Discovery-Time: Montreal (Canada)

Both French and English speaking, Montreal is above all a cosmopolitan city that has an astonishing cultural mosaic. Endearing and vibrant, one easily falls under the spell of its atmospheres, its variegated architecture, its green spaces and its multiple attractions.

Museums, shows, concerts, festivals, trendy restaurants and crazy bars: impossible to be bored in the heart of the Belle Province which always reserves a warm welcome, even when the temperatures are around -35 ° C!

No. 1- Old Montreal

© Valérie FORTIER
On the shores of the St. Lawrence River, Old Montreal is a picturesque neighborhood that reveals the historic face of the city. Paved and winding streets, church steeples, the quays of the old port and buildings dating for the most part from the 18th century make up a charming setting. In terms of visits, do not miss the Notre-Dame Basilica, the Château Ramezay, the Pointe-à-Callière Museum and Jacques-Cartier Square. Numerous fashion boutiques, art galleries, cafés and trendy restaurants enliven the heart of the city.

No. 2- Mount Royal

© hakat -Adobe Stock
Located in the heart of the city, Mount Royal Park covers the eponymous mountain and offers a beautiful green space to the inhabitants. It was designed by Frederick Law Olmstead who also did Central Park in New York. Climb to the summit to reach the belvedere and enjoy one of the most beautiful views of Montreal. On its northern slope is St. Joseph's Oratory, the largest church in Canada, with a 97-meter dome: it is the tallest in the world after that of St. Peter's Basilica in Rome.

No. 3- The Basilica Notre-Dame

© Felix Lipov - Shutterstock.com
Built by the Sulpicians between 1824 and 1829, Notre-Dame Basilica is the first neo-Gothic church in Canada. Impressive from the outside, it shines inside by its sumptuous ornamentation: golden woodwork with gold leaf, sculptures, altarpiece of the choir, shimmering stained glass, monumental organ ... You can attend a magnificent sound and light show which immerses us in the history of the site with great reinforcements of projections, lights, lasers and orchestral music.

No. 4- St. Catherine Street

© krblokhin - iStockphoto.com
Stretched over 11.2 km from east to west, Sainte Catherine Street is the shopping street of the city where more than 1200 shops alternate. You will find the big brands but also small local shops, bars, restaurants and a constant animation, day and night. Along the way, you will come across the Place des Arts, the Forum (the former Montreal Canadiens ice rink), and the gay village. It is a lively and lively district with many restaurants, clubs and cabarets of all kinds.

No. 5- Museums

© Marc Cramer
Cultural epicenter, Montreal has many museums and galleries that will delight art lovers. The Museum of Fine Arts is one of the most important institutions in North America, with a collection of nearly 41,000 pieces. In addition to the fine arts, she sweeps through various streams of music, design, cinema and sewing. The Museum of Contemporary Art plays the card of temporary exhibitions, revealing the artistic avant-garde in the fields of painting, video or performance.

No. 6- Jean Talon Market

© Public Markets of Montreal
At the heart of the district of "Little Italy" stands the market Jean Talon, certainly the most picturesque of the city. Built in 1933 on a former lacrosse field, it now welcomes nearly 2.5 million visitors a year. In addition to fishmongers and butcheries, stalls focus on small producers of fruits and vegetables, cheeses and local products. You can also taste
Typical dishes include caribou soup, smoked duck with maple wood and cheese-stuffed sausage.

No. 7- Botanical Garden

© Tourisme Montréal
Considered one of the most important in the world, the botanical garden is a delight in the heart of the city. It boasts a magnificent collection of 22,000 species and cultivars of plants. Covering 75 hectares, it is surrounded by 10 greenhouses and 30 thematic gardens, including the largest Chinese garden outside China. You will also discover its huge Arboretum with its 7,000 trees and shrubs and the 160,000 guests of its insectarium!

No. 8- Biodôme

© Valérie FORTIER
At the same time zoo, aquarium and natural reserve, the Biodôme shelters 4800 animals, coming from 220 different species. This huge dome is divided into 5 zones that recreate the ecosystem of the Americas: the rainforest, the Laurentian forest, the St. Lawrence marine, the Arctic and Antarctic. You will meet the most emblematic species of the continent: Canada lynx, beavers, otters, penguins, penguins and caimans frolicking in semi-freedom. This tour is particularly suitable for families.

No. 9- The Olympic Park

© Jovannig - Adobe Stock
Built for the Olympic Games in 1976, the Olympic Stadium is one of Montreal's iconic landmarks. It continues its mission by hosting many sports events but also concerts and other events. The tower of Montreal, overlooking the stadium, is the largest inclined tower in the world. By means of a funicular, one reaches his observatory which occupies the last three floors, the sight is then impregnable: on a clear day, one can even see the chain of the Laurentians.

No. 10- RESO, the Underground Montreal

© krblokhin - iStockphoto.com
Under the cobblestones, a real underground city! The RESO refers to the 32 kilometers of underground galleries that connect the downtown buildings to each other. It has 190 access points and covers 80% of the office space in the city center, so it can reach hotels, cinemas, universities, shopping centers, train stations ... It can even cross several neighborhoods without putting nose out: during the winter months, around 500,000 people walk there every day.