weekenders MONTREAL
DAY 1 72 Hours in Montreal SPRING OUTSIDE At the open-air Jean Talon DISCOVER COUNTLESS CULTURES Market, open daily in Montreal’s central Little Italy neighborhood, IN THE LIVELY CANADIAN ISLAND CITY. you’ll find more than 150 vendors BY HANNAH DOYLE selling local fruits and vegetables, as well as maple syrup every which way—in cookies, candies, and on nuts. Mounds of garlic bulbs pile on countertops, peppers hang from stands like wind chimes, and violet eggplants the size of your forearm cluster together in baskets. Other stalls carry foods from an array of nationalities: Spanish empanadas, French crêpes, and German sauerkraut. Pasteis de nata (Portuguese egg tarts) are only $2 Canadian a pop. To savor your spoils in the fresh air, walk to Mont Royal, the small mountain from which Montreal takes its name. On the way, pass through McGill University to admire its grand ivy-clad stone buildings. The university abuts the west side of the mountain along a steep upward incline, which means your legs will get a bit of a stretch. But don’t worry— it’s not that far to the summit of Mont Royal, and wooden steps with handrails go all the way to the top. Your reward: a sweeping view of the city from 764 feet up and Old Montreal a choice spot for a picnic. architecture Now it’s time for a rest at Bota dates back to the 17th century. Bota, a spa in Montreal’s Old Port. In a converted ferry that floats atop the St. Lawrence River, you et between the St. Lawrence and Prairies Rivers and near the U.S.-Canada can get a massage or a three-hour border, the island city of Montreal embodies its geography: a place in the pass to use the facilities: pools of middle where many cultures coalesce. The street signs are written in French, varying temperatures, a sauna, and S yet most residents also speak English. The city was first inhabited by Iroquois, plenty of sun decks. Along with and a Scottish merchant founded McGill University here in 1821. Thousands a robe, you’ll be given a wristband of Irish immigrants left their mark on Montreal in the form of St. Patrick’s Basilica and a host when you enter, which you can use of other Catholic churches. This is a city that embraces its plurality—just look to Montreal’s to pay at the on-site restaurant. flag, which carries five emblems, one each for its Indigenous, French, English, Scottish, and But save room—a short walk Irish heritage. Today more than 200 ethnic groups call Montreal home, resulting in a delightful away, beyond Old Montreal’s blend of cuisines, art, and shops. Say yes, oui, or aye to it all over the course of a weekend. tourist-filled center, an outwardly
72 SPRING 2019 weekenders MONTREAL
You can wrap up your design- filled day at theCanadian Centre for Architecture, 20 minutes south on the green line from Plateau’s Saint-Laurent metro station. The city’s underground transit system is extensive and simple to use, making it a great option for getting around. nondescript basement houses Above, from left: an ice cream shop. You can even The Centre’s stone facade McGill University; Le Bremner restaurant. It’s the Maison Pepin’s get your java at bike-repair shop and manicured premises are kind of place you have to know airy dining room. Le Club, also the meeting place something to behold; inside, you’ll about to seek out, and the waitstaff for Spade & Palacio’s Beyond find contemporary art, artifacts, treat you like a friend. Take your the Bike Lanes tour, during which and videos. To get a bird’s-eye view time, starting with the freshly two native Montrealers show off of all the ground you’ve covered, shucked oysters then moving on their perspective of the city. You’ll dine at Les Enfants Terribles, to the halibut in brown-butter glide by street art and through La about a mile north. It’s equal parts hollandaise. Cap off the meal with Fontaine, a public park spanning restaurant and observatory, and the dessert pancakes, soft enough 84 acres between downtown and you can feast on complex dishes to pass for bread pudding. Plateau’s eastern edge. Cofounder like duck confit. Danny Pavlopoulos says on any DAY 2 given weekend you’re bound DAY 3 ANGLE ON ART to pedal past a birthday party, SHOP THE CULTURE UNESCO named Montreal a a picnic, or a couple’s first date. Montreal’s knack for design Creative City of Design in 2006, After cycling up an appetite, you extends to fashion. Boutiques are partly because the agency found can stop by Schwartz’s Deli, a widespread throughout the city, that there were more than 25,000 temple to smoked meat since 1928. but the highest concentration professionals working in design The deli’s classic brisket sandwich can be found in the Mile End here. This emphasis on the is similar to what you’ll often see neighborhood. Strike out on Rue arts is on display in the Plateau in the States, but the technique Saint Viateur Ouest, where you neighborhood, where murals line used to prepare the meat is slightly can find clothing from Montreal cobblestoned streets and iron different. After being dry-cured, designers—as well as that staircases cling to the fronts of the brisket is soaked to remove Montreal staple, the bagel. There colorful Victorian residences. some of the salt, unlike pastrami are two St. Viateur Bagel shops Another sign of the neighborhood’s in the States, before it’s seasoned in the area. Both sling bagels with creativity is its high number of and smoked. The texture is the city’s signature honey-sweet cafés per capita—and the unusual marbled and tender, which yields taste and holes almost big enough places where you’ll find them, a fatty richness that will keep to slip your hand through. You can
