The Best Full-Day 1 Tours

COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL 8 The Best in One Day e i

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Previous page: Stained-glass windows inside the Oratoire St-Joseph. 9 The Best enter your first day in Montréal around the sites and Catmosphere of the oldest and most historic part of the e i s

e city: Vieux-Montréal. The city was born here in 1642, down by the c u r g o a e h - l P o h e

l i l e c a river at Pointe-à-Callière. Its southern boundary is Vieux-Port (Old l

in One Day r

i e è n a

D l V n o

F i

r

r u

m e - B o

c ue

H

a r r p a l i Q Port), a waterfront promenade that provides welcome breathing

e '

- a r

l

e D

F d

P

- -

d l

a e

u

l e e s

a r

r room for cyclists, in-line skaters, and picnickers, and it extends north

d

e

t P m

u

d -

t a

o o

e

n

i D

c

u

N - to rue St-Antoine, once the “Wall Street” of Montréal. Read up ahead r a

e

e S

s

r

t e n e

o

s u o u of time at the neighborhood’s official website, www.vieux.montreal.

r r r

N B

a

M

s - r u o c e s START: n o Take the Métro to the Place d’Armes station and head B

qc.ca. e u r e s

r d

n - i u s

s p o c

s down rue St-Sulpice to the river. r c r

a m

s ellow Line e

Y u

a

i a b n s

P

u i o h n u

s o c

o C

d

s

L - s

e

- B

r

t s s a

p u r

a S

r

n

B

d u

é

m

e

e o

i ★★★ M

o s

h = a

- 1 Mon- u Vieux-Port. t

e e c B

c

r t r

r e h

u

e

s

i

r

a

s

a t

C d d r o f i s o G

r e u r tréal’s Old Port has been central to n C

M

ude A a

a - -Cl

St o

rue r

u s s

B

e e

e its commercial and economic status

l y Q o d

y e

e

u u o c e T a t

n l l

a

i s e R z l

q ô e e i L a d

e over the last 200 years, but the port e

t t e c R

H

a R

V

â L n

m

ô n

a e i h

a

e e e

J g H C

O o R

s was a dreary area of town until it u

n d

m t

r

r

a o -

n

a n r r P i s r

l

p O - e

e e e A e

M got a face-lift in the 1990s. Now the i

-

c c e u u

t

l t a e r a q q l

l X b

a e n u e d c

P a

l

P i

e converted waterfront and its piers, a

C a n t

a

u

m a J p V

U r

r

c

u

A

S e

o

- s

m

i

t

E P

m e or quays, are a playground year- r t n e c n a i V - t n i S a S

e u r '

I a

h e

d m d

C

u

o

e M r

V round for families, strolling couples,

r r

-

- s C e t

e a

è

l

i e

r s

c l i

i

u

l é

e e f a w

m

i

a

i l and outdoor athletes. In winter, ice

h a s

r u n

i

P d

r d T

r

V

e - o -

u

a

t

E

E e

E

c e

l

C

i t

n

Q

d i

a skating rinks are set up here. The e l e t i r b a G - S t n i a S

e u

r g

t a s P

S e

n u

u

i

x d

J u r

o a popular children’s science museum, e L u r K r w

e u

e d r

i o E

d - t

A g V in Centre des Sciences de Mon- u an-Baptiste i K É rue St-Je a

A u

Q tréal, is located on Quai King t n e r u a L - t R S d r a v e l u o u b d a Laurent e X St- m

T levard u

bou r A t é Edward (p 58, bullet 1). To really r

n

M

o i

I s N

P

r r C

s

e immerse yourself, rent a bike from u

x e y u e

O s

d o

e y

n

i i R

o

s

o V ÇaRoule/Montréal on Wheels (27

a i

v

e

e e t d

e

M l u

s u L n

c a

e

d

- o

i d

Q

o

r c e

e s f

i y

e rue de la Commune est; 877/

i

f

-

C e u

d e

i

l u

r X r

d d t m

e

r

r

a r B E A

c

o n 866-0633 or 514/866-0633; www. e

U e F A a

l

' l Locals love to hang out at Vieux-Port on

a

ice m

lp t s E u o P d

t-S i ain r e S caroulemontreal.com) and head out

I

ue p

r p sunny days.

