Foliage Fall Color Season
Montreal is blessed with 4 distinct seasons that occur throughout the year. Every Fall, nature lets the inhabitants of the city know that winter is just around the corner through the changing of the color of the leaves on the trees. Unlike coniferous trees such as pines and cedars, deciduous trees do not keep their leaves during the snowy months. Instead, they drop them to the ground, giving meaning to the name of the Fall season. Since Quebec is home to many different species of deciduous tree, in particular the maple with its large and distinctive leaves, the autumn foliage season paints the forests of the province in vivid oranges, reds and yellows. A favorite tourist activity
Given that only 30 minutes drive separates Montreal from some of the most spectacular forested scenery in Quebec, it is no surprise that during the end of the month of September and the beginning of October many Montrealers hop into their cars and take a Sunday afternoon drive into the wilderness. There are two popular destinations for those looking to enjoy the turning colors of the leaves. The first is to travel along Autoroute 15 or highway 117 north through the Laurentians, where the mountainous passes provide for some breathtaking views. Many people end their day in the town of St. Jovite or Tremblant.
The second option is to head east towards the Eastern Townships. Driving down Autoroute 10 will lead you to many different scenic possibilities. Some people choose to head towards Knowlton or Sutton, while others continue on to Magog or Orford. The village of North Hatley along lake Massawippi is also a popular destination. Whichever route you choose, you are guaranteed to be exposed to foliage such as you have never seen before.
Other possibilities
Since the leaves are such an attraction, the highways in these areas can often become clogged with slow-moving cars and restaurants and hotels will most likely be packed. If you are up for a bit of a longer journey, then an hour’s drive south to the Vermont border will give a very similar experience, as most of the northern part of the state is a large park. The Lake Champlain region has very beautiful scenic lookouts and rest areas.
Sticking close to home
If you don’t want to go through the hassle of driving too far outside the city, then you can always enjoy the changing of the leaves on a smaller scale. Walking through Mount Royal park on a peaceful day will satisfy most people, providing an attractive array of colors as a canopy. It also provides a viewpoint from which to observe the leaf changes taking place in the various parks that dot the island, as well as along the slope facing away from downtown.
Montreal
is home to many different religious faiths, but the oldest of the established religions in the city are Christian, and more specifically Catholic. Many of the original French settlers in Quebec and Montreal imported their Catholic faith with them, and for many years it was the dominant spiritual force in Francophone society. In the 1950’s and 60’s the Quiet Revolution greatly reduced the role of the church in the every day life of the Quebecois, but the great churches in Montreal continued to serve their faithful and have become permanent fixtures of Montreal’s architecture
St. Joseph’s OratoryProbably the most famous Montreal Church is St. Joseph’s Oratory, which rises up on high from Queen Mary street and is in fact visible from quite a distance as you approach the city from either the south or the east. The Oratory is the largest church in all of Canada, and it is famous for the miracles that were reported by Brother Andre who claimed that the power of St. Joseph was enabling him to heal the sick and the disabled. The initial building was constructed in 1904 but it was significantly enlarged several times, reaching its current grandeur in 1967. The church is beautifully illuminated at night, and thousands of people every year climb the steep steps leading to the dome. Some of these visitors say a prayer at each step hoping to be healed by invoking the name of Brother Andre, who’s heart is retained as a relic in the church itself
Notre-Dame Basilica
Old Montreal is home to another large Catholic church, the Notre-Dame Basilica. The church construction was completed in 1879 after close to 50 years of work on the towers and the elaborate interior. The sanctuary of the church is noted for its dazzling spectrum of color, and there are many hundreds of religious carvings and statues that fill the interior. The church is open to the public and offers shows that depict the history of the church in Montreal.
St. Patrick’s Basilica
One of the few remaining large churches of Anglophone origin, St. Patrick’s Basilica is also a Catholic church which sprang up from the Irish immigrant community in the 1840’s. The Gothic building is a part of downtown Montreal, located on Rene-Levesque street, and provides a quiet place for reflection and prayer where many city residents can escape the hustle and bustle of the outside world.