from inside a clothing store to you warm on cooler spring days. grab a classic sesame hot from the ISTOCKPHOTO CRANE-LEROUX: MONTRÉAL; CHLOÉ THIS SPREAD: MARIE DESCHENE/TOURISME ISTOCKPHOTO; OPENING PAGE: PHOTOS,
74 SPRING 2019 weekenders EXPLORE Frank and Oak 160 Rue For complete member BAnQ Vieux-Montréal 535 Ave. Saint Viateur O.; 438-384-0824; review (as member review GUIDE TO MONTREAL Viger E.; 800-363-9028; banq.qc.ca frankandoak.com has been condensed) and additional resort listings, Maison Pepin 378 Rue Saint-Paul Canadian Centre for visit RCI.com or call O.; 514-844-0114; thepepinshop.com EAT Architecture 1920 Rue Baile; 800-338-7777 (Weeks) 514-939-7026; cca.qc.ca; adults, Jean Talon Market 7070 or 877-968-7476 (Points). Ave. Henri Julien; 514-937-7754; $8; children, free Club Members, please marchespublics-mtl.com McGill University 845 Rue STAY call your specific Club or Sherbrooke O.; 514-389-4455; RCI telephone number. Le Bremner 361 Rue Saint Paul RCI® AFFILIATED RESORTS mcgill.ca E.; 514-544-0446; crownsalts.com; NEAR MONTREAL dinner for two, $70* Spade & Palacio 514-806-3263; INCLUDE: spadeandpalacio.com; bike tours with Le Club 3801 Rue Saint Denis; NON-RCI AFFILIATED lunch and craft beer, $85 a person 514-379-1552; leclub.cc; Auberge du RESORT: drinks for two, $8 Lac Morency D467 RELAX Enjoy the lake life: Waterskiing, Les Enfants Terribles 1 Pl. Hotel Gault tubing, and wakeboarding Ville Marie Entrée; 514-544-8884; Bota Bota Old Port of Montreal A converted textile warehouse are on offer at this red-roof resort. jesuisunenfantterrible.com; dinner at the corner of Rue McGill and Rue in Old Montreal whose updates feel 42 Rue de la Chaumine, for two, $43 de la Commune O.; 514-284-0333; at once contemporary and cozy. Saint-Hippolyte, QC 449 Rue Sainte-Hélène, 425 Rue Saint Nicolas; botabota.ca; spa passes, from $34; Mandy’s MEMBER REVIEW: “We loved Montreal; hotelgault.com; 514-904- 514-379-1979; mandys.ca; massages, from $76 the spa.” 1616; doubles from $144 a night dinner for two, $18 Le Petit Navire Jacques-Cartier Pier; 514-602-1000; lepetitnavire.ca; Schwartz’s Deli 3895 Blvd. Saint Privilege Mont-Tremblant - Laurent; 514-842-4813; schwartzsdeli adults, $15; children 2–14, $7; children Voliere 2272 .com; lunch for two, $15 2 and under, free The feel of a cabin with modern comforts, such as an on-site spa St. Viateur Bagel 263 Rue SHOP and hot tub. 2140 Chemin Du Saint Viateur O.; 514-276-8044; Village, Mont-Tremblant, QC stviateurbagel.com; breakfast Annex Vintage 56 Rue Saint Viateur MEMBER REVIEW: Not yet rated for two, $5 O.; 514-903-4404; annexvintage.com
*Prices have been converted to U.S. dollars. Estimated meal prices do not include drink, tax, or tip.
oven to munch on as you stroll northeast to Mandy’s. The inside over to Annex Vintage, where looks like a ’60s parlor, with its you can browse sun-faded Nike black-checkered tile, teal walls, pullovers and Levi’s from the and velvet booths; try one of ’90s. Farther down Saint Viateur, the quick-serve gourmet soups Frank and Oak stocks minimal or salads. The Belle comes with silhouettes and 70’s-era shapes. avocado, pear, pita chips, and When you’ve finished exploring shaved Parmesan. Mile End, head east toward the You can watch the sunset with of Mont Royal, and in Île St. Lawrence River to the city’s a glass of wine aboard Le Petit de la Visitation (2425 archival library, BAnQ Vieux- Navire, a small boat that takes off Blvd. Gouin E.), a park Montréal. You can pore over at the Old Port. A father-daughter along the Prairies River. magazines dating back to the duo run the tour, guiding you MONTREAL SCILLA ’40s, watch VHS tapes about the along the St. Lawrence River for WILDFLOWERS IN BLOOM You can see these blue city’s architecture, and see old a slow, pleasurable look at the beauties (pictured) pop typewriters. These analog objects sights. The boat sails past Bota up on Mont Royal, in and the library’s ambience—its Bota spa and, later, Les Enfants More than 300 urban residents’ front gardens, gardens are dotted and on street corners. white spiral staircase, voices Terribles, making for a kind of throughout the city, hushed to a whisper—affirm what visual recap of your weekend. adding extra color TULIPS Shades of pink, red, Mile End, with its vintage shops, As you gaze out at Mont Royal beyond its many planter boxes. Here are some of and yellow take up knows well: The past is cool. and the many places you have yet the flowers you’ll spot swaths of the Montreal Botanical Garden Twenty minutes south, Maison to explore—the Montreal Clock starting in mid-May. (4101 Rue Sherbrooke Pepin is many things in one— Tower, the city’s waterfront Ferris CHERRY E.; espacepourlavie.ca; a bakery and café, clothing store, wheel, the steel-net dome of the BLOSSOMS admission, $16), north of home store, apothecary, outdoor Biosphere—you may find yourself The first signs of Plateau, and in front of spring can be found in Christ Church Anglican dining area, and workshop. For a planning your return before the Westmount Park (327 Cathedral (635 Rue Saint-
PHOTOS, OPENING PAGE: ISTOCKPHOTO; THIS SPREAD: MARIE DESCHENE/TOURISME MONTRÉAL; CHLOÉ CRANE-LEROUX: ISTOCKPHOTO CRANE-LEROUX: MONTRÉAL; CHLOÉ THIS SPREAD: MARIE DESCHENE/TOURISME ISTOCKPHOTO; OPENING PAGE: PHOTOS, quick bite, walk about two blocks boat even docks. Ave. Melville), just south Catherine O.) downtown.
ENDLESS VACATION 75