a d

a

m

r

C

u V

i d e

e on the path along the adjacent a e

r y

u L s n a

è r g e i u l u a o ) l e

l

e e

m . There’s a summer l r e s M x s a Q

o u r

) shops, bars, art galleries, and histori-

a n a l c e e e e C

è i e e q y u r - l y a a t D i r e t l r a l c

- m

a o l à é o - i tram called La Balade that scoots n t a A r

h t o a d P a g r e l

R t

s cal venues. Start at the eastern e t e c n r e é

A n t n

s r

P e e t a n ' e r h

i s n

C

t o d

u A A o T o

i

C B d r

e back and forth the length of the

H

-

n

r f q e i o

C u v end, near the Marché Bonsecours

t a

N e

X

n -

e M s

i

o

ç

o n

P ( o &

a

n r q

F -

t

n u n g i a S o s

i e c u i a r r

i port, and cruise companies leave M a

e a t

B l

V J (350 rue St-Paul est). Built in the

-

a S d n

t e

t t

i

n n

n v e

p from here on daytime trips along i s

e u

i

a ô mid-1800s and first used as the Par- v a e u m

H a S m

n

' d u l l m u e

o @ r e d the St. Lawrence River. At least

r o e a e e

u C u liament of United , Bonsec- c r

d u t C r

P r

r a o a

(

P l l e

S

a

n 2 hr. Information booth is at the

- a u

e s

e J - a

t l

n o r i t a ic S

N

é e - ours market is now home to t d u r S

u

d e

S r

rue

r t

i e e

n u Centre des Sciences de Montréal on

o r

s i x e e l A - t t S o restaurants, art galleries, and bou- e u m r r s t

i a M

n Quai King Edward. y 800/971-7678 H D ' e

e tiques featuring Québécois prod- -

C d d

e

e

r r

e i P - r t

n i a S or 514/496-7678. www.quaysofthe

e u

t r ucts. As you travel west on rue

o N oldport.com. Tram (May–Sept) C$5

d

s

e

l l St-Paul you’ll pass through Place

t

l

e a l r e

u s

i

e i

n

e l

r e l o a v s e r

t y c adults, C$3.50 seniors and children

P

o u

s u e

o

a n - Jacques-Cartier, the neighborhood’s o i

W l

c r o t

d r t e

l P

é M

Y

n

l

i ' c c G a R 13–17, C$3 children 12 and under. i

e -

a a

d

e main square. At the northern end of L

s e s t

S

V i r

r

e

- d t e p u

d e

a Métro: Champ-de-Mars, Place u e n

ô e r r u r the plaza you’ll see the green tur-

e o

r T o H

u a

r S M d’Armes, or Square Victoria. u reted Hôtel de Ville, Montréal’s q rue McGill S Gill rue Mc 2 ★★★ Rue St-Paul. The main City Hall. In recent years, many rue de Longueuil street of Vieux-Montréal (in English, decent art galleries have sprung up Old Montréal) is full of restaurants, 10 Scottish merchants—was unearthed during archaeological digs here, the site of Montréal’s original colony. Artifacts are on view in display cases set among the ancient build- ing foundations and burial grounds below street level. After starting

Full-Day Tours with the 16-minute multimedia show in an auditorium that actually stands above exposed ruins of the earlier city, you can wind your way through

The Best the subterranean complex until you find yourself in the former Customs House, where there are more exhibits and a well-stocked gift 1 Montréal’s charming and historic rue shop. @ 1 ⁄2 hr. 350 Place Royale. St-Paul is home to numerous galleries, y 514/872-9150. www.pacmuseum. shops, restaurants, and bars. qc.ca. Admission C$14 adults, C$10 seniors, C$8 students, C$6 children alongside the loud souvenir shops 6–12, free for children 5 and under. on the street. Note that street num- Late June to late Aug Mon–Fri 10am– bers will get lower as you approach 6pm, Sat–Sun 11am–6pm; Sept to mid- boulevard St-Laurent, which is the June Tues–Fri 10am–5pm, Sat–Sun north-south thoroughfare that 11am–5pm. Métro: Place d’Armes. divides Montréal into its east and west halves. Numbers will start to At the elegant 5 Restaurant rise again as you move onto rue St- Bonaparte, adroit service is pro- Paul ouest (west). @ At least 1 hr. vided by schooled pros who man- Métro: Champ-de-Mars. age to be knowledgeable without being stuffy. Highlights have included It started out as an earthy bakery snails and oyster mushrooms in painted in reds, pinks, and gold curlicues, but now 3 Olive et The Marche Bonsecours dominates the Gourmand is a full-fledged cafe skyline of Vieux-Montréal. offering up perfect croissants, scones, and interesting sandwich compositions such as smoked trout with capers, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and herbed cream cheese. It’s a pity that this eminently appeal- ing spot is not open Sunday, Mon- day, or evenings. 351 rue St-Paul ouest. y 514/350-1083. www. oliveetgourmando.com. $.