Christ Church Cathedral
Representing a different faith, in this case Anglican, the Christ Church Cathedral has had a rather interesting recent history in the city. Destroyed by fire in 1856, it was rebuilt 3 years later, but in the 1920’s it became clear that the design of the building had serious problems, with the foundations sinking into the soft ground that surrounded it. This caused the steeple to be removed and re-built out of aluminum in order to lighten the load. The foundations were also re-poured.
The most dramatic architectural event to occur at Christ Church Cathedral was the development of a mall underneath the church itself. Connected to the underground city, the entire church was actually suspended in the air by a system of beams while the mall was constructed. The church floated for 9 months in 1987 until the project was completed.
Snowdon
is a an area of Montreal that finds itself caught between the much larger neighborhoods of on one end (which it is technically a part of), and Cote-Des-Neiges on the other. Centered around Queen Mary street east of the Decarie expressway, Snowdon is a primarily residential neighborhood that stretches north along Decarie until it runs into the Mont Royal town line.
Queen Mary is a large, 4 lane road that expands up from a small residential street west of Decarie until it intersects with Cote-Des-Neiges boulevard in the east. Along this segment of Queen Mary you can find restaurants, grocery stores as well as several kosher eateries. In fact, Snowdon represents one of the highest concentrations of kosher restaurants in the entire city. Notable are Chez Benny on Queen Mary, and Pizza Pita, further down along the Decarie.
As you drive up Queen Mary, you will encounter the College Internationale Marie-de-France, as well as the impressive St. Joseph’s Oratory. The Oratory is located on the right just before the street reaches the intersection with Cote-Des-Neiges. This imposing structure is fitted with the second largest dome in the world, coming in after St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The Oratory is said to contain the healing relics of Brother Andre, a monk who was able to cure the sick and the infirm through the power of God.
Snowdon metro station
The Snowdon metro station, found on Queen Mary near Decarie, houses both the short Blue line as well as the much longer Orange line. The Blue line exists primarily to serve the several universities that dot its service route. The Orange line heads through the heart of downtown and joins up again with the Blue line in the Plateau neighborhood. Snowdon station has metro track on two different levels, and there is actually an entrance to the metro on the other side of the Decarie that was completed but never officially opened or used. The only marking of its presence is a fenced off area in the middle of Queen Mary road, and behind the fence is a steel shack and locked door leading to a dark staircase.
Victoria street
The stretch of Victoria street that runs through the heart of the Snowdon neighborhood is one of the more ethnically diverse areas in the city. Many recent immigrants to Montreal settle in this area, and as a result there are food shops and clothing stores that reflect a global range of tastes. Since the area has an overwhelmingly residential flavor, it benefits from many schools, including traditional Jewish schools. There is also a large Jewish cultural center to be found on Westbury street, across from a park that spans 3 city blocks.
The most popular sport in Montreal is Ice hockey. The city's professional hockey team, the Montreal Canadiens, are one of the Original Six NHL teams, and boast an NHL-record 24 Stanley Cup championships. The New York Yankees are the only other team in North American sports to have more championship titles with 26.
Montreal has a storied baseball history. The city was the home of the Montreal Royals until 1960 and Jackie Robinson broke the baseball colour barrier with the Royals in 1946 in an emotionally difficult year where Robinson was forever grateful for the local fans' fervent support[38] Major League Baseball came to town in the form of the Montreal Expos in 1969. They played their games at Jarry Park until moving into Olympic Stadium in 1977. After 37 years in Montreal, the team relocated to Washington, DC in 2005 and re-branded themselves as the Washington Nationals.[39] Various groups are trying to bring a Can-Am League team to the city to fill the void created by the departure of the Expos.[citation needed]
The Montreal Alouettes of the CFL draw packed crowds at the small but picturesque Molson Stadium for their regular season games. Late season and playoff games are played at the much larger, enclosed Olympic Stadium, which will also play host to the 2008 Grey Cup. The McGill Redmen, Concordia Stingers, and Université de Montréal Carabins play in the CIS university football league.
The city's USL First Division soccer team is called the Montreal Impact. They play at a soccer-specific stadium called Saputo Stadium. The Montreal games of the FIFA 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup were held at Olympic Stadium.[40]
Montreal was formerly the site of a high-profile racing event each year: the Canadian Grand Prix of F1 racing, and during a one time event, a NASCAR race in the Nationwide Series. These races took place on the famous Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Île Notre-Dame, where the Champ Car series also raced from 2002 until 2006.[citation needed]. In 2008, after 29 years on the same circuit, the Grand Prix left Montreal, with the event moved to other cities (the 2009 calendar has Abu Dhabi scheduled).
