{"id":2838,"date":"2011-08-30T05:36:00","date_gmt":"2011-08-30T10:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/flyingplates.com\/?p=2838"},"modified":"2020-12-28T13:11:40","modified_gmt":"2020-12-28T18:11:40","slug":"montreal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/flyingplates.com\/?p=2838","title":{"rendered":"Montr\u00e9al"},"content":{"rendered":"

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A little geography<\/h1>\n

Montr\u00e9al is an island situated in the south of the province of Qu\u00e9bec which is one of the ten provinces and 2 territories of Canada. Montr\u00e9al is said to be shaped like a sock, I prefer to compare it to a boomerang. It is 51Km. long by 16 Km. wide and has a hill in its center called “Le Mont-Royal” which is 232m high.<\/p>\n

A little history<\/h1>\n

Jacques Cartier, a Frenchman, was the first European to visit the island in 1534. Then, in 1612, Samuel de Champlain set up a fort on it to facilitate fur trading activities with the Indians. Walls were built to protect it, around, what is now known as, the old port. You can see parts of the old fortifications in the Pointe \u00e0 Calli\u00e8re<\/a> museum. But it is really in 1645 that people started to settle here. First a French lady by the name of Jeanne Mance built a hospital and then, a few years later, another woman, Marguerite Bourgeoys <\/a>opened a school for both Indian and French children. She also founded a religious order called “La Congr\u00e9gation de Notre Dame”. The Maison Saint Gabriel is still standing on the lot that she bought to welcome the “filles du Roy” (the orphan girls sent by the king to marry the soldiers and settlers here and raise the population numbers).<\/p>\n

The city grew slowly, more or less comfortably with the neighboring Indians and the clergy became more and more powerful. In 1759 a battle between the French and the British ended with the British take-over. But the day to day lives of the people did not change much. The French held on to their language and their faith, and managed to survive as a group, an enclave within an English speaking America. Montreal went through the same periods as the rest of the western world: the industrial revolution, the wars, the economic depression. There were many fires and epidemics, yet Montr\u00e9al continued to grow, spreading north, away from the port and downtown.<\/p>\n

The 1960s saw a time dubbed “the quiet revolution” when, one could say, the entire province moved up into modern times.<\/p>\n

There have been many waves of immigration over the years, starting in the 1800s when the Italians<\/a>, the Jews, and the Irish came here to flee famine or persecution or hoping for a better life. Lately, people from Asia, Vietnam in particular, as well and the Caribbean and the middle east have also joined the large Montreal community. They have all contributed to the flavor of Montr\u00e9al.<\/p>\n

Some events have shaped Montr\u00e9al also, leaving landmark buildings such as the world fair: “Expo 67” which left us the French pavilion that has been transformed into a casino<\/a>, and the summer Olympics in 1976 which left us the Olympic stadium<\/a> and it’s mast visible for miles.<\/p>\n

Montreal Today<\/h1>\n

I want to explain the city layout to you so you will understand where things are. The city is divided in neighbourhoods I will mention the most popular ones:<\/p>\n

Vieux Montr\u00e9al \/ Vieux port<\/strong><\/p>\n

These are so close that I put them together. This is the oldest area of Montreal and it has been restored quite nicely in the last few years.<\/p>\n

You can walk along the water’s edge, you can rent all kinds of rolling vehicles and follow the cycling path along the Lachine canal.<\/p>\n

There are many shops, restaurants and terraces in the area, at least two churches worth seeing and a couple more museums. It might not be quiet but it should be fun.<\/p>\n

There is a metro (subway) station not too far away which will connect you to everything else in the city.<\/p>\n