4 ★★★ Pointe-à-Callière. A first visit to Montréal should include a stop at this Museum of Archaeol- ogy and History. Evidence of the area’s many inhabitants—from Amerindians to French trappers to 11 The Best in One Day

The breathtaking interior of the Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal.

Basilica admission C$7 adults, C$4 phyllo dough, Dover sole filet with children 7–17, free for children 6 and fresh herbs, and mushroom ravioli under and for those attending ser- seasoned with fresh sage. Look for vices. Light show C$10 adults, C$9 the table d’hôte specials for the seniors, C$5 children 17 and under. best deal: A fixed-price meal of Mon–Fri 9am–4pm, Sat 9am–3:30pm, three courses, for instance, runs Sun 12:30–3:30pm; light shows Tues– C$16 to C$23 at lunch and C$28 to Thurs 6:30pm, Fri 6:30 and 8:30pm, C$42 at dinner. 447 rue St-François- y Sat 7 and 8:30pm. Métro: Place Xavier. 514/844-4368. www. d’Armes. bonaparte.com. $$$. The impressive Hôtel de Ville, overlooking ★★ Place Jacques-Cartier, is especially pictur- 6 Basilique Notre-Dame esque at night. de Montréal. This magnificent structure was designed in 1824 by James O’Donnell, an Irish-American Protestant architect from New York—who was so profoundly moved by the experience of creat- ing this basilica that he converted to Catholicism after its completion. The impact is understandable. Of Montréal’s hundreds of churches, Notre Dame’s interior is the most stunning, with a wealth of exquisite details, most of them carved from rare woods that have been deli- cately gilded and painted. The basil- ica has evening light and sound shows, which are a far cry from the typical Sunday service. @ 30 min. 110 rue Notre-Dame ouest. y 514/ 842-2925. www.basiliquenddm.org. 12 The Best in Two Days

0 1/4 mile ChaletChalet dudu Mont-RoyalMont-Royal PercivalPercival MolsonMolson 0 1/4 km MemorialMemorial StadiumStadium

Shriner'sShriner's ParcParc dudu Mont-RoyalMont-Royal Royal-VictoriaRoyal-Victoria HospitalHospital HospitalHospital Full-Day Tours R edpa avenue th Ce Cr dar escent MONT-ROYALMONT-ROYAL avenueavenue ddeses PPinsins MontréalMontréal GeneralGeneral ParcParc The Best HospitalHospital

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Shriner's Parc du Mont-Royal Royal-Victoria on rue University to rue Sherbrooke. Hospital R Hospital edpa avenue th Ce Cr dar escent MONT-ROYAL Canada’s wealth.) Heading west avenue des Pins on the street, the main campus of Montréal General Canada’s most prestigious school, Hospital Parc

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y t n of Canadian art. The a g (For a period of n e lington time, 79 families rue Wel who lived in this Artifact from the neighborhood Egyptian collection at controlled 80% of the Redpath Museum. 14 permanent collection is extensive, Irish Pub (no. 1225), and Brutopia but many come for the temporary (no. 1219) are among the venues exhibitions, which can be dazzling. that draw hundreds (and often thou- Past highlights have included the sands) to the street in the after- treasures of Catherine the Great, noons and evenings. The fun spills including her spectacular corona- over onto nearby streets, with both tion coach, and a show celebrating Maison du Jazz (2060 rue Aylmer;

