that doesn't mean there aren't a few gems that draw locals. Note that many of the restaurants along Place Jacques-Cartier shut down or at least close their terraces and gardens forcing patrons into a smaller, and often less charming, inside dinning room. Prices for each range are slightly higher here than elsewhere in the city.

[edit] Budget

  • Olive & Gourmando, 351 rue Saint-Paul Ouest, ☎ 514 350-1083, [20]. Popular boulangerie offering fresh sandwiches, soups, and a daily lunch dish and baked goods. Also sells breads, jams, and snacks to take away. edit
  • L'Aventure, 438 Place Jacques-Cartier, ☎ 514 866-9439, [21]. Pub and bar featuring two terraces in the summer. French bistro cuisine plus soups, salads, pizza and pastas. $7-$15.  edit
  • Marché du Vieux, 8 Saint-Paul Street East, ☎ 514 393-2772. Mon-Sun 8am-6pm. Equal parts bistro and fine-food boutique, Marché du Vieux is a cute spot for a gourmet lunch or snack edit

[edit] Mid-range

  • Restaurant Bonaparte, 443 rue Saint-François-Xavier, ☎ 514 844-4368, [22].  edit
  • Le Jardin Nelson. Fancy and filling crepes are the main draw at this historic restaurant and garden courtyard. Offering outdoors jazz and other live music in the summer, it looses some of it's charm in the winter when things move inside. edit
  • Boris Bistro, 465 av. McGill, Montreal, QC, H2Y 2H1, ☎ 514 848-9575, [23]. Open Mon-Fri 11:30am-2pm and 5pm-9pm, Sat 6pm-9pm, closed Sunday.. Popular bistro featuring a large courtyard. Menu offers meats, seafood, and pastas. Try the French fries cooked in duck fat. $15-20.  edit
  • Restaurant Le Fripon, 436, Place Jacques-Cartier, ☎ 514 861-1386 (, fax: 514 861-7748), [24]. Grand historic building with shaded terrace serving French bistro fare, seafood, and pastas. Note the terrace menu is limited to soups, snails, and fries. Bar features wide selection of domestic and imported beers. edit

[edit] Splurge

  • Gibby's, 298 Pl. d'Youville, ☎ 514 282-1837, [25]. 200-year-old steakhouse, popular with tourists. Reservations strongly recommended.  edit
  • Chez L'epicier Restaurant Bar a Vin, 311 rue Saint-Paul Est, ☎ 514 878-2232, [26]. Open Mon-Fri for lunch and dinner, Sat dinner, closed Sun.. Order from the imaginative menu or put yourself in the chef's capable hands for a 5 course tasting menu. Ask headed for all vegetarian or fish and vegetables only. Save room for the "chocolate club sandwich." $20-$30.  edit
  • Aix Cuisine du Terroir, 711 cote de la Place d'Armes (in the Place d’Armes Hôtel), ☎ 514 904-1201, [27]. Mon-Fri from 11:30am-2:30pm, Weekend breakfast 6:30am-10:30am / brunch 11am-3pm / dinner 5:30pm-11pm. A new addition to the local culinary scene, Aix Cuisine du Terroir incorporates local products including game meats, seafood, and cheeses. Signature dishes include deer tartare, a "wild game fricassee", and caramelised leek and onion tart. Extensive wine list and generous cocktails. $20-40.  edit
  • Restaurant Vauvert, 355 rue McGill (in the St. James Hotel), ☎ 514 876-2823, [28]. Open daily for lunch and dinner. In the space formerly occupied by restaurant Cube, now dramatically decked out in blacks and purples, Vauvert offers both a regular menu and tapas style dishes to accompany the extensive wine list. Dishes focus on game meats, local produce and cheeses. $20-30.  edit
  • Les Remparts, 97 Rue de la Commune Est (in the Auberge de Vieux Port). Classic French cuisine focusing on game meats including wild boar, duck, and venison.  edit

[edit][add listing] Drink

The Old City has limited nightlife options, most bars and lounges are found in hotels or part of restaurants. Standalone bars are more popular for after-work drinks than the late-night partying which happens in the Plateau and Downtown's Crescent Street.