Uniprix Stadium was built in 1993 and is used for the annual Rogers Cup Tennis Masters tournament. The ATP men's tennis tour and the Sony Ericsson WTA women's tennis tour switch between Montreal and Toronto every year.[citation needed]
Olympic Stadium, in the city's eastern section.Montreal was the host of the 1976 Summer Olympics. Until eclipsed by the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Montreal Games were the most expensive in Olympic history, costing over $5 billion (equivalent to $20 billion in 2006).[citation needed] Montreal hosted the first ever World Outgames in the summer of 2006, attracting over 16,000 participants engaged in 35 sporting activities. They were the biggest sporting event in the city since the Summer Olympics of 1976.[citation needed]
Five beaches around the island, in addition to a network of parks that include one on the Mont Royal, offer a set of recreational activities enjoyed by the local population.
Montreal has a storied baseball history. The city was the home of the Montreal Royals until 1960 and Jackie Robinson broke the baseball colour barrier with the Royals in 1946 in an emotionally difficult year where Robinson was forever grateful for the local fans' fervent support[38] Major League Baseball came to town in the form of the Montreal Expos in 1969. They played their games at Jarry Park until moving into Olympic Stadium in 1977. After 37 years in Montreal, the team relocated to Washington, DC in 2005 and re-branded themselves as the Washington Nationals.[39] Various groups are trying to bring a Can-Am League team to the city to fill the void created by the departure of the Expos.[citation needed]
The Montreal Alouettes of the CFL draw packed crowds at the small but picturesque Molson Stadium for their regular season games. Late season and playoff games are played at the much larger, enclosed Olympic Stadium, which will also play host to the 2008 Grey Cup. The McGill Redmen, Concordia Stingers, and Université de Montréal Carabins play in the CIS university football league.
The city's USL First Division soccer team is called the Montreal Impact. They play at a soccer-specific stadium called Saputo Stadium. The Montreal games of the FIFA 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup were held at Olympic Stadium.[40]
Montreal was formerly the site of a high-profile racing event each year: the Canadian Grand Prix of F1 racing, and during a one time event, a NASCAR race in the Nationwide Series. These races took place on the famous Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Île Notre-Dame, where the Champ Car series also raced from 2002 until 2006.[citation needed]. In 2008, after 29 years on the same circuit, the Grand Prix left Montreal, with the event moved to other cities (the 2009 calendar has Abu Dhabi scheduled).
Uniprix Stadium was built in 1993 and is used for the annual Rogers Cup Tennis Masters tournament. The ATP men's tennis tour and the Sony Ericsson WTA women's tennis tour switch between Montreal and Toronto every year.[citation needed]
Olympic Stadium, in the city's eastern section.Montreal was the host of the 1976 Summer Olympics. Until eclipsed by the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the Montreal Games were the most expensive in Olympic history, costing over $5 billion (equivalent to $20 billion in 2006).[citation needed] Montreal hosted the first ever World Outgames in the summer of 2006, attracting over 16,000 participants engaged in 35 sporting activities. They were the biggest sporting event in the city since the Summer Olympics of 1976.[citation needed]
Five beaches around the island, in addition to a network of parks that include one on the Mont Royal, offer a set of recreational activities enjoyed by the local population.
