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Hoofing it: Montreal

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A day of wandering through some of the most popular areas of Montreal, from downtown to the plateau.

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Author: Genevieve

Day 1 - Montreal

Montréal is a city that developed somewhat organically, up from the banks of the St. Lawrence River towards the Mount-Royal, now near the heart of the city. The resultant maze of little neighbourhood streets that join up to the pedestrian oriented main arteries of St. Laurent and St. Denis, among others, give the impression of being in a smaller city; not the second largest metropolis in Canada. Making the trek from downtown through the McGill student ghetto and along toward the Plateau Mont Royal it is distinctly noticeable that you are passing through three quite different areas of town. Downtown is where the action is. The major shopping centres are there and always bustling, above ground in the summer time and through the famous underground city when the snowy season makes Montréal streets less easily navigable. McGill University’s imposing gates are at the head of McGill Avenue, which when walking along St. Catherine’s Street falls between the Eaton centre and the Indigo book store. Meandering through the spread-out downtown campus, and following the path bearing to the right, will take you to the intersection of University and Milton. Milton Street is not long, but forms part of the integral centre of the McGill student ghetto, and is always filled with students. On the North side of Milton is the used book store The Word, a great place to buy or sell used texts or just to peruse. They often have a 50 cent book table just outside the store. A 10 minute walk north of “the ghetto” is the Mount Royal. Bring a Frisbee, take a wander or have a rest in the city’s most well known park, planned by Olmsted, designer of Central Park in New York City. Santropol café is the stop for lunch. I always share a sandwich there, the bread is thick and fresh and the in-betweens are some surprising combinations of delicious. If you are feeling really extravagant, they also serve milkshakes. The service is slow, even by Montreal standards, but the wait is worth it. Make sure to ask for a seat on the terrace, it is a little bit of fairy-tale fantastic. Santropol is also one of the city’s most well known suppliers of fair trade organic coffee, available for retail sale at the café. The afternoon and evening of this day trip are spent wandering around the Plateau like typical Montrealers; walking down St. Denis Street, people watching, cutting across Carré St. Louis, and crossing onto the seasonally packed pedestrian section of Prince Arthur Street. On Prince Arthur Street there are a myriad of options to choose from when it comes to dinner. Almost all the restaurants are “bring your own wine”, so come prepared, pick up a bottle at the SAQ (liquor commission) on the corner of St. Laurent or stop by a dépanneur (corner store) if you are less picky about quality.

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