  • Pub St-Paul, 124 rue St Paul Est, ☎ 514 874-0485, [29]. Big space, popular with tours, offers pub grub and a view of the river during the day and live music (Thurs-Sat, 10pm). Cheap (for the Old Town) and casual. edit
  • Santos Café and Lounge, 191 St. Paul O, ☎ 514 849-8881. Cafe-by-day and bar-by-night, Santos is the place to escape your hotel lobby for a martini and late night snack of "Pop Food"-- their take on tapas. Live jazz on Thursdays, DJ on the weekends. Reservations recommended for Saturday nights. Weekend covers start around $20. edit
  • Wunderbar, 901 Victoria Square (in the The W Hotel), ☎ 514 395-3195. Tue-Sat 10pm-3am. Trendy spot on the edge of the Old Town. Expect cover charges and a line-up-- changing out of your sight-seeing clothes into something swanky will probably help get you in the door. edit
  • Suite 701, 711 cote de la Place-d'Armes (in the Place d'Armes Hotel), ☎ 514 842-1887. Daily 5pm-3am. "Suite" sums it up for this high-end lounge popular with the executive set. Leather couches and sipping scotches. If you find yourself too comfortable to get up, you can order off the Aix Cuisine du Terroir menu No cover..  edit

[edit][add listing] Sleep

[edit] Budget

  • Le Sous-bois, 431 St. Vincent Street (metro Square Victoria), [30]. Check in: 2pm; Check out: 11am. Funky hostel featuring recycled-wood beds, no lockout, movies and terrace. Large female, male and mixed dorms.  edit
  • HI-Montréal, 1030, rue Macka (metro Lucien L'Allier). Check in: 2pm; Check out: 11am. Dorms from CAD$25.75 (HI member) CAD$30 (non member), 1 and 2 bed rooms CAD$65 (HI member) CAD$75 (non member) edit
  • Alternative Hostel of Old Montreal, 358 Rue Saint-Pierre (metro Square Victoria), ☎ 514 282-8069, [31]. Housed in a 19th century warehouse boasts fair trade coffee, WiFi, an organic continental breakfast and a range of activities and classes. $20 dorm bed / $55 double room.  edit

[edit] Mid-range

  • Auberge Vieux Port, 97, rue de la Commune Est [32] (metro Champ-de-Mars).
  • Le Guilleret, 431 Saint-Vincent Street (Notre-Dame and St-Paul Street), [33]. Family-run boutique hotel in a historic building. Carefully designed range of rooms from simple double bed in a stone-walled attic to spacious four-person suite with fireplace, jacuzzi tub, and big screen TV. All with private bathrooms. Rates run from $58 for a basic room on a winter weeknight to $295 for a suite in the summer. Children stay free..  edit

[edit] Splurge

  • Hotel St-Paul, 355, rue McGill, tel 514.380.2222 (metro Square-Victoria)[34] Features modern design in a historical setting and is located in the heart of Old Montreal. Experience the only Design Hotel ™ in Canada that is defining the hotel experience. Great urban views, hip restaurant “Vauvert.” Close to Montreal Convention Center.
  • Hotel Nelligan, 106 Saint Paul St. W. [35]
  • Hotel Gault, 449 Rue Sainte-Hélène, 1-866-904-1616. Feels like you're stepping into Architectural Digest with ultra-modern furniture and rooms. Located in a converted warehouse in Old Montreal. Very helpful staff. [36]
  • Le Saint Sulpice, 414 Rue Saint Sulpice, 1-877-SULPICE [37]. Four star botique hotel in the Old Town offering four types of luxury suites.

[edit] Contact

There are no cyber cafes in the Old City, but a few cafes and restaurants in the area particpate in Ile Sans Fils, Montreals free, public WiFi program.Your best bet, if you're without laptop, is to ask to use the business center at one of the larger hotels-- expect to be charged accordingly.

  • Planète Sans-Fil, St-Pierre coin de la Commune. Free WiFi access outside the Planète Sans-Fil (Wireless Planet) office. edit
  • Pizzedelic, 39, Notre-Dame O., ☎ 514 286-1200. Funky upscale thin-crust pizza place with full bar. Salads, soups, pastas also on the menu. Try the apples and sultana raisin pizza for something a little different. Free WiFi in the Old City location. edit
  • Cluny Artbar, 257 Rue Prince (metro Square Victoria), ☎ 514 866 1213, [38]. Mon-Thurs 8am-5pm, Fri til 9pm. Hip art gallery/bar/cafe with from WiFi. edit

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