A biting wind was my introduction to Canada. It briefly made me re-think my decision to make my Canadian debut in winter, never mind it was only the beginning of it. While I love the romanticism of winter, the gently falling snow while enjoying a steaming cocoa in front of a roaring fire, I am not a fan of the cold, dark harsh reality of winter, however. Yet I’m here to tell you that visiting Montreal in winter should be on your bucket list, especially if you tend to hibernate in the winter darkness like me.
Montreal
By population, Montreal is the second largest city in Canada. It is also the largest in Quebec, the only French province in Canada. The city and metropolitan area is home to 1.7 million people. The city is on an island and sits on the confluence of two rivers, St Lawrence and Ottawa and is a gateway to the Atlantic Ocean. While the city is home to both English-speaking and French-speaking habitants, there are more French speakers than English speakers. Signage around town is mostly in French. English is more prevalent on the English side of town. Most inhabitants are bilingual in both French and English though. While there has been simmering tension between the two groups since the birth of the city, the fact is that it has resulted in culture that is uniquely Quebecois, a beautiful blend of French and English with a healthy dose of the Indigenous People.
ACCOMODATION
Visitor accommodation in Montreal includes hotels and private home rentals. The high tourist seasons are summer and Christmas time. Expect prices to be higher then and plan accordingly. Staying in the city means higher prices, however it allows greater accessibility to tourist sites. Still, bargains may be found on the periphery of the city if one does not mind traveling a little further.
I stayed at the AC Hotel AC Hotel By Marriott Montreal Downtown | Marriott Bonvoy. The hotel sits on Rene-Levesque, a major street, and is quite central. It is right across the street from Desjardins, a complex housing a grocery store, boutiques, restaurants, a food court as well as the metro and access to the Underground City. The room was comfortable and warm despite a wooden floor. The hotel staff were very accommodating and helpful.
GETTING AROUND
Montreal boasts an exceptional public transportation system of trains Fares | Société de transport de Montréal (stm.info) and buses. Note that major metro station signage is in French. However, there are easy-to-read route maps, and some English signs help lessen the anxiety of navigation. Consider purchasing a weekly metro pass if you will be in the area for at least that long and will take frequent trips. You can use it on both the bus and the metro. Buses are also numerous and frequent. Bus drivers accept cash, and card payments if you do not have a metro pass.
Traditional taxis are readily available, with taxi stands dotted around the city. These are easily recognizable by the triangular fins atop the cars. Ride-shares include Uber, Eva, Lyft. You may also opt to drive. Parking is limited however, and may be pricey. If staying outside of the city-center, I recommend driving to the nearest metro, parking then using the metro and buses to get around the city center. Be advised: driving in Montreal in winter will be treacherous. The city has some very steep hills and icy conditions will not help. A level of experience and comfort driving in these conditions will be helpful.
THINGS TO DO
Even in early winter, Montreal still has plenty to do. I knew it was too early in the season for activities like sledding, cross-country skiing etc. Parc du Mont-Royal was still accessible though Enjoying Nature in a Wintery Montreal – HER//Excursions (herexcursions.com). I worried I would not find much else to do. But I did.
Curling
What I knew about curling wouldn’t fit the back of a matchbox. This despite watching the sport on television avidly every four years. I’ve always thought it was interesting, and easy to stay. I therefore jumped at the chance to try my hand at curling when I found a tour operator that offered it.
I took a six-mile ride away from downtown to the West Montreal Curling Club, the English-Speaking side of town. There were eight of us, all of us novices with the exception of two to three people. I learned the basics of the sport. The fun part though was actually playing. Just so you know, it’s much harder than it looks on television. It requires a great core and balance, as well as precision. I’m a klutz. Enough said. Suffice to say, I eventually figured it out but alas never scored (*sigh), but I had a blast! Yes, it was a cold and somewhat uncomfortable 2 hours. However, I would absolutely do it regularly if I could. Make sure to give it a try.
The Bota Bota Spa Treatment
My sister lives in Montreal and she did not take much convincing to attend Bota Bota spa Relaxing Massage Spa | Old Port of Montreal | Bota Bota, spa on a boat with me. This unique spa is on a boat located on the St Lawrence River in Old Port. Better yet, not only can you spend a day pampering yourself, but you can also enjoy great food that the restaurant afterwards. The spa also offers accommodation to visitors. We booked a 4-hour package that included a water circuit, a 60 min relaxation or therapeutic massage, and a tasting plate accompanied by a glass of wine. It was a splurge for sure. But the unique experience helped mitigate the hefty price tag.
We were notified of boat rules when we checked in “off-shore”: no speaking on the boat and no phones. On the boat, we were handed, towels, robes and color-coded wristbands to access lockers, as well as to use in the restaurant. We started with the water circuit which was sweating it out in the dry sauna before plunging in cold water. We then relaxed, looking over the river, then repeated the process again. Our scheduled time came and we had double massages. And then it was time to eat. We had a small soup, salad, meatballs in red sauce, beets with a yoghurt sauce. We substituted wine for cocktails. Everything was impeccable. The staff were friendly and accommodating, allowing us to bring the massage earlier (to enable us to get to curling on time).
