2019-2020 SCHOOL GROUP GUIDE Winter or summer, 7 TOURIST ATTRACTIONS day or night, Montréal is always bustling with activity. 21 ACTIVITIES Known for its many festivals, captivating arts and culture 33 GUIDED TOURS scene and abundant green spaces, Montréal is an exciting metropolis that’s both sophisticated and laid-back. Every year, it hosts a diverse array of events, exhibitions 39 PERFORMANCE VENUES and gatherings that attract bright minds and business leaders from around the world. While masterful chefs 45 RESTAURANTS continue to elevate the city’s reputation as a gourmet destination, creative artists and artisans draw admirers in droves to the haute couture ateliers and art galleries that 57 CHARTERED BUS SERVICES line the streets. Often the best way to get to know a place is on foot: walk through any one of Montréal’s colourful and 61 EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS vibrant neighbourhoods and you’ll discover an abundance of markets, boutiques, restaurants and local cafés—diverse expressions of Montréal’s signature joie de vivre. The energy 65 ACCOMMODATIONS is palpable on the streets, in the metro and throughout the underground pedestrian network, all of which are remarkably safe and easy to navigate. But what about the people? Montréalers are naturally charming and typically bilingual, which means connecting with locals is easy. Maybe that’s why Montréal has earned a spot as a leading international host city. From friendly conversations to world-class dining, entertainment and events, there are a lot of reasons to love Montréal. All email and website addresses are clickable in this document. Click on this icon anywhere in the document to return to the table of contents. © Susan Moss 5 Moments in history Pre-European period 1760 1945 1992 The oldest trace of Aboriginal occupation in War rages on the continent and Montréal falls The French-speaking community of Montréal Montréal celebrates the 350th anniversary of its the area of Old Montréal dates back at least into the hands of the British. New France, starts to make its mark in the arts, sciences and founding with festivities that run from May until 4,000 years. with 60,000 colonists, is officially ceded to commerce in a movement that will culminate October, leaving legacies such as the Pointe-à- Great Britain. in the Quiet Revolution, a transformation of Callière Museum of Archaeology and History and Between 1000 and 1535 Québec society throughout the 1960s. the Montréal Biodôme. Several First Nations inhabit the territory. 1840 to 1930 Montréal opens to the world. Canada’s Anglophone upper-class, representing 2006 1535 70% of the country’s wealth at the time, 1967 Montréal is officially designated a UNESCO City While exploring the St. Lawrence River, moves into downtown’s Golden Square Mile, From April 27 to October 29, the world came of Design, joining the UNESCO Creative Cities Jacques Cartier discovers an island where establishing cultural institutions, elegant to Montréal for Expo 67, the Universal and Network. cornfields border a village called Hochelaga. stores, mansions and monuments that stretch International Exhibition, which was the highlight Members of the First Nations lead Cartier from McGill University to west of the Montreal of Canada’s Centennial celebrations in 1967. 2017 to the summit of a mountain that he names Museum of Fine Arts. Expo 67 was considered the most successful In 2017, Montréal celebrates its 375th anniversary, Mont Royal, later to become “Montréal.” World’s Fair of the 20th Century, with over 50 along with Canada’s 150th and Expo 67’s 50th. 1867 million attendees and 62 countries participating. The City of Montréal also unveils its new coat 1611 Canada becomes a nation with the Dominion of arms and flag, which feature the white pine, On the island, Champlain clears a tract of land of Canada, uniting the British North American 1976 symbol of the Great Tree of Peace, to represent that he names “Place Royale,” site of the colonies and the Province of Canada (Ontario Montréal hosts the XXI Olympiad from July 17 the First Nations peoples and the city’s present-day Pointe-à-Callière Archaeology and Québec) through the Confederation to August 1, with over 6,000 athletes from indigenous roots. and History Complex. It is here that Montréal Declaration in Charlottetown on July 1, 1867, 92 nations. Montréal was the first, and remains is founded in 1642. what is now celebrated as Canada Day. the only, Canadian city to have ever hosted the Summer Olympics. 