Full-Day Tours John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s anti- y 514/842-8656; www.houseof war Bed-In, which was held in 1969 jazz.ca) and Upstairs Jazz Bar & at Montréal’s Fairmont The Queen Grill (1254 rue Mackay; y 514/931- Elizabeth hotel. @ 2 hr. 1339–1380 6808; www.upstairsjazz.com) pre-

The Best rue Sherbrooke ouest. y 514/285- senting great music options. @ At 2000. www.mmfa.qc.ca. Free admis- least 30 min. See chapter 6 for sion to permanent collection. venue details. Métro: Peel. Temporary exhibitions C$15 adults, C$10 seniors, C$7.50 students, free Since moving downtown in 2008 for children 12 and under, C$30 fam- from its original tiny venue in Pla- ily (1 adult and 3 children 16 and teau Mont-Royal, 4 La Montée under, or 2 adults and 2 children 16 has spruced up and become a bit and under); half-price for adults Wed more refined. Curved white leather 5–8:30pm. Tues 11am–5pm, Wed–Fri banquettes and a purple ceiling add 11am–9pm, Sat–Sun 10am–5pm. pop to the beige and brown decor. Métro: Guy-Concordia. Connections are original: bison can- 3 ★ Rue Crescent. Downtown’s nelloni with foie gras cream, blood party central. Crescent’s most pudding and mushroom risotto, northern block is stocked with bou- and beef short rib and tartare tiques and jewelers, but the next 2 with “parsnip different ways,” for blocks are a gumbo of terraced bars instance. Pricing is simple: C$15 for and dance clubs, inexpensive pizza one course, C$55 for four courses, joints, and upscale restaurants. and C$65 for seven courses. 1424 Newtown (no. 1476), Sir Winston rue Bishop. y 514/289-9921. www. Churchill Pub (no. 1459), Hard lamontee.ca. $$$$. Rock Cafe (no. 1458), Hurley’s

Montréal’s Musee Beaux Arts is home to over 30,000 works. 15 The Best in Two Days

Rue Crescent is heart of Downtown Montréal’s nightlife.

5 ★ Cathédrale Christ 6 Le Commensal presents vege- Church and La Baie. This Angli- tarian fare buffet style, and you pay can cathedral, which is reflected in by weight—about C$10 for an the shiny exterior of the pink- ample portion. Dishes include gar- glassed postmodern Tour KPMG banzo curry, tofu with ginger sauce, office tower nearby, stands in glori- salads, and so on. Beer and wine ous Gothic contrast to the city’s are available. Tables have white downtown skyscrapers. It’s some- tablecloths, and a second-floor loca- times called the “floating cathedral” tion at the corner of rue Ste-Cathe- because of the many tiers of malls rine lets you watch the world go by. and corridors in the underground 1204 av. McGill College. y 514/871- city beneath it and the way it was 1480. www.commensal.com. $. elevated on stilts during their con- struction. It’s located on rue Ste- Catherine, the heart of the The Anglican Cathédrale Christ Church, downtown shopping district. Just set in the heart of downtown Montréal. next door is the celebrated La Baie, a department store that was incor- porated in Canada in 1670 as the Hudson’s Bay Company. Its name was shortened to “The Bay” and then, after Québec language laws decreed French the lingua franca, transformed into “La Baie.” @ 30 min. Church: 635 rue Ste-Catherine ouest. y 514/843-6577. www. montrealcathedral.ca. Free admis- sion. La Baie: 585 rue Ste-Catherine ouest. y 514/281-4422. www.hbc. com. Métro: McGill. 16 The Best in Three Days bd. Rosemont LongueuilLongueuil ParcParc MONTRÉALMONTRÉAL RosemontRosemont Père-Père- MarquetteMarquette

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name). Consecrated as a basilica in 2004, it came into being through the efforts of Brother André, a lay

The Best brother in the Holy Cross order who earned a reputation as a healer. By the time he had built a small wooden chapel in 1904 on the mountain, he was said to have per- formed hundreds of cures. He per- formed his work until his death in Religious pilgrims flock to the L’Oratoire 1937. Many still visit in the hopes of St-Joseph in search of miraculous a miracle, sometimes climbing the healing. 99 steps on their knees. Others come to hear the 56-bell carillon, 1 ★ L’Oratoire St-Joseph. This which plays Wednesday through Fri- enormous copper-domed structure day at noon and 3pm and Saturday is one of the most recognizable in and Sunday at noon and 2:30pm, all Montréal, although to see it in per- months but February. @ 1 hr. 3800 son you’ll need to trek to the north- chemin Queen Mary (north slope ern side of Mont-Royal (the small of Mont-Royal). y 514/733-8211. mountain just north of downtown, www.saint-joseph.org. Admission from which the city derives its and tours are free, but donations