Jean Talon Market
A major Montreal market Jean-Talon Market | Montreal’s Public Markets (marchespublics-mtl.com) is located in Little Italy. Visiting was a treat. I saw everything from flowers, fruit, groceries, sausage, baklava, pies, tarts, spices, chocolates to purses and woolen hats in the main hall. Besides the main hall, a series of little shops and restaurants surrounded it. Meanwhile, shoppers of every color and creed shopped, pushed strollers or simply snacked on snacks. The atmosphere was made more festive by the nearby Christmas market, with its lights and trees. I found the market to be a food and shoppers’ paradise.
Christmas Marche (Markets) and Lights
The city hosts several Christmas Markets, with at least three in the downtown vicinity. The Grande Marche De Noel was a mere Montreal block away (see under general) at Place des Arts La Grande marche of Montreal | Tourisme Montréal (mtl.org). The Montreal Christmas Village can be found at Place du Atwater while the third one is at the Jean-Talon market. All have Christmas exhibitions and feature vendors selling goods from wine, chocolate, maple syrup to hats. The Grande Marche De Noel also featured a live band the evening I visited. There were also a few artisans offering tastings of small batch wines and liquer.
I loved the Montreal Christmas decorations. And I’ll have you know that they are quite extensive. Some of the decorations and lights at the Grande Marche Village were interactive. Children and adults alike spun wheels to create light shows and strobes. I walked under tunnels of colorful lights and yet again, enjoyed choregraphed lighting of a tree.
I stumbled on a newly opened refrigerated skating rink while I was out enjoying the Christmas Village and lights. It was packed with families and couples, all twirling and joyful in the winter night. I would have loved to join them, but I demurred from causing chaos.
Old Montreal Walking Tour
I enjoy walking tours. They satisfy my love for history and culture while combining it with exploration and some exercise. As such, I joined a tour of Old Montreal with Lesley from MTL Tours. I was not disappointed. Her abbreviated but succinct and light-hearted history lesson left me with a sense of what makes Montreal (and even Quebec) tick. The tour involved significant walking. Leslie also warned that the tour happens rain or shine, and it was true in this case because it snowed periodically through it. I was lucky that I wore comfortable, partially water-proof boots, and a warm oiled hooded jacket. All came in handy on this great tour.
Day-Tripping in Quebec City
An online search revealed numerous day tours from Montreal. Destinations included Niagara Falls, Quebec City and Montmorency Falls, as well as Mont Tremblant. I settled on a tour to Quebec City with a Montmorency Falls stop Quebec City Day Trip – HER//Excursions trip to Quebec City (herexcursions.com). Apparently, the tour includes a boat trip on the St. Charles River in Quebec City in summer. This step would be skipped for our tour.
It promised a coach tour. A minibus showed up. I assumed it was because it was a slower season. The driver/tour guide was very pleasant. And chatted incessantly and loudly with the woman who sat next to him and the couple I shared a bench with in a way that indicated they knew each other well. We had to pay a $7 “service charge” to Mr. Bin at the halfway point. I wasn’t too sure what that was for exactly. Our first stop was Montmorency Falls. It was spectacular. We drove on into the city. A few minutes from the drop off point in Quebec City, the guide told us that we were meeting a local Tour guide named Richard who would give us an hour walking tour of the city.
Only it drizzled almost continuously, the ground covered in slushy ice and snow. Richard casually declared that we were lucky it was a mild day. I did not feel lucky. Still, he spoke about his beloved city, hands in his pockets, unconcerned about the continuous stream of rain running from his head, down his neck and beyond. Meanwhile, the two people who had the foresight to bring umbrellas were the only ones engaged. The rest of us shivered and pretended to listen as we tried not to go into hypothermic shock. Eventually after about 10 to 15 minutes, and we warmed up inside Château Frontenac for a few minutes. It was here that a spent a fortune on an umbrella. I didn’t care though. I wanted to live. The rest of the tour improved vastly after this. We had about four hours to explore the town afterwards.
While the tour was not quite what I expected, I’m still glad that I did it. Overall, it was a good trip and I enjoyed the stops.
FOOD
As any big city, Montreal offers cuisine from around the world. However, I was more concerned with the uniquely Quebecois cuisine. And I have to say I found it in spades Eating in Montreal – HER//Excursions (herexcursions.com). I indulged in fine dining at Toque. Enjoyed a Montrealer omelet at Eggspectation. Sampled the world famous Montrealer bagel. Found a killer grill cheese from the Jean Talon Market. Wolfed down (and failed to finish) a brisket sandwich from Schwartz. And even I sampled a sketchily prepared poutine. To cut to the chase, Montreal has the goods for foodies of all stripes.
SAFETY
I found Montreal to be safe as a solo, woman traveler. Now, that doesn’t mean I did not have my guard at certain points. For instance, my flight was delayed, and I arrived after 4PM. The city was already dark. I had a prior dinner reservation that was within walking distance. The street I took was darker than I like. In fact, I realized that a lot of Montreal sreet lighting tends to be on the dimmer side. Still, I was about to get around town without being accosted, both at night and during the day. It helped that there was a heavy police presence in downtown. Overall, Montreal is a comfortable city for women and people of color.
GENERAL
Please note that sales tax (VAT) in Quebec is almost 10%. Keep this in mind when you make purchases as the significant bump can be a bit of a shock if you’re not used to it. It also means keeping a close eye on your budget was well as it will likely affect it. I also want to mention that Montreal street blocks are quite unlike what I have encountered before. They tend to be very long. So don’t make the mistake (like I did) of looking at a map and thinking your destination is close, because it will be longer than you think. Finally, Montreal is quite hilly. You’ll need comfortable walking shoes and decent stamina.
