Montréal. “Bienvenue au Québec!” Here I am, having finally gone all the way East on my trans-Canada journey. As my #VIARail train pulls into Montréal station from Ottawa, leaving the province of Ontario for Québec, I readily unpack my French language skills .. only to find that I first understand next to nothing. What an accent here! Brace, brace, my dear French-speaking friends from around the globe! But it would not be Canada, if the beautiful, over-arching & absolute friendliness of all Canadians did not prevail in Montréal, Québec too. The vast majority of people are bilingual after all, and exactly everybody is ready to help you out if you do happen to look lost. Which, trust me, an exciting city like Montréal will not have you for long anyway.
For a start and in order to get your (historical) bearings, I do recommend a tasty Fitz & Folwell ‘Flavours of the Main’ Food Tour, essentially tracing the history of Montréal through food.
Jean-François, our guide for the day, is a young, enthusiastic local from Montréal, who takes it on him to educate our international group of foodie travellers on all things Montréal (food) history. “Essentially, we will be walking up one single street, Montréal’s Saint-Laurent Boulevard, as it is here in the centre of town that step by step, many migrant communities from around the globe have started filling the void between the ‘Two Solitudes’ .. the English to the West and the French to the East, bringing with them their food & flavours from the world over. Today, mind you, it is all mixing up much more anyway. Let’s start our tour in China town: Did you know that the first major community to arrive after both the English & French had settled here were the Chinese!?”
Kick-off to a delicious, and rather “heart-warming” food tour in this Chinese tea shop …
… with local guide Jean-François continuously dishing up many a good story (and food) …
… such as bits & bites off Little Italy, Little Portugal, or this beautiful Spanish Manchego cheese here …
… can’t miss your juicy-tasty Swartz ham sandwich on Boulevard Saint-Laurent, either …
… and to rid yourself of some of these calories, consider joining the same tour company for an exciting bike ride around town …
… or enjoy that mind-bogglingly beautiful walk through nearby Mont Royal Park …
… which especially now during the autumn colour season change & clear, crisp air …
… offers many delights for international visitors like myself. “Look, the squirrels !” That’s how you tell a tourist from a local for sure. Hehe.
(Even) More Foodie Tips for you travellers out there!
Looking for a great place to brunch? A beautiful dinner recommendation? Thanks to my wonderful friends and contacts in town (some of which I have only met as recent as in another Montréal tea shop!), I can now provide you with the following “tried & tested”, delicious little foodie gems around:
Régines in the Beaubien district of Montréal for amazing brunch options that will leave no desires unfulfilled …
… or Reuben’s Diner on Sainte-Catherine Street for dinner and their surprisingly awesome salads (thank you for taking me there, dear Ole Helmhausen ..!) …
… Accords Le Bistro for their delicious menu at only $31, currently promoted as part of the “Montréal A Table” week …
… and finally, Brit & Chips in downtown Montréal for their truly excellent Fish’n’Chips. In fact, they are so good I would credit them even higher than the “original Fish’n’Chips during that London Food Tour I took two years ago … Would come back for you any time, guys !!
Around “Vieux-Montréal” & the Old Port: Another Food Tour (of course!) to make the most out of your stay in downtown Montréal ..!
This time round, I am savouring the flavours of this exciting Québec city, the second-largest city in the whole of Canada, with our charming local guide Sebastian and his tour company Local Montréal Tours. The three-hour walking tour starts precisely at the above-quoted Brit & Chips and reveals many a foodie delight on the way around one of the most historic parts of Montréal. Check this out.
Meet Sebastian, our charming trilingual guide for the day speaking to us in German, French & English …
… and his German heritage that makes me smile over trying German-style bread here for instance, too …
… Cantinho de Lisboa is another top foodie tip for all those among you with a craving for typical, Portuguese cuisine …
… as part of our tour, Sebastian also takes us around historic, downtown Montréal where this square strikes us all as very European indeed …
… and if you have a deeper historical interest even, head over to Pointe-à-Collière, Montréal’s archaeological museum with an impressive 20-minute mapping show of the 400-year-history of town.
Where to lay your head & where to escape to, if you are in Montréal for a few days more.
“Mont Tremblant! If you can, Elena, head out there … It’s beautiful for hiking in the splendid maple tree forests we have here in Eastern Canada ..!” Oh yes. I did go, though even just for the day, and loved my stays at both the HI Montréal as well as the HI Mont Tremblant Youth Hostels, charming me with their great value-for-money and cosy, community atmosphere. Here is to mixing with the locals & international travellers alike!
Bonjour & welcome at HI Montréal! …
… the place that I discover even has A COPY OF MY BOOK AVAILABLE, as this lovely lady sleeping next to me in the four-bed female dorm shows me the next morning over breakfast … Wahoo! What a delightful surprise, exactly one year after my book has first published worldwide!
If you are looking for that countryside escape near Montréal, Mont Tremblant Village & Ski Hill is definitely a great option, only about two hours outside of town and full of great hiking trails (yes, even in the slight rain) …
… but give it a day (or two), and the sun may just shine on you again : Ever thought of Montréal as having a beautiful beach, by the way ?!
Montréal, you have truly wowed me during this particular colour burst visit in late autumn …
… where the mornings just make for a perfect excuse to go jogging up Mont Royal, or strolling up and down the Old Port area … just lovely. Come (back) here anytime!
Merci my dear Catherine Morellon, of Tourisme Montréal, for finally meeting you too : Lovely to connect with you & the passion for creative travel!
Interested? Hungry? Thirsty for more? Have a look at my entire gallery of Montréal travel photos here:
I have also produced a travel video that highlights some of my travel adventures in Western Canada, all the way from Vancouver to the vast open plains east of the Rocky Mountains. A fascinating, funky take on what has truly been a life-changing journey. Enjoy with sound & smile 🙂
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Disclaimer: I have been supported by Tourism Montréal, Fitz & Folwell as well as Local Montréal Tours on this trip to Montréal. All opinions are my own.