Picturesque Parc du Mont-Royal draws visitors year-round. 19 The Best are requested. Open daily 7am– 5:30pm (until 9pm May–Oct). Métro: Côte-des-Neiges. 2 ★★ Parc du Mont-Royal. in Three Days Renowned landscape architect Fred- erick Law Olmsted (1822–1903), who designed New York’s Central Park, left his mark on Montréal in Parc du Mont-Royal (Royal Mountain Park). The 232m (761-ft.) peak for which the city is named provides Montréalers with a slew of options for recreational activities. Hikers and joggers trek the miles of paths that snake through the park, sun- bathers and Frisbee tossers hang out near man-made Beaver Lake in summer, winter sports fans cross- country ski and go tobogganing, and shutterbugs snap panoramic photos from the Chalet du Mont- Royal’s terrace at the crest of the The view from the top of Mont-Royal is one of the best in the city. hill. Maison Smith (1260 chemin Remembrance; y 514/843-8240; dive bars and dance clubs here are www.lemontroyal.com), an informa- immensely popular with the city’s tion center on the road that runs college undergrads. St-Laurent is the between the park and the Notre- dividing line of the city: Addresses to Dame-des-Neiges Cemetery to the its left are all on the west side, and to north, has maps for hiking or bird- the right all on the east. @ At least ing. We offer a suggested walking 1 1 ⁄2 hr. Bd. St-Laurent, north of rue tour on p 76. @ At least 2 hr. There Sherbrooke to av. du Mont-Royal. are several entry points to the park, Métro: St-Laurent. including at av. des Pins and rue Peel. y 514/843-8240. www.lemont royal.com. Métro: Peel for the south The first block of boulevard St- side, Côte-des-Neiges for the north. Laurent north of rue Sherbrooke Bus: #11 travels down chemin bristles with hipness and money. Remembrance. 4 Café Méliès is a lower-key cafe-lounge and can be good for a ★★ 3 Boulevard St-Laurent. quick dinner, but people also drop Also known as “the Main,” St-Lau- in for bountiful breakfasts on the rent hums with off-beat boutiques weekends, a midday meal such as and trendy restaurants, packing arugula lobster salad, or simply an sidewalks with shoppers, students, espresso or a glass of wine. Its elec- and sightseers. Spend some time tric-red decor can best be described strolling, snacking, and people- as “space-age submarine”—there watching your way along the boule- are portholes throughout. Méliès is vard, starting at rue Sherbrooke and open nearly round-the-clock. 3540 heading north. When the sun goes bd. St-Laurent. y 514/847-9218. down, the street becomes a www.cafemelies.com. $$$. 20-somethings’ playground—the 20

5 ★★ Rue St-Denis. Parallel to There are a ton of great food possibil- boulevard St-Laurent and 8 short ities in this area—food, after all, is blocks to the east, rue St-Denis also one of the big reasons people gravi- runs the length of the Plateau Mont- tate in the Plateau in their free time. Royal district. It is to Montréal what 7 Chesterfield Bar à Vin is a boulevard St-Germain is to Paris, terrific new option. A wall of wine with shopkeepers and people on

Full-Day Tours labels provides some of the decor, the street more likely to speak just and windows open to the street in French here than on other major warm months. In the early evening, boulevards in town. It extends from patrons tuck around tall tables on the Quartier Latin straight north, stools and try wines, Pinchos (small