Montreal is located in the southwest of the province of Quebec, approximately 275 kilometres (168 miles) southwest of Quebec City, the provincial capital, and 167 kilometres (104 mi) east of Ottawa, the federal capital. It also lies 502 kilometres (312 mi) northeast of Toronto, 407 kilometres (253 mi) northwest of Boston and 530 kilometres (329 mi) directly north of New York City.[19]
The city is located on the central and eastern portions of the Island of Montreal at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers. The port of Montreal lies at one end of the Saint Lawrence Seaway, which is the river gateway that stretches from the Great Lakes into the Atlantic Ocean.[20] Montreal is defined by its location in between the St. Lawrence river on its south, and by the Rivière des Prairies on its north. The city is named after the most prominent geographical feature on the island, a three-head hill called Mount Royal.[21]
Montreal is at the centre of the Montreal Metropolitan Community, and is bordered by the city of Laval to the north, Longueuil, St. Lambert, Brossard, and other municipalities to the south, Repentigny to the east and the West Island municipalities to the west. The anglophone enclaves of Westmount, Montreal West, Hampstead, Côte Saint-Luc, the Town of Mount Royal and the francophone enclave Montreal East are all entirely surrounded by the city of Montreal
The city is located on the central and eastern portions of the Island of Montreal at the confluence of the Saint Lawrence and Ottawa Rivers. The port of Montreal lies at one end of the Saint Lawrence Seaway, which is the river gateway that stretches from the Great Lakes into the Atlantic Ocean.[20] Montreal is defined by its location in between the St. Lawrence river on its south, and by the Rivière des Prairies on its north. The city is named after the most prominent geographical feature on the island, a three-head hill called Mount Royal.[21]
Montreal is at the centre of the Montreal Metropolitan Community, and is bordered by the city of Laval to the north, Longueuil, St. Lambert, Brossard, and other municipalities to the south, Repentigny to the east and the West Island municipalities to the west. The anglophone enclaves of Westmount, Montreal West, Hampstead, Côte Saint-Luc, the Town of Mount Royal and the francophone enclave Montreal East are all entirely surrounded by the city of Montreal
There is archaeological evidence of various nomadic native peoples occupying the island of Montreal for at least 2,000 years before the arrival of Europeans.[14] The St. Lawrence Iroquoians established the village of Hochelaga at the foot of Mount Royal.[15] The French explorer Jacques Cartier visited Hochelaga on October 2, 1535, claiming the St. Lawrence Valley for France.[16] He estimated the population to be "over a thousand".[15]
Seventy years later, French explorer Samuel de Champlain reported that the St. Lawrence Iroquoians and their settlements had disappeared altogether from the St. Lawrence valley, likely due to inter-tribal wars, European diseases and out-migration.[15] Champlain established in 1611 a fur trading post on the Island of Montreal, on a site initially named La Place Royale, at the confluence of Saint-Pierre river and St-Lawrence river, where present-day Pointe-à-Callière stands.[17]. In 1639, Jérôme Le Royer de La Dauversière obtained the Seigneurial title to the Island of Montreal in the name of the Société de Notre-Dame de Montréal to establish a Roman Catholic mission for evangelizing natives. Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve was the governor of the colony.
Ville-Marie became a centre for the fur trade and a base for further French exploration in North America. It remained a French colony until 1760, when it was surrendered to Great Britain.
Montreal was incorporated as a city in 1832. The opening of the Lachine Canal permitted ships to bypass the unnavigable Lachine Rapids, while the construction of the Victoria Bridge established Montreal as a major railway hub. By 1860, it was the largest city in British North America and the undisputed economic and cultural centre of Canada.
Montreal was the capital of the Province of Canada from 1844 to 1849, but lost its status when a Tory mob burnt down the Parliament building to protest passage of the Rebellion Losses Bill.[18]
Rue Saint-Jacques (former St. James Street) in 1910.After World War I, the Prohibition movement in the United States turned Montreal into a haven for Americans looking for alcohol. Unemployment remained high in the city, and was exacerbated by the Stock Market Crash of 1929 and the Great Depression. Canada began to recover from the Great Depression in the mid-1930s, when skyscrapers such as the Sun Life Building began to appear.
During World War II, Mayor Camillien Houde protested against conscription and urged Montrealers to disobey the federal government's registry of all men and women. Ottawa was furious over Houde's insubordination and held him in a prison camp until 1944, when the government was forced to institute conscription (see Conscription Crisis of 1944).
Montreal's population surpassed one million in the early 1950s. The Saint Lawrence Seaway opened in 1959, allowing vessels to bypass Montreal: a development that would in time help to spell the end of the city's economic dominance. However, the 1960s saw continued growth, including Expo 67, the construction of Canada's tallest skyscrapers, new expressways and the Montreal Metro system.
