Montreal is a city of some 1.8 million people on an island in the St Lawrence, and the second largest city in Canada. It is the largest city in Quebec, the one Canadian province that is French-speaking, and that is the fact which shapes a visit more than any other — this is a North American city that runs in French.
The winter, which is the thing to plan around
January is the coldest month, with an average high of about -4°C and an average low near -12°C. February is barely milder. These are averages rather than extremes, and the wind along the downtown grid makes them feel considerably worse.
The warm season, when average highs sit above 20°C, runs from roughly late May to the middle of September. July is the warmest month, averaging about 26°C, and it is humid in a way the figures do not convey. Late June to early September is the dependable window; May and October are pleasant and much quieter.
Winter is not a reason to stay away, and the city is built for it — but it does need planning for properly, with boots that cope with slush rather than merely cold. The Underground City exists precisely because of these months.
The language, and how much it matters
French is the official language of Quebec and the default everywhere: signage, menus, transport announcements and government services. Montreal is in practice a bilingual city, and in the centre, in Old Montreal and at the main attractions English is widely spoken and readily switched to.
Outside those areas it is less certain, and the courtesy of opening in French is noticed. Visitors who speak no French manage perfectly well in the parts of the city they are most likely to be in.
Getting about
The Metro has four lines and is the quickest way across the centre. Stations are the reference points Montrealers give directions by, so it is worth learning the few that matter rather than street names.
- Montréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport — renamed from Dorval in 2004, so older guides give the wrong name and a good many locals still use the old one. The 747 bus runs between the airport and the centre around the clock, reaching Lionel-Groulx metro in roughly half an hour.
- The Metro is rubber-tyred, which makes it unusually quiet, and each station was given to a different architect — several are worth a look in their own right.
- Walking works well in Old Montreal and the centre, both of which are compact. The city is flat apart from the mountain.
- Cycling is unusually good, with protected lanes and a large public hire scheme, and the Lachine Canal path is among the best urban rides anywhere.
The costs that are not in the price
- Tax is added at the till, not shown on the shelf — federal and provincial sales taxes both apply in Quebec, so the amount asked for is never the amount displayed.
- Tipping is a matter of convention rather than discretion, in restaurants, bars and taxis alike. Card terminals routinely propose a figure, which is a suggestion and not an obligation.
- Currency is the Canadian dollar, which is a separate currency from the US dollar and usually worth rather less. Prices quoted in guides written for an American readership are not necessarily in the currency a visitor will be paying.
What there is to see
- Old Montreal — the oldest part of the city, with the Old Port along its edge.
- The Lachine Canal — cut past the rapids in the 1820s, and now the best cycle route in the city.
- Notre-Dame Basilica, in Old Montreal, which is the single most impressive interior in the city.
- Mount Royal — the hill the city is named after, with an Olmsted park on it and the best view of the island.
- Saint Joseph's Oratory, on the mountain's other flank, and the largest church in Canada.
- Montreal's museums — the fine arts museum, the archaeology museum built over the city's founding site, and the architecture centre.
- Montreal's nature attractions — the Botanical Garden, the rebuilt Insectarium and the Biodôme, grouped out by the Olympic Park.
- The Underground City, the connected network beneath the centre.
- Casino de Montreal, in a pavilion left over from Expo 67.
Before travelling
British citizens travelling to Canada by air need an approved Electronic Travel Authorization before boarding, applied for online through the Canadian government's own site, canada.ca/eta. It is valid for five years or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. It is not required for those arriving by land or by rail, which matters for anyone coming up from the United States. Numerous third-party sites charge a fee to forward the same application.
The pages in this section cover the old city, the canal, the mountain, the churches, the museums, the gardens and what lies beneath the streets.
Montreal is a European city that happens to have been built in North America, and it has the winters to prove it.