The Best with some of the most interesting plates of food), and, occasionally, blocks between rue Sherbrooke and 1 C$10 lobsters. See p 111. av. du Mont-Royal. @ At least 1 ⁄2 hr. Rue St-Denis, north of rue Sher- brooke to av. du Mont-Royal. Métro: 8 ★★ = Biodôme de Mon- Sherbrooke. tréal. A terrifically engaging attrac- 6 ★ Parc La Fontaine. One of tion for children of any age, the the city’s oldest and most popular delightful Biodôme houses replica- parks, and especially pretty and well tions of four ecosystems: a tropical used on its northern side. Illustrat- rainforest, a Laurentian forest, the ing the traditional dual identities of St. Lawrence marine system, and a the city’s populace, half the park is polar environment. Visitors walk landscaped in the formal French through each and hear the animals, manner, the other in the more smell the flora, and, except in the casual English style. A small, pictur- polar region, which is behind glass, esque lake is used for ice skating in feel the changes in temperature. winter, when snowshoe and cross- The rainforest area is the most country trails wind through trees. In engrossing and includes golden lion summer, these trails are well-used tamarin monkeys that swing on bike paths. @ 1 hr. The park can be branches only an arm’s length away entered anywhere on its perimeter. (only the bats, fish, penguins, and Métro: Mont-Royal. puffins are behind glass). It’s next to

Biodôme and Stade Olympique were both built for the and are now two of the top attractions in the city. 21 The Best in Three Days

The captivating rainforest section of the Biodôme de Montréal. the Stade Olympique (Olympic Sta- especially for kids. @ At least 2 hr. dium) in the Parc Olympique. @ 2 hr. 4101 rue Sherbrooke est. (opposite 4777 av. Pierre-de-Coubertin. y 514/ Olympic Stadium). y 514/872-1400. 868-3000. www.biodome.qc.ca. www.ville.montreal.qc.ca/jardin. Admission C$16 adults, C$12 seniors Admission C$16.50 adults, C$12.50 and students, C$8 children 5–17, seniors and students, C$8.25 chil- C$2.50 children 2–4. Discount combi- dren 5–17, C$2.50 children 2–4. Com- nation tickets available for Biodôme, bination tickets available for Jardin Jardin Botanique, Insectarium, and Botanique, Insectarium, Biodôme, Stade Olympique. Daily 9am–5pm and Stade Olympique. Daily 9am– (until 6pm from late June to Aug). 5pm (until 6pm May 15 to mid-Sept, Closed most Mon Sept–Dec. Métro: until 9pm mid-Sept to Oct). Closed Viau. Mon Nov to mid-May. Métro: Pie-IX. 9 ★★★ Jardin Botanique. Penguins are one of the many species of Montréal’s sprawling 75-hectare animals that call the Biodôme home. (185-acre) botanical garden is home to 10 themed exhibition green- houses. One houses orchids; another has tropical food and spice plants, including coffee, cashews, pineapples, and vanilla; and another features rainforest flora. In a special exhibit each spring, live butterflies flutter among the nectar-bearing plants, occasionally landing on visi- tors. Its Chinese Garden is a joint project of Montréal and Shanghai and incorporates pavilions, inner courtyards, ponds, and plants, while the serene Japanese Garden includes a tearoom where ancient ceremonies are performed, a stun- ning bonsai collection, and a Zen garden. Also on-site is the Insectar- ium (p 60, bullet 8), designed 22

City of Festivals

Few cities in can rival Montréal when it comes to celebrations. Throughout the year, the city is home to some of the biggest and most heralded festivals in the world, and attending Full-Day Tours one can make for a very memorable vacation. Among the options to plan around: Bal en Blanc Party Week, a 5-day rave that draws an estimated 15,000 people (Apr); Montréal Bike Fest, which includes a nocturnal bike ride (Tour la Nuit) and the grueling Tour de

The Best l’Île, a 52km (32-mile) race around the island’s rim (May); Mondial de la Bière, a 5-day beer festival featuring “courses” for earning a “Diploma in Beer Tasting” (June); and the city’s signature event, the Festival International de Jazz, which for 11 days brings in huge acts and hosts 450 free outdoor performances, many right on downtown’s streets and plazas (July). Book a hotel room well in advance if you’re planning to visit for Jazz Fest or one of the bigger parties, or you may have to settle for some roadside motel in Ver- mont. For dates and more information, see “Festivals & Special Events” on p 156.

Travel Tip Olympique. It’s possible to walk from site to site, but the shuttle is In the summertime, a free shuttle handy when it’s hot, as it often is in bus takes visitors between the summer. Schedules are available at Biodôme, the Jardin Botanique and all of the participating attractions. Insectarium, and the Stade •

Montréal’s botanical gardens are among the largest and most beautiful in the world.