1642 1930s Paul de Chomedey, Sieur de Maisonneuve, During the Great Depression, manufacturing 1980s and Jeanne Mance found Ville-Marie. However, output is halved and over a quarter of workers Montréal’s festival scene sees explosive growth the settlement gradually becomes known as lose their jobs. Re-elected in 1930, Mayor with the founding of the Festival International Montréal and nearly 25 years after its founding, Camillien Houde offers financial assistance to the de Jazz de Montréal, Just For Laughs and the colony begins to prosper as a military and unemployed and launches major public works, Les FrancoFolies. trading centre. including the Montréal Botanical Garden, chalets 1701 in Mount Royal Park and Parc La Fontaine, viaducts and other infrastructure projects. At Pointe-à-Callière, more than 30 indigenous nations sign a peace treaty—The Great Peace of Montréal—with the governor of New France, putting an end to the Franco-Amerindian wars. 7 Tourist attractions 2019-2020 SCHOOL GROUP GUIDE Montréal is as decidedly trendy as it is proudly urban. The city’s downtown core, an attraction in and of itself, boasts a wealth of museums set against a backdrop of modern skyscrapers. In Old Montréal, history comes alive along the cobblestone streets lined with art galleries and boutiques. But this effervescent city is also a vast outdoor playground. Mount Royal, the majestic St. Lawrence River and the city’s countless green spaces provide for an abundance of leisure and tourist activities. Montréal’s ATTRACTIONS TOURIST myriad festivals and breadth of local neighbourhood attractions mirror the diversity of Montréalers themselves. MTL.ORG © Mark Hitelman 9 FONDATION PHI POUR L’ART CONTEMPORAIN PLACE DES ARTS Housed in the heart of Old Montréal, The six halls of Canada’s premiere Art the Fondation Phi pour l’art contemporain entertainment centre welcome a variety of presents exciting and relevant contemporary contemporary performing arts. art exhibitions. placedesarts.com fondation-phi.org 514 842-2112 Myriam Achard 514 844-7474 ext 5104 QUARTIER DES SPECTACLES ASHUKAN CULTURAL SPACE CINÉMA DU MUSÉE The Quartier is home to numerous performance The first and only permanent structure The independent Cinéma du Musée at the [email protected] halls, bars, art galleries, alternative cultural dedicated to the dissemination of Aboriginal MMFA treats movie-goers to a state-of-the-art GRÉVIN MONTREAL venues and the site of grand-scale festivals. arts, artists, and cultures in Canada. cinematic experience with a programming in Experience Grévin Montréal wax museum quartierdesspectacles.com both official languages. sacredfireproductions.ca where you will encounter over 127 local and Chloé Goldstein Melina Tsigounis cinemadumusee.com international celebrities. 514 879-0009 ext 266 514 875-2772 Mario Fortin grevin-montreal.com [email protected] [email protected] 514 722-6682 Carole Bricault [email protected] 514 788-5210 ext 2232 SOCIETY FOR ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY [SAT] AUSGANG PLAZA Art and digital technologies are at the core Ausgang Plaza is a fringe performance and DANSE DANSE [email protected] of its activities that involve research, creation event venue that presents an array of culturally Enjoy thrilling contemporary dance MAISON SYMPHONIQUE DE MONTRÉAL and dissemination. diverse happenings in an inclusive space. performances from here and abroad. This splendid concert hall is built to the highest sat.qc.ca ausgangplaza.com dansedanse.ca standards followed by the designers of the best 514 844-2033 Jessye Tremblay Thomas Claire Olivier concert halls in the world. 514 561-0138 514 848-0623 placedesarts.com THE MONTREAL MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS This important art museum has an encyclopedic [email protected] [email protected] 514 842-2112 permanent collection that is among the most CANADIAN CENTRE FOR ARCHITECTURE DARLING FOUNDRY - QUARTIER ÉPHÉMÈRE MUSÉE D’ART CONTEMPORAIN DE MONTRÉAL impressive in North America, which is displayed This museum and international research centre This former foundry is now an art centre Devoted to contemporary art, the museum in five pavilions of classical and modern also includes the Shaughnessy House and a supporting the creation and distribution of presents the wealth of Québec creativity architecture. sculpture garden. works by young artists. expressed in visual works. mbam.qc.ca cca.qc.ca fonderiedarling.org macm.org Edith Jochems Marc-André Champagne Alfonso Esparza Manon Guérin 514 285-1600 ext 106 514-939-7001 ext 2628 514 392-1554 514 847-6266 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] THE SEGAL CENTRE FOR PERFORMING ARTS PHI CENTRE This first-class multi-space venue for the An avant-garde cultural and artistic hub, performing arts is nationally recognized and the Phi Centre is an ideal setting for launches, focuses on creation, innovation, diversity and symposia, screenings, exhibitions, shows, and cross-cultural collaborations. interactive installations. segalcentre.org phi-centre.com Patrick Lloyd Brennan Myriam Achard 514 739-2301 ext 8360 514 844-7474 ext 5104 [email protected] [email protected] Churches MARY QUEEN OF THE WORLD CATHEDRAL SAINT JOSEPH’S ORATORY OF MOUNT ROYAL This major religious heritage building features Easily identified by its huge dome, this basilica a superb gilded neo-baroque baldachin and a is the largest shrine dedicated to Joseph and collection of paintings. one of the world’s most visited pilgrimage sites.