The 1970s ushered in a period of wide-ranging social and political changes, stemming in large part from the concerns of the French-Canadian majority about the conservation of their culture and language, given the traditional predominance of the English-Canadian minority in the business arena. The October Crisis and the election of the separatist political party, the Parti Québécois, resulted in major political and linguistic shifts. Many companies and people left the city. In 1976, Montreal was the host of the 1976 Summer Olympics.
During the 1980s and early 1990s, Montreal experienced a slower rate of economic growth than many other major Canadian cities. By the late 1990s, however, Montreal's economic climate had improved, as new firms and institutions began to fill the traditional business and financial niches.
Montreal was merged with the 27 surrounding municipalities on the Island of Montreal on January 1, 2002. The merger created a unified city of Montreal which covered the entire island of Montreal. This move proved unpopular, and several former municipalities, totalling 13% of the population of the island, voted to leave the newly unified city in separate referendums in June 2004. The demerger took place on January 1, 2006, leaving 15 municipalities on the island, including Montreal.
Seventy years later, French explorer Samuel de Champlain reported that the St. Lawrence Iroquoians and their settlements had disappeared altogether from the St. Lawrence valley, likely due to inter-tribal wars, European diseases and out-migration.[15] Champlain established in 1611 a fur trading post on the Island of Montreal, on a site initially named La Place Royale, at the confluence of Saint-Pierre river and St-Lawrence river, where present-day Pointe-à-Callière stands.[17]. In 1639, Jérôme Le Royer de La Dauversière obtained the Seigneurial title to the Island of Montreal in the name of the Société de Notre-Dame de Montréal to establish a Roman Catholic mission for evangelizing natives. Paul Chomedey de Maisonneuve was the governor of the colony.
Ville-Marie became a centre for the fur trade and a base for further French exploration in North America. It remained a French colony until 1760, when it was surrendered to Great Britain.
Montreal was incorporated as a city in 1832. The opening of the Lachine Canal permitted ships to bypass the unnavigable Lachine Rapids, while the construction of the Victoria Bridge established Montreal as a major railway hub. By 1860, it was the largest city in British North America and the undisputed economic and cultural centre of Canada.
Montreal was the capital of the Province of Canada from 1844 to 1849, but lost its status when a Tory mob burnt down the Parliament building to protest passage of the Rebellion Losses Bill.[18]
Rue Saint-Jacques (former St. James Street) in 1910.After World War I, the Prohibition movement in the United States turned Montreal into a haven for Americans looking for alcohol. Unemployment remained high in the city, and was exacerbated by the Stock Market Crash of 1929 and the Great Depression. Canada began to recover from the Great Depression in the mid-1930s, when skyscrapers such as the Sun Life Building began to appear.
During World War II, Mayor Camillien Houde protested against conscription and urged Montrealers to disobey the federal government's registry of all men and women. Ottawa was furious over Houde's insubordination and held him in a prison camp until 1944, when the government was forced to institute conscription (see Conscription Crisis of 1944).
Montreal's population surpassed one million in the early 1950s. The Saint Lawrence Seaway opened in 1959, allowing vessels to bypass Montreal: a development that would in time help to spell the end of the city's economic dominance. However, the 1960s saw continued growth, including Expo 67, the construction of Canada's tallest skyscrapers, new expressways and the Montreal Metro system.
The 1970s ushered in a period of wide-ranging social and political changes, stemming in large part from the concerns of the French-Canadian majority about the conservation of their culture and language, given the traditional predominance of the English-Canadian minority in the business arena. The October Crisis and the election of the separatist political party, the Parti Québécois, resulted in major political and linguistic shifts. Many companies and people left the city. In 1976, Montreal was the host of the 1976 Summer Olympics.
During the 1980s and early 1990s, Montreal experienced a slower rate of economic growth than many other major Canadian cities. By the late 1990s, however, Montreal's economic climate had improved, as new firms and institutions began to fill the traditional business and financial niches.
Montreal was merged with the 27 surrounding municipalities on the Island of Montreal on January 1, 2002. The merger created a unified city of Montreal which covered the entire island of Montreal. This move proved unpopular, and several former municipalities, totalling 13% of the population of the island, voted to leave the newly unified city in separate referendums in June 2004. The demerger took place on January 1, 2006, leaving 15 municipalities on the island, including Montreal.
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